Plants are resilient, but that doesn’t mean they don’t get stressed. One thing that often puts stress on a plant is a change of environment. When you bring a new plant into your home, it needs time to unwind and adjust – just like people and pets do after moving into a new place. Watering or repotting your plant right away, or exposing it to too much or too little light, could result in a very, very short-lived plant. Here are our tips for how to best acclimate your new pet-safe plant to your space:
Unbox it Completely
Make sure to remove all packaging from your plant, including any cardboard or paper fillers keeping the soil in place.
Show Some Love
Wipe down your plant’s leaves or, even better, spray them with a DIY pet-safe plant soap and pest prevention, like the one we mention in our Plant Care Routine post. This will help remove any dust from transit and keep pests and bacteria at bay.
Don’t Water
We know it’s hard, especially when the plant is so new and pretty and begging for a demonstration of your unconditional love, but try not to water your plant for at least a week, while it acclimates to the light and humidity levels in its new home. Also try not to move its location any more than absolutely necessary.
Place with Care
For the first week or so after your plant comes home, try to avoid exposing it to harsh conditions like direct sunlight or cold air/drafts. Avoid placing it directly in a south-facing window or near air conditioning vents.
Isolate it from Other Plants
If possible, keep your new plant isolated from other plants for at least a week, in order to best examine it for any pests or disease. If you can’t put your plant in its own room, try cutting a 2-liter soda bottle in half and putting the top half over your plant, like a dome. Keep the cap off the top, so that air can circulate.
After a week to ten days, your pet-safe plant should be acclimated to its new home environment. You can take it out of isolation, place it in a decorative planter, and introduce it to the rest of your plant and pet family!