Deciding you want to “be a better plant parent ” is a great goal, but it’s kind of a dud of a New Year’s Resolution . The best resolutions are small, specific, measurable, and something you can write down and track.
So if a green thumb is on your goals list for this year, try reframing your ambition into something more tangible. Here are a few simple-but-specific resolutions to set your black thumbs on the path to success (plus keep your fiddle-leaf fig alive and thriving).
Spend 5 minutes a day with your plants
No relationship (or plant) can grow without a little quality time, right? The same principle applies to greenery. To set a precedent of paying attention to your plants—and to learn more about their life cycle and needs — make a priority of spending at least five minutes a day caring for them. Whether you use the time to clean them, feel the soil, research the symptoms, or just water them, you and your plants both will benefit from this dedicated time. Don’t trust your memory? Try setting on an alarm for your plant sessions, at last until you get into a solid routine.
Visit a nursery regularly
Google can be helpful in a pinch, but there’s nothing like a trip to your local nursery to learn more about your plants (and the ones you aspire to be able to grow one day). Take some time this year — either monthly or quarterly—to visit your favorite local nursery to talk to the staff and research different types of plants. The tips and tricks you glean may surprise you!
Plan and stick to a plant watering routine
Some plants need just the right amount of water to thrive, and some hardly need attention at all . Rather than dumping in the remains of your water bottle when you walk by, do your due diligence on how much water your plant needs, and how often. Curious about the needs of each, individual plant in your home? It might help to measure the water you’re giving each plant, and tracking a journal of how they react. Once you have a good idea of what your plant needs, plan a watering schedule and stick to it.
Clean your plants once a week
Like anything else in your house, plants need a good clean every so often to remove dust and bugs. Cleaning your plants will not only help them stay alive and look great, but will keep you in the loop of what kind of pests they’re prone to. For larger houseplants, you can remove dust by simply moistening a paper towel or cloth with a bit of water and wiping down, and for fuzzier plants, try a wet toothbrush or paintbrush. To remove bugs, you can put a smaller houseplant in the sink or a larger one in the shower.
Set a calendar reminder to prune your plants
To stay presentable and grow optimally, most plants need to be pruned somewhat regularly—basically, that means removing diseased or overgrown parts of your plant. Ideally, trimming and snipping should take place at the beginning of your plant’s growing season, which is typically late winter for houseplants. After you do your research on your plant’s growing season, set a calendar alert for pruning. When the time comes, remove sections of the plant at a 45 degree angle with clean scissors, and avoid cutting more than a quarter of the plant at once. Also, don’t prune when you see unopened buds!
Start a plant journal and write in it at least weekly
Taking care of anything has lasting benefits, so why not write them down? Tracking your plants in a journal not only tunes you in to your plants’ needs so you can take care of them more effectively, but helps you see the benefits of plant-keeping in your own words, which will in turn motivate you to be an even better plant parent.