Have you ever wondered about assembling the perfect toolkit to elevate your plant care game? Look no further! We’re sharing how to curate the ultimate DIY Plant Care Kit – a selection of essentials that every devoted plant parent needs.
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indoor green space
Crafting an indoor green space in your home comes with its joys and challenges. As a plant parent myself, I get the delicate balance between nurturing my green girls and ensuring they thrive in their environment. Over the past 20+ years of caring for indoor plants, I’ve pretty much tried all the plant care gadgets on the market so YOU don’t have to.
Whether you’re a novice gardener or a seasoned plant enthusiast, this list contains vital tools and resources to keep your botanical friends healthy and flourishing. This comprehensive kit caters to the diverse needs of various plant species. It’s everything you need, and nothing you don’t need.
10 things every plant parent needs
Get ready to transform your plant journey with these invaluable additions to your plant care kit. Let’s dive into our top ten must-have items that will elevate your plant parenting experience and bring new life to your plant babies!
- Cleaning cloths – I like to use microfiber cloths to dust/clean leaves. It’s a chore that can be easily forgotten, but you don’t want to skip it! Clean leaves are critical to the health of your plants. It helps to improve photosynthesis and prevents pests from making a home on your beloved plants. I love theses microfiber cloths from Grove, but you can also get them at your local kitchen supply store.
- Fertilizer – Indoor plants require additional food to grow big and lush! You can certainly try different kinds of fertilizers to see what works best for you, however, I prefer the kind the can be put into individual pots (like a sprinkle on or a pump on). Joyful Dirt is a local (Portland) company who makes these great little shakers. I also like this organic liquid pump on fertilizer.
- Watering can – I like to have a few watering cans around the house. My favorites are either ceramic, plastic, or stainless with a coating. This green metal watering can is the perfect shade of green and looks great as decor. This plastic one is also a great option, but I really love this Hearth & Stone watering can from target with the wood detail.
- Gardening scissors – You will use these a lot! Whether you’re propagating plants, or cleaning up dead leaves, having a sharp/clean pair of scissors is important. You can use everyday scissors that you have around the house, but I like to have a pair just for plants. These Fiskars are by far the best I’ve used, but these little snips are great for smaller plants.
- Pots with drainage holes – It’s really nice to have a stack of pots on hand. Maybe you need to repot a plant? Or your propagated plant is ready to be potted? Having pots on hand is always a good idea. These ceramic pots are super modern and stylish but I also love a stack of terracotta pots.
- Insect control – I’ll let you take you own journey to find what works best for you 🙂 Some people prefer to use treatment products, and some prefer to take preventative measures. Either way, you need to have something on hand to deal with pesky bugs. I prefer taking preventative measures. I have been using this insect control for over 6 years and I swear by it! You sprinkle it on the top of your potting mix every 3 months or so and water like normal. I rarely see any pests anymore.
- Plant care guide/books – I am 100% biased on this one. Whether you buy my book (How To Raise A Plant And Make It Love You Back) or buy another indoor gardening book (I have a great list here) you should have a good book or resource to refer to when dealing with plant issues.
- Saucers – You’re going to thank me for this one. Not all planters come with saucers, and oftentimes porous materials will soak up the water, leaving water stains on your furniture. It’s such a drag to have to take your plants to the sink to water (especially if you have a lot like me). Make sure you have extra saucers on hand. I love glazed ceramic saucers like these, but I always have a stack of plastic saucers as well. Say goodby to watery messes!
- Potting mix – I always have potting mix on hand. I try to have different materials to make my own mix. But if that’s not something you want to do, then grab a bag of your favorite potting mix. This chunky mix is great for tropical plants!
- Planting tarp – I love having a planting tarp for indoor potting. Half of the year, it’s just just too darn cold to be outside. Of course, you can lay down news paper or a garbage bag, but potting tarps like this one on Etsy are designed to make indoor potting easy.
You’ve now discovered 10 things every plant parent needs in their Plant Care Kit. Important tools needed to create a flourishing botanical haven within your home. With these essential tools and resources, your journey toward becoming a green-thumb aficionado is well underway.
Thank you for reading and letting me share my DIY Plant Care Kit must haves with you!