6 Indoor Plant Hacks You Need to Start Doing Right Now

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Being a houseplant parent has increased in popularity in recent years. According to civicscience.com, 66% percent of consumers in the U.S. own at least one houseplant. With so many people growing houseplants, there are always learnings and our readers shared their best plant hacks for indoor gardens.

1. Use Ice Cubes to Water Houseplants

To help prevent a watery mess on the floor, one Birds & Blooms reader has a secret plant hack. “I put ice cubes in my hanging plants,” Roslyn Francis of Lodi, California, says. “As the ice melts, the soil absorbs the water and it doesn’t drip out the bottom of  the pot.”

When is the best time to water plants?

2. Get Creative with Plant Placement

Some plants need full sun, some like full shade and some like a little of both. One hack that will give all of your plants what they need is to use furniture, such as long sofa tables and creatively place them in front of windows.

Hope Cate of Wilmington, North Carolina explains. “I placed a long sofa table so that half of it is in front of a south-facing window,” she says. “Plants that prefer a lot of light are in the area in front of the window. But because the other half of the table is in the shade, I can have many plants in one spot, and they are all happy.”

These are the best houseplants for low light.

3. Find a Second Use for Your Coffee Grounds

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After the grounds from your daily cup of Joe have cooled, don’t toss them in the garbage. Dolores Koland of Pelican Rapids, Minnesota says, “Add coffee grounds to your houseplants and watch them thrive.”

Here are some ways you can use baking soda in your garden and landscape.

4. Invest in a Moisture Meter

Instead of using your finger to gauge the moisture levels of your houseplants’ soil or just guessing that it’s time to water, you can use a moisture meter. Tracy McCullum of Joliet, Illinois says, “Use a soil moisture meter to prevent overwatering. It lets you know if the soil is wet, moist or dry.” The XLUX T10 Soil Moisture Sensor Meter has almost 52,000 reviews on Amazon. 

Can you reuse potting soil in planters?

5. Rotate Your Plants for Even Sun Exposure

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If you’ve noticed that your houseplants are leaning toward the light, try this super simple hack. Judy Roberts of Graytown, Ohio, says, “Give the plants a quarter-turn once a week to even out their exposure to the sun.” This will help your plant grow evenly.

These 10 houseplants are best for beginners.

6. Give Plants Some Rainwater

Nothing beats a little fresh air and fresh water—and that’s true for your houseplants too. “If your pots are small enough to carry, put them out in a light rain when the weather is warm,” says Robbin Moller of Sylvania, Ohio. “I have yet to encounter a houseplant that doesn’t perk up with a little rain.”

Before you buy your next houseplant, make sure it’s not on our list of houseplants you’ll regret.