We recommend checking your arrangement to assess its water needs on a weekly basis (likely more frequently in the spring-summer if in a particularly bright or warm environment). The easiest way to assess water needs is by weight of the container and visual cues: 

• Note how heavy the container feels after you’ve watered the arrangement. When the container starts to feel dramatically lighter, that’s a clue that the soil has dried out enough and the arrangement could use a drink. 
• Watch for visual cues: Dry, crispy leaves are crying out for water while limp, yellowing leaves are a sign that you’ve over watered. The color of your plants will fade and lose their green vibrancy into a flat and sometimes even greyish tone. Be patient and allow your plants to show you signs for care instead of over doing it.  
• Orchids: We leave orchids in their plastic sleeves as they are happiest in the moss and apart from wet soil. Make sure to spot water your orchid directly at its base. 

We encourage spot watering*—giving your higher water need plants, like ferns, an extra drink while giving your lower water need plants, like snake plants, less. We recommend using a watering can to be precise.  

When in doubt—give your arrangement a tiny drink each week. You can always water more, but you can’t water less!  

Fertilizer:

 Slow-release fertilizer* added at the beginning of the active growing season (March-April) is all you need to dramatically improve your plant health. If you are trying to revive an older arrangement or get your orchid to rebloom, a water-soluble fertilizer* tailored to your goals applied according to directions on the package is advised.

Fertilizer is not needed as growing season winds down and through the winter (usually beginning in October-November and lasting through February). Give your plants some time to rest! 

Other Maintenance: Deadhead* spent blooms and remove browned leaves.

Troubleshooting: It’s common for houseplants to shed lower leaves, especially with changes in season, so if you notice occasional browning or leaf drop, it’s usually not a cause for concern but be observant for significant loss; If leaf drop occurs heavily and randomly, check for over or under watering and other sudden changes in conditions—maybe a heater kicked on or there is a new draft, or maybe the addition of new furniture had changed the light availability? Some investigative work usually reveals the culprit. 

Still struggling? Bring your plants into any location to have a houseplant expert assess them and advise you on next steps!

Eventual Repotting: Most houseplants prefer to be a bit rootbound*, but there will come a time when the plant needs to be repotted. When you start to notice roots growing out of the bottom of the pot, over the sides,  starting to noticeably circle in the container, or you’ve just noticed stalled growth overall and the arrangement is older, bring your arrangement in to any location for a repot consultation. We recommend not exceeding an additional 2” in new container size to prevent transplant shock. 

Glossary

Bright Indirect Light: Usually, spots near but not directly against a window. Usually the window faces east, south, or west for longer light exposures during the day. 

Deadhead: the process of removing old flower blooms to encourage new growth. 

Ficus: common houseplants in the Moraceae family include fiddle leaf fig, rubber tree, and Audrey Ficus plants among others.

Low light: Usually spots in corners or shadows and away from windows—there is still filtered light from a window reaching the plant but not much. This is different than no light (rooms with no windows). Live plants need some light to live! Consider grow lights if needed. 

Rootbound: Plant roots exceeding the capacity of its container; roots are competing for space and nutrients. Time for a bigger container, usually an additional 2” of the original size. 

Slow-release fertilizer: a pellet-form fertilizer that dissolves in soil and consistently feeds nutrients over an extended period of time. Can be applied once or twice during the slow growing season according to package instructions. 

Spot Watering: Watering each plant according to its needs. It's how you water, not how much you water. For example, water directly at a fern’s base when it's potted next to a snake plant. Try to avoid water overflowing to the snake plant because it doesn’t need as much water as the fern. A watering can with a narrow spout can help you make a precise spot-water.  

Water-soluble fertilizer: an instant release fertilizer diluted in water for an immediate nutrient boost. It is typically only needed during the growing season; Follow the label instructions.