One of the best things about lady palm is that it is relatively low-maintenance. Lady palm is not only beautiful but also beneficial for air quality, as it is known to filter out toxins such as benzene, formaldehyde, and carbon monoxide. Overall, lady palm is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a low-maintenance, elegant, and air-purifying houseplant that will thrive and provide you with beautiful foliage for years to come.

Light and Water

Light: Lady palms prefer 3-6 hours of bright, indirect light but can also tolerate low light conditions. Avoid exposing the plant to hot direct sunlight, as this can scorch the leaves. If the plant is not getting enough light, its leaves may turn yellow or brown.

Water: Lady palms like to be kept evenly moist but not waterlogged. Water your lady palm once a week, or when the top inch of soil feels dry. Use room temperature water to avoid shocking the plant, and avoid using hard water, which can cause mineral buildup in the soil. Always water deeply and let soil drain out completely to avoid soggy soil which is the main cause of root rot.

Temperature and Humidity

Temperature: Lady palms prefer a warm, consistent temperature between 16-27°C. Avoid exposing the plant to sudden temperature fluctuations or drafts, which can cause stress.

Humidity: Lady palms prefer high humidity levels, between 50-60%. If the air in your home is dry, you can increase the humidity around your lady palm by misting it with a spray bottle or placing a humidifier nearby.

Upkeep

Fertilizer: You can feed your lady palm once every couple of months with a balanced pellet fertilizer. Avoid over-fertilizing, which can burn the roots.

Pruning: Remove any yellow or brown leaves as soon as possible to prevent the spread of disease. You can also prune back any leggy or overgrown stems to encourage new growth. Use a sharp, clean pair of pruning shears to avoid damaging the plant.

Repotting: Lady palms prefer to be slightly root-bound, so you don’t need to repot them often. However, if you notice that the roots are growing out of the drainage holes or the plant is becoming too large for its pot, it’s time to repot. Choose a pot that is 2 inches larger than the current one, and use a well-draining potting mix. Water your lady palm thoroughly after repotting, and avoid fertilizing it for at least a month.

With the right care, your lady palm will thrive and provide you with beautiful foliage year-round.

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Zanzibar Gem is a moderate-growing plant that requires infrequent watering and can thrive in low light conditions. It can also tolerate low humidity and a wide range of temperatures, making it an ideal plant for homes and offices when paired with a decorative pot.

Light and Water

Zanzibar Gem prefers bright, indirect sunlight, but can also tolerate low light conditions. Avoid direct sunlight as it can scorch the leaves. Allow the soil to dry out completely between waterings, as overwatering can cause root rot. Water your Zanzibar Gem once every 2-3 weeks or when the soil is completely dry.

Temperature and Humidity

Zanzibar Gem can tolerate a wide range of temperatures, but prefers temperatures between 15-26°C. It can also tolerate low humidity, but will appreciate occasional misting and humidifier.

Soil and Fertilizer

Aerated potting mix is recommended as soggy soil can cause root rot; preferably a mixture of perlite and coconut husks. Zanzibar Gem does not require frequent fertilization, but you can feed it once every 1-2 months with a balanced pellet fertilizer.

Zanzibar Gem is a very hardy plant that is resistant to pests and diseases, and can even survive periods of neglect. With proper care, Zanzibar Gem can live for many years, making it a valuable addition to any indoor jungle.

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The Areca Palm (Dypsis lutescens) is native to Madagascar. The Areca Palm is one of the most popular houseplant palms because it is easy to grow and effective in purifying the air. With a smooth silver green trunk, the Areca Palm is topped by feathery fronds. These fronds grow in clusters with approximately six to eight leaves, on long curving upward petioles. Areca Palms grow approximately 15 to 25 cm annually until they reach their maturity at about 2-3 meters tall, however, expect slower growth rate when potted.

Light and Water

Light: Areca Palms require bright indirect sunlight throughout the day and can even tolerate some direct sunlight, areca palm will naturally turn slightly yellowish when grown in prolonged hours of direct sunlight condition. Place the Areca palm next to a west or south facing window for best growth. However, they can withstand full sun condition when placed together with multiple plants and sufficient watering.

