10+ Practical Tips: How to Care for Indoor Plants

Learning how to care for indoor plants can feel intimidating at first, but it’s one of the most rewarding parts of bringing greenery into your home. There’s just something about a splash of vibrant foliage on a bookshelf or a trailing vine in a the wall planter that completely changes the feel of a room.

Houseplants add life, help purify the air, and just make a space feel happier and more lived-in.

But if you’ve ever felt a little overwhelmed by houseplant care or joked that you have a “black thumb,” you are not alone. We’ve all been there!

Becoming a successful plant parent isn’t about having some magic secret—it’s simply about learning a few basics and listening to what your plants are trying to tell you.

If you’re ready to help your new indoor plants thrive (and not just survive), you’re in the right place! This guide is packed with my best, easy-to-follow plant care tips to get you started.

We’ll cover everything from the most common mistake new plant owners make (overwatering!) to finding the right low-light spots so that you can grow your indoor garden with joy and confidence.

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True Life Confession: I’m a Crazy Plant Lady

My grandmother had a green thumb. She could grow anything. She had the most beautiful gardens and lush houseplants of anyone I’ve ever known, from rose gardens to succulents.

Grandma always shared her plant know-how and gifted plant cuttings to anyone who would take them. It is so cool because many of her plants still live on today! (even though she left this earth over 25 years ago.)

My grandmother passed on her green thumb and her love for plants of all kinds to me. Currently, I have 37 little plant babies happily thriving in my house.

That said, over the years, I’ve learned a thing or two about how to grow beautiful houseplants, and I’m excited to share a bit of my knowledge with you to get you started. 🙂

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How to Care for Indoor Plants (for Beginners)

 1. Choosing the Right Houseplant

When purchasing your new indoor plant, be super picky. If they don’t look like they are perfect, then don’t bring them home.

Here are the things to look for when choosing a new houseplant:

Healthy Leaves

 Look for healthy green leaves. Better yet, new growth is always a good sign. Pass on plants with brown edges or yellowing leaves.  

Insects

Look for bugs and signs of bugs. I have brought plants home with tiny fungus gnats; before I knew it, all of my plants had bugs. Not good.

Plant Size

Choose a plant that will fit your space, and then peek at the plant’s light recommendations to see if you’ve got the right amount of light available for that particular plant.

2. Give Houseplants the Right Light. 

Most houseplants prefer bright, indirect sunlight.

Here are some general rules of thumb about light:

• South-facing windows give bright light.
• East/West-facing windows give moderate light.
• North-facing windows give low light.  

If a plant doesn’t thrive in one spot, just move it.

You can also supplement light by adding a plant light if low light is an issue. Plant lights are inexpensive and even decorative these days.

3. Keep Houseplants Away From Drafts

I live in Arizona, and my plants DO NOT like the air conditioning! When I lived in Washington, the plants hated being close to a heater. Make sure they are not too close to a vent.

Some plants are no more sensitive to drafts than others. My fiddle fig plants hate drafts, as does my peace lily.

4. Get The Watering Right

Welcome to the part of houseplant care where we’ve all “got it wrong” at least once! When I was a newbie plant momma, I made the classic mistake: I loved my plants to death with overwatering.

The right amount of water is key to a happy plant. But here’s the secret: the “key” isn’t a strict watering schedule, it’s a watering routine.

Here’s what I mean:

• Don’t just water your plants every Monday because it’s “watering day.”
• Do set a reminder on your phone (say, every Monday) to check your plants.

This “checking schedule” ensures you never forget them, but it allows you to give them what they actually need. Some plants will be thirsty (like my Fiddle Fig), while others (like my Snake Plant) will still be perfectly happy.

Your Most Important Tool: The Finger Test

Before you ever pick up the watering can, do the finger test. It’s the most reliable method, period.

• Gently push your finger about one to two inches into the potting soil.
• If the soil feels moist, do not water! Set a reminder to check again in a few days.
• If the soil feels dry at that depth, now it’s time to water.

A Quick Tip: If you’re still nervous and finding it hard to tell, a soil moisture meter is a fantastic tool to build your confidence.

You stick it in the soil, and it gives you a reading. It’s a great way to learn and confirm what your finger is telling you.

Just remember the golden rule of indoor gardening: When in doubt, let it dry out. Plants bounce back from underwatering (they’ll look a little wilted) far more easily than they recover from overwatering and root rot.

Related article: The Best Water for Houseplants

5. Give Houseplants Have Good Drainage

It took me a while to determine that the plants needed proper drainage. Some of my plants were draining into a tray and then sitting in the water.

As a result, they died of root rot. Oops.

