Plant Care Hacks: Watering & Fertilizing Secrets to Try

by Allan Wulff, MBA. Ph.D. 10/17/2021

Even for experienced gardeners, keeping multiple houseplants happy and thriving can be overwhelming. With all the watering, fertilizing, checking for pests and adequate sunlight, it might seem like you’re spending all of your time on the minute tasks. Luckily, there are lots of ways to make your plant care easier. Here are three simple hacks for taking better care of your indoor plants.

Water With Coffee Cups

It’s hard to go wrong with a classic watering can, but one issue many gardeners face is that the stream of water often comes out too fast for small and delicate plants. Watering cans with narrow openings produce a powerful dose of water that can even overflow the pot if you’re not extremely careful. While watering cans are useful for caring for larger plants, try a to-go drink cup to water the smaller specimens.

The small opening in the lid of these cups is small, but the shape of the lid prevents too much liquid from coming out at once. This is a design trait that hot beverage drinkers everywhere appreciate and now your plants will too. Use a clean coffee or tea cup to water your small plants gently and save the watering can for heavier drinkers. One important thing to note is that with most disposable cups are paper and will gradually break down with repeated use. To solve this, see if your favorite coffee shop has a reusable option in the same shape and size.

Mix Liquid Fertilizer in Bulk

There are multiple kinds of liquid fertilizer available for indoor and outdoor plants, but you’ll most commonly find it in a powdered or crystal form. This type of fertilizer you mix with the correct amount of water and then give it to your plants per the included instructions. This method and type of plant food is often less expensive than the liquid concentrates or other slow-release options, but it takes up a lot of time to portion out the correct amounts each time.

To save time and headache dealing with exact measurements, mix up a larger amount of fertilizer mix than you need and save it for next time. You can use empty plastic milk jugs, glass bottles or even a large bucket. When it’s time for another round of plant food, you’ll know you have the correct mixture already made—all you need to do is fill up your watering tool of choice and get to fertilizing.

Both of the above houseplant care hacks will save you time and energy on watering and fertilizing days. Try these methods and spend more time enjoying the gardening life.

About the Author
Author

Allan Wulff, MBA. Ph.D.

Hello and thank you for visiting! Selling or buying real estate is very serious business! I provide extraordinary results! Prior to real estate I was President/CEO of a number of area technology companies, Vice-Chairman of the INOVA Hospital Association and have been a long time member of the Association for Corporate Growth. With a broker’s training and experience, you get more than just a realtor agent. My negotiating skills and astute problem solving capabilities, honed by executive experience, have proved extremely effective for my clients in achieving their dreams and real estate goals in this current complex and fast paced market. As a long time Northern Virginia resident my experience will benefit you whether you are buying a home or selling a home or are a returning client checking out the many homeowner resources my associates and I offer. Buying a home? I look forward to helping you select the home of your dreams by taking time to listen to your needs and desires. Selling a home? My real estate expertise and many effective marketing programs will give you the exposure and edge you need to sell your home quickly for top dollar. Testimonials. I appreciate the opportunity to continue to serve you and hope you take advantage of the valuable resources I provide. Come back to visit often! I consider this community an excellent place to reside and would love to share with you my enthusiasm for the many neighborhoods in the area. I pride myself on providing unparalleled service and look forward to developing a long-term relationship with you. Please feel free to contact me if you would like to discuss how I can best assist you with your real estate goals. Sincerely, Allan Wulff