Water: Areca Palms require moist soil but not soggy that it’s drowning. During the first month, you may need to check your plant daily to work out your watering routine for the areca palm. Strive for moist soil but not soggy and your plant will thrive. Always provide thorough watering by pouring in enough water until it runs out of the pot’s drainage holes. Usually water once or twice a week for indoor areca palm to maintain moist soil.

Temperature and Humidity

Temperature: For indoor growing conditions, areca palms thrive in temperatures range between 16°C – 28ºC. Keep up with your watering routine and make sure soil is always moist if grown outdoor sunny conditions.

Humidity: Average humidity of 40-60% is perfect, having humidifying in the room can be beneficial to the palm.

Soil and Fertilizer

Soil: Well draining potting mix is recommended to avoid soggy soil which causes root rot.

Fertilizer: Apply a tablespoon of balanced houseplant fertilizer every 1-2 months.

Precautions

Diseases and Pests: Arecas are susceptible to spider mites and mealybugs. Wipe leaves with damp cloth regularly and check under the leaves to spot these pests early. You can prevent pest infestation by occasionally spray natural pesticide on the soil, trunk and leaves.

Toxicity: This majestic houseplant is non-toxic to humans or pets.

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Time to Water Your Snake Plants

The principle for both indoor and outdoor snake plants, they should be watered once their soil has completely dried out. In warmer temperature, you can expect to be watering your snake plant more often due to increased heat and light. For example, you may only need to water your snake plant once every two-three weeks if they’re grown in cool indoor settings and once a week if they’re grown outdoor under partial sun area. In an area with warm temperature year round, you may maintain a consistent watering schedule for your snake plant.

If you are wondering whether it is time to water your plant, remember that it is generally better to underwater a snake plant than to overwater it. The easiest most effective way to find out when it’s time to water is to poke your fingers couple inches into the soil to ensure that it is fully dry before watering.

Watering Schedule for Different Growing Conditions

While snake plants are known to be able to tolerate drought, the amount of water each plant needs will vary depending on its growing conditions. Whether they are grown indoors or outdoors in warm and dry climates will affect the quality of light, temperature and humidity. Furthermore, soil type and the type of potting container it’s planted in should all be taken into consideration when figuring out snake plant’s water requirements.

Light

The amount of light a snake plant receives is the most common factor determining how often it will need to be watered. Snake plants can withstand a wide range of lighting conditions, from bright light to low light, but their watering schedule will need to be adjusted based on how much light they are receiving. Plants grown with lots of light and air flow will need to be watered more often as soil can dry out more quickly, while plants growing in low light won’t need as much water as soil dries out slower in such condition. If you are growing more than one snake plants in different places in your home, you may need to water one more or less often than the other based on their different growing conditions.

Temperature and Humidity

Snake plants grow well in a wide range of temperature and humidity conditions, but growers should be aware of the impact different temperatures and humidity levels will have on their plants’ watering requirements. Generally, a plant grown in warmer temperatures will require more water than a plant grown in colder temperatures, while a plant grown in high humidity will require less water than a plant grown in dry conditions.

A client once told us that she hasn’t watered her snake plant for six months and it’s still thriving with new growths, it really depends on each plant and its growing conditions, for this particular case the snake plant is grown indoor with AC and humidifier on throughout the day. A snake plant in hot and dry conditions will generally require more water than a plant in cooler and moist conditions. 

Soil Type

Snake plants should be planted in well-draining soil for their ability to drain off excess water after each watering which prevents root rot. However, because of their ability to thrive in various growing conditions, they can also be planted in loam soil that is not as well-draining and they will not need to be watered as often.

Potting Container

Different types of pot that a snake plant grows in can also affect how often it needs to be watered. For example, terracotta and cement pots absorb moisture from the soil which dries out the soil faster than a plastic pot. Generally, a pot with drainage holes is recommended as it drains away excess water preventing soggy soil which causes root rot. The most important thing to keep in mind when watering your snake plant is to always water thoroughly to saturate all part of soil and let water drain out completely each time you water to avoid root rot.

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