7 Top Mistakes That Can Kill Your Houseplants | Our House Plants

By Tom Knight

Killing Houseplants (by accident)

When I was around 11, my Grandad gave me my first Cactus. I remember him telling me houseplants loved to live indoors around people and that they were very easy to keep. As he handed me the spiky plant he told me that he had owned this particular one for five years and had never had any problems.

I believe the words "Cacti are impossible to kill" were even uttered as I happily took my new plant friend from him. But he was wrong. It died soon after. And I was mortified.

The truth is that houseplant ownership isn't always plain sailing and things do go wrong, even if you have the best intentions. Especially if you're just starting out.

But even knowledgeable houseplant owners still experience the majority of the mistakes detailed in this article from time to time. Clichéd as it sounds, it's all part of the path to learning and becoming an expert.

A dead houseplant - caused by one of the 7 things listed below.

Maybe you've stumbled on this page because you're convinced you have the classic black thumb that can be inherited, caught, or just plain cursed with and you're desperate to find the elusive cure?

Well, firstly the good news is that in general plants do want to live and do that quite well without a huge amount of effort from you.

The bad news is they have a variety of different needs and we all have different growing environments. This means you can do any number of the "mistakes" listed in our article which can all end in throwing your plant out.

If you're a repeat offender as you read through, try to spot which ones you're prone too and read up on our suggested articles to enhance your knowledge and skills.

In the meantime, this article, featuring the 7 most popular ways to end your houseplants (and how not to do it) is dedicated to the plant slayers of the world. ;-)

1

Overwatering

We get it. You've just got a new plant, maybe you've already picked out a name! It's exciting and you love it already. It almost goes without saying that you just want to keep it happy and beautiful looking.

Despite your good intentions though, it's very easy to fuss your new plant to its demise. It's not really your fault we know, you just want it to settle in and do well! But the number one reason houseplants don't make it long term is due to incorrect watering and the leading mistake with this is overwatering.

Overwatering a houseplant is the number one cause of indoor plant demise.

Of course, as a good attentive host, the last thing you want is for your houseplants to become thirsty! But the problem is you keep on watering until you drown the roots. The soil is sodden and if you tilt the pot over a glass you can pour yourself a smelly brown colored drink. Not good for you, and lethal to the plant.

The Easy Fix

You need to learn the art of patience and give time between watering. Not only that, but you might not need to give as much when you do come to water.

Make sure the drip tray (or whatever you are using to prevent damage to the surface underneath the pot) isn't still filled with liquid an hour after you've watered. If there is water left over, pour it away.

This is a broad topic, with lots to cover, so if you're struggling to find the balance here as a proud plant parent, have a read of our watering guide linked just below.

(And if you really just can't get it right.... have you thought about becoming a Marimo parent? It's literally impossible to over-water them!)

Further Reading

Watering Guide How do you know if you're overwatering your houseplants? Why do plants die in waterlogged soil but survive in water? What does root rot look like (and how to fix it)?