So you killed your first plant. Maybe your second and third too. Welcome to the club—we’ve all been there, staring at crispy brown leaves wondering where we went wrong. I turned my first succulent into a mushy disaster within two weeks, and honestly? That failure taught me more than any success ever could.
Here’s the truth: growing house plants indoors isn’t rocket science, but nobody tells you the actual helpful stuff when you’re starting out. They just say “water it regularly” and leave you guessing what “regularly” even means. I’m here to give you the real talk—the tips I wish someone had told me before I murdered that innocent jade plant back in 2019.
Start With Plants That Actually Want to Live
Why beginners always take the prettiest, the fussiest plants first? I had this lesson very bitterly when I purchased a calathea as my starter plant. Spoiler warning: it perished in a glorious way.
Your best beginner-friendly options:
- Pothos (literally thrives on neglect)
- Snake plants (I forget mine exists for weeks)
- Spider plants (they multiply like crazy)
- ZZ plants (practically indestructible)
And herein lies what no one speaks–these easy plants are not tedious. My golden pothos is more than six feet long and appears beautiful falling down my bookshelf. The snake plant keeps my bedroom down to earth with those architectural leaves. They are simple and beautiful and that is just what you want when you are studying.
I watched a friend buy a fiddle leaf fig as her first plant because it looked cool on Instagram. Three months later, she had a sad stick with two leaves. Don’t be that person. Build your confidence with plants that actually want to survive your learning curve.
Light Isn’t Just Light (And Your Plant Knows the Difference)
Ever wondered why your plant guide says “bright, indirect light” and you’re left standing there like… what does that even mean? I spent months thinking my north-facing window counted as bright light. It didn’t. My plants told me through their sad, leggy growth.
Let me break down light levels in actual human terms:
- Bright, indirect light: Near a window but not in direct sun rays (think 3-5 feet from a south or west window)
- Medium light: Further from windows or near an east-facing window
- Low light: That corner where you can still read comfortably but no direct sun ever hits
Here’s my foolproof test: hold your hand between the light source and a wall at plant height. If you see a sharp, defined shadow, that’s bright light. Fuzzy shadow? Medium light. Barely any shadow? Low light. Simple as that.
| Light Type | Window Distance | Best Plants |
|---|---|---|
| Bright Indirect | 3-5 feet from south/west window | Monstera, fiddle leaf fig |
| Medium | East-facing or 6-10 feet from bright window | Pothos, philodendron |
| Low | North-facing or 10+ feet from window | Snake plant, ZZ plant |
I transplanted my struggling monstera to a place which I believed was the ideal site to a more lightened place and after two weeks, new growth was observed. Light is just more important than virtually anything and getting your plant to suit your real light conditions (not what you wish you had) is the key.
Overwatering Kills More Plants Than Underwatering
This is going to sound harsh, but you’re probably drowning your plants. I did too! I thought showing love meant watering on a strict schedule, giving them drinks whether they needed it or not. Turns out, that’s basically plant murder. :/
The real watering rule: Water when the plant needs it, not when your calendar says to.
I stick my finger about two inches into the soil. Dry? Water time. Still moist? Leave it alone. It’s that simple, yet I ignored this advice for years because I thought I knew better. Narrator: I did not know better.
Watering schedules vary depending on the type of plant. In the summer, my pothos needs water every week, but my snake plant? That guy takes it easy for three weeks, and occasionally for a month during the winter. You know what totally altered my approach to plants? putting the schedule on hold and beginning the actual soil inspection.
FYI, yellow leaves usually mean overwatering while brown, crispy edges mean underwatering. Your plants are literally telling you what’s wrong—we just need to listen. Once I learned to read these signals, my success rate shot up dramatically.
Humidity Isn’t Optional for Some Plants
Nobody told me about humidity until I wondered why my beautiful calathea looked like it had been through a desert apocalypse. Turns out, most tropical house plants come from (wait for it) tropical places where the air isn’t as dry as my apartment in winter.
Signs your plant needs more humidity:
- Brown, crispy leaf edges
- Leaves curling inward
- Slow growth despite good care
- Just generally looking sad and crispy
Here’s what actually works without buying expensive humidifiers. I group my humidity-loving plants together—they create their own little microclimate through transpiration. Sounds fancy, but it just means they make each other’s air more humid. I also keep some on pebble trays (rocks in a shallow dish with water) which helps more than you’d think.
