Caring for your plant gift

Gifting is always a big question mark when it comes to what the best suited gift for family or friends is. Will they like it or will they use it? We believe that giving an indoor plant as a gift is a gesture of hope, love, and relationship. Plant gifting is a plant that keeps on giving, a love that keeps on growing, and a relationship that grows steadfast in its roots. Gifting a plant will be rewarding not only for the receiver but also for the giver. You cannot go wrong when you select a good, well grown plant to give as a gift.

You do not need a “green thumb” to make your gift plants last a long time. The wise plant gift buyer will select plants that have been grown properly and maintained in good conditions by reliable plant shops. Well-shaped, healthy plants with dark green foliage and a uniquely foliaged plant will help ensure maximum satisfaction.

Now you have your well grown and well-maintained plant gift, but how do you care for it? If you are one of those people who struggle to keep plants alive at first, we have the perfect tips that can teach you to look after your plant gifts better. Just because it isn’t something that comes naturally to you doesn’t mean that you have to accept you’ll never be able to do it.

Keeping plants alive is a learned skill, and there is no reason you can’t learn to do it, too.

To get you started on your gift plant-care journey, we’ve put together some plant caring tips to help you out:

1. Choosing the correct pot

One reason for choosing the correct pot is that all plants enjoy good drainage. Ideally, a pot should have a hole in the bottom so that excess water can drain out of the soil and collect in a tray underneath the pot. When you use a pot with no drainage holes, all extra water is trapped in the soil. Often, this is more water than the plant can successfully absorb, and this will result in a “drowning” plant.

A tell-tale sign of too much water in the pot is, when your plant looks wilted and droopy, but the soil is still damp, the odds are good that you have a drainage problem, and the plant is too wet.

The second reason is that plants need plenty of space to grow. If the roots run out of room to stretch out, the plant will become top-heavy, and the roots won’t be able to support the amount of foliage on your plant. This will cause it to wither and die.

While it’s easiest to leave your gift plant in the pot or basket you received it in, this isn’t always the best way to keep your gift plant healthy and strong.

2. Good potting soil

When re-potting your gifted plant from the container it came in and putting it in a better pot, you’ll also need to think about what type of potting soil you’ll be using. It isn’t enough to just scoop some soil straight from your garden, as it does not have all the nutrients or fertiliser your plant will need to thrive in its new pot.

Depending on the type of plant that was gifted to you, you may be able to find a potting mix designed specifically for that species. For example, if you’re planting a succulent, there are often potting soils that are specially crafted with just the right nutrients for these types of plants.

We suggest to seek some help on what type of ground is best suited for your plant, and work according to that advice.

3. Watering & light : What is not too much and not too little

Watering and the placement of your plant in the perfect spot can be a little bit tricky, especially if you’re new to plant care.

Too much watering can let your plant easily drown. Water too little, and the plant will dry up and die. While, every plant has different preferences in terms of shade versus sun, no plant will grow with absolutely no light whatsoever.

So what will make your plants happy and healthy?  You’ll need to find a delicate balance between these two extremes: not too much and not too little, not too light and not too dark.

Let’s start with watering your plant. While some plants prefer to live in moist soil, the vast majority of plants do best when you allow the soil to dry out between watering.

The best way to tell whether or not your plant needs water, is to carry out the finger test – feel the soil, preferably near the edge of the pot and about 5cm deep. If your soil feels dry and crumbly, it’s time to water. If it still feels damp, it probably doesn’t need more watering.

An important tip for watering is, when giving your plant a drink, water it until the water begins to run out the hole in the bottom of the pot, or until the soil no longer absorbs any water. If the water begins to pool on top of the soil refusing to soak in any more, then it’s time to stop watering.

When it comes to light for your gift plant, it is important to remember your plant needs at least some sun to thrive. A great place to place plants in a windowsill or on a table in front of a window, or even in someplace that experiences plenty of sunlight.

Plants placed in poor light will become yellow and have spindly shoots. Keep your plants in the window and move them to other locations only for brief special occasions. Artificial light from lamps will help supplement low winter sunlight. Just be careful for direct sunlight that comes in from your window as it can burn your leaves.

Now that you have all your caring tips, there is no reason to be scared of your gifted plants! Remember, plants represent hope, love, and relationships and with time these three aspects will grow stronger inexperience! Plant Gifting is picking up a storm, make sure to not miss it.

We say “Bring on the living gifts!” there is nothing to be scared of, try plant gifting.