Care guides
Every plant we ship comes with a care card, but here's the longer read: how to think about light, water, humidity, and the small adjustments that turn a houseplant into a long-term roommate.
Contents
The five basics
Watch the shadow
If a shadow has crisp edges, that's bright direct sun. Soft-edged shadow = bright indirect. No shadow = low light. Most tropicals want bright indirect — a few feet back from a sunny window.
Feel before you pour
Stick a finger an inch into the soil. Dry? Water deeply until it drains from the bottom. Damp? Wait. More plants die from being loved (overwatered) than ignored.
Group, don't mist
Misting evaporates in minutes. Grouping plants together creates a humid micro-zone naturally. A pebble tray or small humidifier near tropicals helps in dry seasons.
What's comfortable for you
Most tropicals are happiest between 65–80°F. Keep them away from heat vents, AC blasts, and cold drafty windows.
Half strength, growing season
Spring through early fall, feed once a month with a balanced liquid fertilizer at half the labeled strength. Skip in winter — most plants rest.
Plant care in Seattle & the Pacific Northwest
Short, gray winters
Seattle sits at about 47.6° north. Around the winter solstice the sun is up for roughly eight and a half hours, and cloud cover dims it further. From November to February, move tropicals closer to your brightest window — south- or west-facing if you have one — or add a simple LED grow light. Low-light plants like ZZ, snake plants and pothos cope best with the gray months.
Water less in winter
With less light, plants drink far less. Stretch the time between waterings and always check the soil first — winter overwatering is the most common way Seattle houseplants fail.
Dry indoor heat
Once the heating comes on, indoor air gets dry. Calatheas, Alocasias and ferns notice first (crispy edges). Group plants together, use a pebble tray or run a small humidifier nearby, and keep them away from heat vents.
Cold glass and long summer days
Keep leaves from touching cold window glass in winter. In June and July the days stretch to around sixteen hours — plants that sat in a south or west window all winter may need to move back a little to avoid scorch.
Tropicals: Monstera, Philodendron, Pothos
Light, water, humidity
Bright indirect light is ideal — they tolerate medium light but slow down. Water when the top 1–2 inches of soil are dry. They appreciate humidity but adapt to average home conditions.
Signs they're happy
Glossy new leaves, fresh aerial roots, and (for Monstera) new fenestrations on mature leaves.
Common mistake
Overwatering. The soil should dry out partially between waterings. If leaves yellow from the bottom up, you're watering too often.
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Alocasia & Calathea (prayer-plant family)
Light
Bright indirect, never direct. Direct sun will scorch the leaves.
Water
Keep evenly moist — not soggy. Let the top half inch dry between waterings. Use room-temperature, filtered or rain water if possible (sensitive to fluoride and chlorine).
Humidity
High — 50%+ ideally. A pebble tray, humidifier, or bathroom placement helps. Crispy leaf edges are usually a humidity cry.
Winter quirk
Alocasias often drop most or all leaves and look "dead" in winter. They're just dormant. Keep the soil barely moist, give them light, and they'll push new growth in spring.
Ferns & Bird's Nest
Light
Medium to bright indirect. No direct sun.
Water
Keep consistently moist — never let them dry out completely. Water when the top of the soil feels just slightly dry to the touch.
Humidity
The higher the better. Ferns thrive in bathrooms or kitchens. Browning fronds = the air's too dry.
Snake plants (Sansevieria) & ZZ
Light
Adaptable — thrives in low to bright indirect light. Variegated types want more light to keep their patterns.
Water
Let the soil dry out completely between waterings. In winter that can be once a month or less. Wrinkled or curled leaves = thirsty. Mushy base = too much water.
The point
If you forget plants, get one of these. They forgive everything except wet feet.
Succulents & cacti
Light
The brightest spot you have, ideally with some direct sun. Stretched, leggy growth = not enough light.
Water
Soak and dry. Water deeply until it drains, then wait until the soil is bone dry before watering again — typically every 2–3 weeks. In winter, even less.
Soil
Sharp drainage matters. A cactus/succulent mix or regular potting soil cut 50/50 with pumice or perlite is ideal.
Begonias & Caladium
Light
Bright indirect. Direct sun fades the dramatic colors.
Water
Let the top inch dry slightly between waterings. They don't like soggy feet but also wilt fast if they go bone dry.
Seasonal note
Caladium tubers often go dormant in fall — leaves yellow and die back. That's normal. Store the pot somewhere cool and dryish, then water again in spring to wake it up.
Troubleshooting
Yellow leaves from the bottom up
Usually overwatering. Let the soil dry out more between waterings. Check that the pot drains.
Crispy brown edges
Low humidity or underwatering. Group plants together, add a humidifier, or move to a bathroom.
Brown crispy patches in the middle of leaves
Sun scorch. Move further from the window or behind a sheer curtain.
Leggy, stretched growth
Not enough light. Move closer to a window or supplement with a grow light.
Tiny webs or sticky residue
Spider mites or aphids. Wipe leaves with a damp cloth, then spray with diluted neem oil (1 tsp/quart water + a drop of dish soap) every 7 days for 3 weeks.
White fuzzy spots on stems
Mealybugs. Dab with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol; repeat every few days.
Repotting basics
- Repot when roots circle the bottom of the nursery pot or grow out the drainage holes — usually every 1–2 years for fast growers, every 3+ years for slow growers like snake plants.
- Best season: spring or early summer, during active growth.
- Choose a pot only 1–2 inches wider than the current one. Bigger isn't better — too much soil holds too much water.
- Use fresh potting mix appropriate to the plant (regular for tropicals, cactus mix for succulents, chunky aroid mix for Monstera/Philodendron).
- Water lightly after repotting and give it a week or two in dimmer light to recover before resuming normal care.
Stuck on a specific plant? Email us at hello@heartleafplants.com with a photo — we'll send personalized notes.
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