My bathroom gets humid from showers, so I stuck a few ferns in there. They went from struggling to thriving literally overnight. Sometimes the solution is that obvious, and we just overthink it.
Get the Right Pot and Drainage Situation
Can we talk about how many cute pots have no drainage holes? It’s a trap! I bought this gorgeous ceramic pot from a boutique, planted my new philodendron in it, and watched root rot destroy my plant within a month. Aesthetic over function doesn’t work here, friends.
What you actually need:
- Drainage holes (non-negotiable)
- A saucer to catch water
- Pot size that’s only slightly bigger than the root ball
- Material that breathes (terracotta is your friend)
Here’s my system now: I keep plants in basic plastic nursery pots with drainage, then drop those inside prettier cache pots (decorative outer pots). This gives me the drainage I need plus the aesthetic I want. Win-win.
Don’t go crazy with pot size either. I reasoned that giving my tiny pothos a large pot would promote growth. Rather, I almost killed it, and the soil remained wet forever because there weren’t enough roots to absorb it all. Pot up gradually; when repotting, the diameter may increase by one or two inches.
The Terracotta Advantage
Terracotta pots breathe and wick moisture away from soil. I use them for plants that hate wet feet, like succulents and snake plants. They’re not just trendy—they actually serve a purpose beyond looking good on Pinterest. 🙂
Fertilizer Isn’t Magic, But It Helps
I went two years without fertilizing because I thought plants just… grew on their own. They do, technically, but they grow way better with food. Once I started fertilizing, the difference was night and day.
My beginner fertilizing approach:
- Use a balanced, diluted liquid fertilizer
- Feed during growing season (spring and summer)
- Cut back or stop completely in winter
- Less is more—I use half the recommended strength
Think of it this way: your potting soil has nutrients, but plants eat through those over time. You’re just refilling the buffet. I fertilize most of my plants once a month in summer, and they reward me with faster growth and healthier leaves.
IMO, the easiest method for beginners is a diluted liquid fertilizer. I mix it with water according to the package directions (then halve it because I’m paranoid), and apply it when I water. Simple, foolproof, and my plants love it.
Learn to Read Your Plants’ Signals
Your plants are talking to you constantly. I just couldn’t hear them until I learned the language. Now I can walk through my apartment and immediately spot who needs attention.
What plants are actually saying:
- Yellow lower leaves: Overwatering or natural aging (one or two is fine, many is not)
- Droopy leaves: Needs water NOW (or sometimes too much water—check the soil)
- Brown tips: Low humidity or chemical buildup from tap water
- Leggy growth: Not enough light (reaching for it desperately)
- Pale new leaves: Needs fertilizer or more light
For months, I killed plants before realizing that they were actually pointing out my issues. The leaves of my monstera turned yellow, and I continued to water it because I thought it was thirsty. Incorrect! I was drowning it. I made the necessary adjustments after realizing that yellow typically indicates overwatering, and my plants stopped dying.
The key is checking your plants regularly. I do a quick walk-through every few days, looking at leaves, touching soil, and just observing. This habit caught problems early before they became plant obituaries.
Trust the Process
Here’s something encouraging: you’re going to get better at reading these signals. My first year, I panicked at every yellow leaf. Now I can glance at a plant and know exactly what it needs. Experience really is the best teacher, and every plant you keep alive builds that knowledge.
Your Journey Starts With One Healthy Plant
Look, I’m not going to lie and say you’ll never kill another plant. I still lose one occasionally when I misjudge something or get too busy to notice a problem. The difference now? I don’t let it discourage me, and I actually learn from what went wrong.
The real secrets to indoor plant success:
- Choose beginner-friendly plants that match your light
- Check soil moisture before watering (every single time)
- Provide appropriate humidity for tropical plants
- Use pots with drainage holes (seriously, don’t skip this)
- Feed your plants during growing season
- Learn to read their signals and adjust accordingly
Start with one plant. Get that one thriving. Then add another. Building a plant collection isn’t a race—it’s about creating a living space that makes you happy. My apartment went from zero plants to over thirty, and that happened slowly, one success at a time.
It took time to create the Pinterest-perfect plant rooms, and there were undoubtedly some casualties along the way. Your mistakes are worthwhile, your learning curve is typical, and that first plant you managed to keep alive for six months? That will feel amazing.
So pick up a pothos, locate a bright spot, and set out on your adventure. In the future, you’ll be surrounded by prosperous green friends who will show you that you were right after all, and you’ll look back on this moment with a smile. 🌱