Ensure your pot has good drainage, and whatever you do, don’t plant your plant in a pot with no drainage holes.

Also, when repotting plants, add broken terracotta or gravel to the bottom of the pot before adding soil.

Related article: How to use Clay Pebbles with Houseplants

Related: The best Fertilizers for Houseplants

7. Clean That Dusty Foliage (It’s for Health, Not Just Looks!)

My indoor plants get super dusty, especially since I live in the desert with new construction nearby. But the truth is, all indoor plants collect a layer of dust over time, and it’s more than just an eyesore.

Your plant’s foliage is its life source! Plants “breathe” and absorb sunlight through their leaves.

When that dust layer gets thick, it clogs their pores (stomata) and blocks light, making it much harder for the plant to perform photosynthesis —how they create their food!

Clean leaves are essential for good plant health and vigorous growth. Plus, dusty nooks and crannies are a favorite hiding spot for nasty pests like spider mites.

So, I make it a plant maintenance ritual to clean the leaves at least once a month.

• For large, smooth leaves: I gently support the leaf from underneath with one hand and wipe the top clean with a soft, damp cloth (using lukewarm water). It’s so satisfying.
  
• For smaller or delicate plants: You can also give them a quick, gentle rinse in the shower or sink with lukewarm water. Just be sure to let them drain fully.

To get that gorgeous, “finished” look, I sometimes use this leaf shine spray, which makes them look so wonderful! (A little goes a long way.) But honestly, plain water does the most important part of the job just fine.

8. Boost the Humidity (Your Tropical Plants Will Thank You!)

This tip was a complete game-changer for me. Most of our favorite indoor plants—like Fiddle Leaf Figs, Calatheas, ferns, and Monsteras—are tropical plants.

They are native to rainforests where the air is naturally heavy with moisture.

The air in our homes, by contrast, is very dry. This is especially true in the winter when the heat is on, or if you live in a dry climate like I do in the desert.

This low humidity is a significant source of stress for plants, often causing those dreaded brown, crispy leaf tips and edges.

If you live in a naturally humid climate, you can probably skip this step! But for the rest of us, adding humidity back into the air is key.

• The Best Solution: A Humidifier. This is, by far, the easiest and most effective method. I’ve got two humidifiers running in the house, and since adding them, my plants have flourished. And bonus, it’s great for your skin, too! (The one I purchased on Amazon has been a quiet workhorse with a large tank, so I’m not refilling it constantly.)
  
• A Free Solution: Group Your Plants. Plants naturally release moisture through their leaves (a process called transpiration). By grouping your plants close together, you can create a small, more humid “micro-climate” for them.
  
• A DIY Solution: Use a Pebble Tray. Place a layer of pebbles in a shallow tray, add water just below the top of the pebbles, and set your plant pot on top. The pot should sit on the pebbles, not in the water.
  
  The water will evaporate, raising the ambient moisture around the plant.

For me, the humidifiers are the most “set it and forget it” solution, but any of these methods will make your tropical foliage much happier.

Related article: The Best Plant Humidifiers

9. Re-pot your indoor plants only when necessary

There’s usually no rush to re-pot a new houseplant. Plants need time to acclimate to their new home.  

Repotting them can stress them out, so putting the plant into a decorative basket or inside a decorative planter is better than transplanting them too soon.  

They should do fine in the nursery pot for at least three months.

 If the plant has stopped growing or become root-bound, it’s time for a new planter and fresh soil.

Keep the size no more than 3″ larger in diameter for small pots and 6″ larger in diameter for larger pots.

10. Keep Houseplants Free of Pests (Like Those Annoying Fungus Gnats!)

Let’s chat about houseplant pests. The first time you spot a tiny bug, it’s completely normal to feel a bit alarmed, but please don’t worry—this happens to all of us, and even though it’s gross to have bugs in the house, there are solutions!

My personal battle? Fungus gnats! For a while, they were driving me absolutely crazy. They are a total pain, but I promise they are manageable.

Most common plant pests are treatable, and finding them is often just a sign you need to tweak your care routine.

What to Look For:

• Fungus Gnats: These are the most common (and the ones that drove me nuts!). They look like tiny fruit flies flitting around the potting soil. The adults are annoying, but the real problem is their larvae, which live in the top layer of soil.
  
• Spider Mites: These are teensy-tiny and hard to see, but you’ll notice their tell-tale signs: delicate, fine webbing on the undersides of leaves or where the leaf meets the stem.
  
• Mealybugs: These look like little white, cottony, or fuzzy spots, often hiding in the nooks and crannies of your plant (like where the leaves join the stem).

Your Pest-Control Plan:

Prevention is Key: The best pest control is prevention. Before you bring any new plants home, give them a thorough inspection (check under leaves and in the soil!).

