A Beginner’s Guide to Houseplant Shopping: AVOID THESE TRAPS

In this video, I’m showing you some beginner plant collectors’ traps and pitfalls in hopes of saving you some grief and money! While my word is not the end all be all, these are just things I’ve experienced on my own and now I’m sharing this knowledge with you!

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[kittylette]

My mom recently was given a pothos. It was her great grandmothers, that thing is over 80 years old. It is so beautiful and I’m prepared to be given this plant when I’m older lol. Not sure who I’m going to give it to when I die. Never thought I’d have to find a plant heir

[donnaallgaier-lamberti]

I'm age 71 and a long tine plant lover and gardener (both Inside the home and outside.) My suggestions are these...TIP # 1: Avoid Miracle grow soil that all too often breeds bugs that drives new gardeners crazy! Mix you own soil for pennies on the dollar. I use a huge bag of $2.99 potting soil, perlites, peat moss, worm casting and sometimes I add pea gravel for drainage as needed. (Except fort the worm castings and pea gravel, I use equal amounts of each in my mix.) Tip # 2: Leave the plant in the plastic nursery pot and place it in the fancy pot. Once a week you lift it out, take the nursery pot and take it to the kitchen sink and soak it in lukewarm temp water (not hot/not cold) thoroughly and let it drain completely and then place it again in your planter. Tip #3: I only repot a plant when it begins to look peaked. IF it is looking "happy, " I leave it alone and let it grow. Tip #4: I am not a big plant fertilizer person. Instead, I am more likely to give my plant fresh soil than I am to add a chemical fertilizer.

[carebearsluv]

Wish I had this video a year ago, when I was a beginner and bought and killed every plant you mentioned 😩. Not only did I buy all the wrong plants, I would buy a large quantity at a time, so there was a mass murder happening every week . 🥴 Now I stick to cactus, snake plants, zz, and pothos ….and i only buy 2 plants at a time. It gives me time to get acquainted without being overwhelmed.

[carinfonk]

As someone who owns over 130 succulents, they are so misunderstood. They love sunlight, mine pretty much refuse to sit anywhere but the windowsill with 8+ hours of bright direct sunlight. They are also less forgiving if you mess up, once they drop a leaf or grow an inch that's their look now, the only way to reset the plant is to chop it off and replant it. It is super rewarding to watch them thrive though.

[yellowbird]

Best quote I’ve heard all day, “Not all ferns are assholes.” Noted, Patrick! 👍🤗

[sshannah]

I fell for the maidenhair fern trap. She was too beautiful to walk away from… and I’m a brand new plant parent. now it’s my life’s mission to keep her alive! It’s been a month so I consider that a win already 😂

[carmeninherlife]

From my many failed experiences, the thicker the leaf the safer😂 ZZ plant and snake plants are my tried and true loves.

[KHall-dudl]

I love pothos, it has been one of the MOST forgiving plants that I've ever had and we been through some things😅

[m.katherinelamont]

"Not all ferns are a**holes" I love that! I brought my first fern home last spring and it was dead by midsummer. Decided to try a maidenhair this spring because my son upsized his lizard tank and I decided to try and repurpose his old one as a terrarium for some divas. There is a thermometer /hydrometer too that helps. I still water and spray the plants in there at least once a day and fuss over them because it's sort of therapeutic, something to tinker with 😀

[vlong]

"Hey, you ain't that cute.." 😂😂😂

[MjDused]

As a carnivorous plant grower, what was mentioned in this video is absolutely CORRECT!

Any beginners should keep in mind that carnivorous plants eat bugs because their roots do not take in any nutrients from the soil. Nutrients in soil will burn the roots and eventually kill the carnivorous plants. Another thing beginners mistaken is that they will water plants with regular tap water, DO NOT DO THIS! Depending on your tap water, most areas in the US have hard water or PPM over 100, which is not great for carnivorous plants since the minerals in the water will also burn the roots. To be safe, buy distilled water with no added minerals to water carnivorous plants or measure your tap water and see if it's 50 or less PPM to water them. As you get more into carnivorous plants, doing research on each type and genes is important, because like any other plant, some of the rarest will have more of a specific (DIVA) care.

HAPPY GROWING EVERYONE!

[myconfusedmerriment]

Thanks for reminding people that you DO have to water succulents lol. I feel like a lot of advice for them is like “water once a month” or even longer, and it really depends where you place them. If your succulent is dry as a bone and looks sad…you can water her. It’s gonna be okay. 😂

[jonathanryals]

They got me. I bought a cactus from Lowes that had a flower hot-glued to the top...

[kayleepauley]

I once fell for the succulents needing no care trap, but my dad was able to train me out of that. Now I have succulents that broke through their containers and are currently growing in the dirt on my front porch. Let’s just hope my HOA doesn’t notice that, thank you for the awesome video!

[debs_boho_jungle]

Hey PATRICK!! I'm so glad you did this video. I see so many new plant parents get in too deep, then frustrated, give up on indoor plants. We need more good content like this for our new PP's. Much love, good vibes always. 💛💙✌🏾

[Sprinkles]

Pro tip for anyone who is determined to get a nonbeginner fern: PUT IT IN THE BATHROOM. Preferably high up in your shower/bath, and just keep an eye on it every time you shower. The humidity in a bathroom is great for ferns, especially low light ones!

[bfitnessforlife]

what a joy to see such a well stocked store! so many great types to chose from! great video!

[embaljac]

If any beginner has the chance to get their hands on a jade plant, go for it! I’ve killed so many plants including succulents… and the clippings from my grandmothers jade plants have made it through three long car rides (one where they totally fell over), rinsing the roots because mites and repotting, letting them dry out too many times, temps from 40-90 degrees, indirect sun, direct sun, winter storms with hardly any sun, basically drowning from overwatering, and every time I’ve messed up they bounced back once I corrected my errors. They grow fast too! These plants really make me feel special and like I can care for something, unlike the calathea who could never even tell me when she was thirsty. So over her. 🤦🏼‍♀️

[charlimarieTV]

The YouTube algorithm really came through for me with this recommendation 👏🏻 subscribed! Love your vibe :)

[annettenoga]

Wow! I think I fell for most of those traps during the early days of my plant journey. Well done video and very informative. I've come to realize the beauty in the most simple of plants like the pothos...😊🙏