So, you’re ready to enter the wonderful world of houseplants. You basically just browse our website, find which plants speak to you, and start adding to cart, right? Well, that’s one way to go about it, and everyone’s plant journey involves a bit of trial and error. But in general, we recommend evaluating 3 key factors about your environment and lifestyle before setting your heart on any specific pet-friendly plant: light, water, and soil.
Light
Houseplants need, bare minimum, 3 things to survive: light, oxygen, and water. Light is often the most important of these to factor in when choosing a plant. What kind of light will your new plant be getting? Figure out where you want to place it in your home and determine what direction the window closest to it is facing. There are some plant apps that have a light meter that will help you make an exact calculation, but that’s not necessary for most plants.
In general, if your plant gets eastern or western exposure, you have dappled/indirect light; if it gets southern exposure, you have bright and often direct light, and northern exposure usually means lower light conditions. Look for plants that flourish in the natural lighting conditions in their new environment. Many plants can survive with less-than-optimal light levels, but there’s nothing like watching your plant really thrive. And the best way to set it up for success is ensuring that you can provide the type and amount of light that it needs.
Water
For some plants, not all water is suitable. For example, while we can throw back a tall glass of city tap water when thirsty, the same cannot be said for your average Calathea plant. So another important thing to consider when choosing a plant is what are its water requirements, and what do you have the bandwidth for? If your plant’s drinking the same kind of water you do, and that’s tap water, we’d recommend starting with something lower-maintenance and sturdy, like a Spider Plant or Rubber Plant. If you’re prepared to have distilled and/or filtered water on hand for your plants, then something like a Calathea or Fittonia could be a great fit.
Another aspect of watering to consider is frequency. Are you the type of plant parent who thrives on spending time with your plants and doesn’t mind a more frequent maintenance routine, or do you forget to water your plant until you see its leaves drooping? It’s crucial, especially if you’re new to houseplants, to be realistic with yourself about what kind of time and energy you want to put into your plants. That way, you’re more likely to find your perfect plant match, and feel the joy of watching it thrive.
Soil/Potting Mix
When repotting a houseplant, it’s fine to get the cheapest bag of soil at the hardware store and go wild, right? Well, not necessarily. The soil that’s best for Prayer Plants would overwhelm most Peperomias, Hoyas, and Chinese Money Plants. When adding a plant to your home, look at two things: what kind of soil does the plant need, and what kind of soil do you have? Most standard potting soil could stand to be filtered with perlite or a similar material, to maximize the oxygen flow around the roots of your plant. This is important to keep your plant as healthy as possible and prevent rot. Most Prayer Plants, Fittonias, and Ferns will do just fine in standard potting soil with some perlite mixed in. Semi-succulents, however, need a much drier soil like Arid Potting Mix, which lets more air flow around the roots of the plants.
If you don’t already have the proper soil at home, be prepared to spend a little more to make sure you’re setting your new plant up for success. When it’s time to change out the plant’s soil or transfer it to a bigger pot, making sure it’s in the right type of soil is key.
We hope that keeping these three factors in mind makes choosing the right pet-friendly plant an easy, fulfilling experience for you! You can always reach out via email at info@plantsforpetparents.com with any questions or concerns.