Quarantine! The moment you spot a pest, move that plant away from your other greenery to prevent the problem from spreading.

For Fungus Gnats: This is almost always a sign of overwatering. Your best line of defense is to let the top 2-3 inches of your soil dry out completely between waterings.

This breaks their life cycle by drying out the larvae. For the flying adults, those yellow sticky traps you can buy online (Amazon!) or at a garden center work wonders.

For Other Pests (Mites, Mealybugs): My go-to, all-purpose treatment is neem oil. It’s a natural pesticide that’s safe to use indoors.

Mix it according to the bottle’s directions (it usually involves water and a drop of gentle soap) and spray down the entire plant—tops and bottoms of leaves, stems, and the top of the soil.

You may need to repeat this every 5-7 days for a couple of weeks to solve the problem.

Related: How to get rid of fungus gnats forever!

11. Adjust Your Care for the Season (Winter is Different!)

This is a houseplant basic that many people forget! Your plants’ needs will change with the seasons.

During the growing season (spring and summer), your plants are actively growing. They have more light, are building new foliage, and will be thirstier. This is when you’ll water more frequently and fertilize regularly.

But in fall and winter, the light is lower, and most indoor plants go into dormancy (a rest period). They are not actively growing, so they need much less water.

You’ll also want to stop fertilizing completely until you see signs of new growth in the spring. A plant that you watered weekly in the summer might only need water every 3-4 weeks in the winter.

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FAQs: How to Care For Houseplants

Here are some of the most common questions new plant parents have. Remember, there are no “silly” questions in houseplant basics!

What are the best, most forgiving indoor plants for beginners?

This is the best place to start! You want beginner plants that are resilient and can handle a little trial and error.

My absolute favorites are the Snake Plant (it thrives on neglect!) and the ZZ Plant. Both are fantastic low-light plants.

Pothos and Spider Plants are also wonderful, grow quickly, and are super easy to care for.

How often should I really water my houseplants?

This is the number one question! The best answer is: not on a schedule. The single biggest mistake in houseplant care is overwatering.

Before you water, always do the “finger test.” Stick your finger one to two inches into the potting soil. If it feels damp, wait a few more days. If it’s dry, it’s time to water!

How do I know if I’m overwatering my plants?

Your plant will tell you! The most common signs of overwatering (which can lead to root rot) are yellowing leaves, especially the lower ones.

The leaves might feel soft or mushy, and the soil will stay damp or even smell a bit moldy. Always make sure your pot has good drainage holes!

What other common plant problems should I look for?

Don’t panic when you see these; they’re all fixable!

• Brown, crispy tips: This is often a sign of low humidity or inconsistent watering.
  
• Yellow leaves: Can be due to overwatering, but if the soil is bone dry, it can also be due to underwatering. See? You’ll learn to read the signs.
  
• Leggy, stretched-out growth: Your plant is begging for more light!

Do my houseplants need direct sunlight?

Most of them, no! In fact, the “direct sunlight” you get from a south-facing window can be too harsh and scorch their foliage.

Most popular indoor plants prefer bright, indirect light. Think of a spot in a bright room, but just out of the path of those direct sunbeams.

How do I deal with those tiny, annoying bugs on my houseplants?

Ugh, fungus gnats or spider mites are common plant problems, but they are manageable.

The best pest control is prevention: check new plants before bringing them home. If you see bugs, isolate the plant and treat it with a gentle neem oil solution or insecticidal soap.

For fungus gnats, letting the soil dry out more between waterings is a huge help.

Related: How to Get Rid of Fungus Gnats Forever!

When and how do I repot my houseplants?

First, don’t be in a hurry! Most plants like to be a little snug in their pot. You only need to think about repotting when you see roots growing out of the drainage holes or the plant has clearly stopped growing (and it’s not winter).

When you do repot, choose a new pot that’s just 1-2 inches wider than the old one and use a fresh, high-quality potting mix.

Related: The Best Neem Oil for Houseplants

Conclusion: How to Care for Indoor Plants

Understanding how to care for indoor plants really comes down to a few simple, patient habits. See? Becoming a confident plant parent is completely within your reach!

Indoor gardening is a wonderful, rewarding hobby that’s all about learning and growing (right along with your plants).

The most important takeaway is to be patient with yourself and your new greenery. Pay more attention to your plant than to a strict watering schedule—your finger is the best tool you have.

Simply checking the potting soil every few days will tell you almost everything you need to know!

You’ll get the hang of it quickly, I promise.

I hope these plant care tips help you fill your home with beautiful, thriving plants that bring you peace and happiness for years to come.

You’ve got this!

XO, Christine