It can be really helpful to have a houseplant care schedule, sort of how cars have maintenance schedules to keep them running properly! In this post, I’ll review different aspects of houseplant care with suggested “schedules” for performing each part of plant-care maintenance.
Note: These are not listed in time order since I can’t give exact time increments for most of these. You’ll understand why as you read on.
Watering
With overwatering being the easiest way to kill a plant, one of the most important things I want people to understand is that you should not be watering on a set schedule. However, it’s helpful to use a set schedule to at least check your plants to determine if they need to be watered.
Most houseplants should be checked about once a week. Those that like to remain on the drier side can typically be checked every 10-14 days. Those that like to remain moist can be checked every three to five days. Keep in mind this depends on your climate, too. Plants will need to be checked more frequently in drier climates. For more help with knowing when to water your plant and other tips for watering, check out this post.
Providing Humidity
How much humidity you provide depends on your plant. Some plants will like humidity daily, while others only need it a few times a week, and some do not need it at all. Research humidity requirements for your particular plant to determine what your plant needs. Check out my helpful guide on easy to ways create humidity for your houseplants.
Rotating
Some plants are more dramatic than others in terms of how aggressively they lean towards the light. Pilea peperomioides is a good example of this. This plant is very hard to keep symmetrical, and I’d suggest rotating it and other similarly dramatic plants a quarter turn every day.
There are other plants that you’d be fine to rotate once a week or not at all. This category mostly depends on your preference for the look of your plants. My plants are on a combination of rotation schedules. Some every day, some once every one-to-two weeks, and some only when I water them and notice how they’re leaning.
Pruning
Pruning, in terms of removing any dead leaves, should be done whenever you notice dead leaves. We can put it in the “once a week” category. Wait until the leaf is totally brown and can be gently plucked off, then remove it.
Pruning, in terms of giving your plant a “haircut,” can be done whenever you see fit as long as you’re not doing it too often, which can hurt your plant. You’ll perhaps want to cut back leggy plants or large plants every few weeks to every few months.
Fertilizing
You can fertilize your plants every two-to-four weeks during the growing season (spring and summer). The majority of common houseplants fall into the every four weeks frequency. Heavier feeders will benefit from more frequent fertilizing every two weeks while some really won’t need any fertilizer. Be sure to research your plants’ requirements before fertilizing them to avoid harming them with too much (or too little) fertilizer.
Repotting
Most houseplants need to be repotted every one to two years. Sometimes, that can involve simply replacing the potting mix if your plant is still happy in its current-size pot. Certain plants prefer to be more rootbound than others, so do a check-in on your plants’ pot requirements before repotting.
Checking for Pests
Ideally, checking for pests should be done every few days. This doesn’t have to be as big of a deal as it sounds. Just take a closer look as you’re admiring your plants, pick them up, gently poke around the leaves, and do a quick check for any unwanted visitors.
Cleaning and Dusting
You should dust your plants’ leaves or wipe them down with a damp cloth around every two weeks, give or take, depending on the plant. Larger leaves will, of course, accumulate more dust.
Your plants’ leaves should be thoroughly cleaned a few times a year. Keep in mind doing so more frequently can be very harsh on your plants. A thorough cleaning can be done with a vinegar solution or a lemon or lime juice solution. Check out my post on how and why to clean houseplant leaves here.
Moving Plant Locations
I’m not really sure how to name this category but you might find yourself moving the locations of your plants further from the window when it starts to get too cold, moving them if they’re too close to a dry air vent, or switching up locations if they’re getting too little or too much light (which also may be when it starts to get cold and dark). There isn’t really a schedule for this one, so let’s say this can be done “as needed.”
