Potted Parent

Aloe Vera

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Light

Bright light with some direct sun. A pale, stretched aloe is reaching for a better window.

Water

Deep and rare. Let the soil dry completely between waterings, and halve the frequency in winter.

Soil and potting

Cactus and succulent mix straight from the bag is right, or potting soil with half of it replaced by perlite or coarse grit. Sitting water is the one true enemy. A terracotta pot with a wide drainage hole suits it best, sized close to the rosette: aloes like a shallow, snug pot rather than a deep roomy one. Repot every two or three years, or when pups crowd the rim.

Bird's Nest Fern

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Light

Medium to low indirect light suits it best. Direct sun scorches the fronds; a north or east window is ideal.

Water

Keep the soil evenly moist and water around the edge of the pot, never into the central nest, which rots if it stays wet. It loves a bathroom with a window.

Soil and potting

It wants a rich mix that holds moisture without turning to mud: regular potting soil with a good handful of compost or leaf mould and some bark stirred through. A plastic or glazed pot holds moisture better than terracotta here. Repot rarely, only when roots have filled the pot completely, and never bury the central nest below soil level.

Brown Crispy Tips

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Dry brown edges and tips creeping inward. Indoor air is the usual suspect.

Drooping

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Wilting, soft leaves that have lost their spring. Usually thirsty, occasionally the opposite.

Fiddle Leaf Fig

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Light

As much bright light as you can give it, a few hours of gentle direct sun included. Turn it a quarter turn weekly so it grows evenly instead of leaning.

Water

Water deeply when the top few centimetres dry out, on a rhythm rather than a whim. Inconsistent watering is the classic cause of the famous leaf drop.

Soil and potting

Use a rich but free draining mix: potting soil with bark chunks and perlite in roughly equal thirds, so water soaks in and runs out again rather than sitting. The pot must drain, and a heavy pot helps balance a tall tree. Young trees do well repotted each spring; once yours is large, scrape off and replace the top few centimetres of soil each year instead, and repot only every two or three years.

Fungus Gnats

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Tiny black flies around the soil. Annoying, mostly harmless, and entirely fixable.

Golden Pothos

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Light

Almost anything except harsh direct sun. Variegation fades in very low light; bright indirect light keeps the gold markings strong.

Water

Soak it when the soil is dry most of the way down and the leaves just begin to soften. It forgives the odd missed week.

Soil and potting

Any standard indoor potting mix suits it, with a handful of perlite stirred through so water moves freely. The pot needs drainage holes; this plant forgives a missed watering far more easily than a soggy one. Repot when roots start circling out of the drainage holes, going up one size, roughly five centimetres wider. It is quite happy slightly snug, so there is no rush.

Jade Plant

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Light

Give it your sunniest sill. Leggy, stretched growth is a jade asking for more light.

Water

Soak, drain, and then wait until the soil is fully dry and the leaves feel just slightly less plump.

Soil and potting

Think mineral, not soil. A cactus and succulent mix, or half potting soil and half perlite, pumice, or coarse grit, keeps water moving past the roots instead of pooling. A terracotta pot suits it twice over: it breathes, and its weight anchors a plant that grows top heavy with age. Always drainage holes, always a pot only slightly wider than the root ball.

Leggy Growth

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Long bare stems with leaves only at the tips. Your plant is walking toward the window.

Monstera Deliciosa

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Light

Bright indirect light is the sweet spot. A spot within a metre or two of an east or south facing window, with the harshest midday sun filtered, gives you big leaves with proper splits. Low light will not kill it, but new leaves come out small, plain, and far apart.

Water

Water when the top five centimetres of soil feel dry, then soak it fully and let every drop drain away. In most homes that lands every one to two weeks in summer and closer to monthly in winter. Yellow lower leaves almost always mean it is getting too much, not too little.

Mushy Stems

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Soft dark stems and a sour smell from the soil. This one is urgent: act the same day.

Peace Lily

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Light

Bright indirect light blooms best, but it flowers and grows in medium and low light too. Too much direct sun yellows the leaves.

Water

Keep the soil lightly moist. When it droops, water deeply and it will stand back up the same day.

Soil and potting

A rich mix that holds gentle moisture: standard potting soil with about a third perlite stirred through so the roots still breathe. Repot each spring or whenever roots start circling the drainage holes, going up one pot size. A peace lily in too large a pot stays wet for too long and sulks, so keep the steps small.

Snake Plant

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Light

Bright indirect light grows it fastest, but it tolerates low light for months. Introduce it to strong sun gradually so the leaves do not scorch.

Water

The number one killer is kindness. Water only when the soil is dry all the way through, and never let it sit in a saucer of water.

Soil and potting

Grit is everything. Use a cactus and succulent mix, or regular potting soil with roughly half perlite or pumice mixed through, so water runs straight through and the base stays dry. A terracotta pot helps the soil dry between waterings and its weight stops this tall plant toppling. Choose a pot only a little wider than the root ball, always with drainage holes.

Spider Plant

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Light

Bright indirect light keeps the stripes crisp. It tolerates medium light with slower growth.

Water

Water when the top half of the soil is dry. Brown tips usually trace back to dry air or minerals in tap water; trim them and carry on.

Soil and potting

Standard potting mix with some perlite through it is all it asks. In a hanging basket, choose a plastic pot rather than heavy ceramic for the sake of the hook. It grows fast and fills a pot within a year or two; repot in spring when the thick roots start heaving the plant upward or poking out of the base, going up one size each time.

Yellow Leaves

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Leaves turning yellow, oldest first or all over at once. Work through water, then light, then food.

ZZ Plant

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Light

Anything from low light to bright indirect. Growth is slow in the dark corner and steady near a window.

Water

Once a month is a good rhythm for most homes. If you are not sure whether to water, wait another week.

Soil and potting

Those thick underground rhizomes rot fast in soggy soil, so drainage is the whole game. Use a cactus and succulent mix, or potting soil cut with about half perlite or pumice. The pot must have holes and should feel almost too small; a roomy pot holds water the plant never asked for. Repot every two or three years, or when the rhizomes start pushing the pot out of shape.

About Potted Parent

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Potted Parent is a care database for houseplants: one deep guide per plant, every fact checked against sources like the ASPCA, NC State Extension, and the Missouri Botanical Garden, and a last verified date on every page.

Contact

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

The fastest way to reach Potted Parent is email: hello@pottedparent.com

A few things worth knowing before you write:

Spotted a care fact that looks wrong? Please tell us, with the plant name and what you think is off. Accuracy is the whole point of this site, and corrections get checked against our sources and fixed in the open, with the verified date on the guide updated.
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Pet Safety Checker

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How this checker works

Every answer comes from the ASPCA list of plants toxic and non toxic to cats and dogs, the same source behind the paw seal on every care guide here. If a plant is not in the database yet, the safe move is to keep it away from your pets until you have checked it.

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Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

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Content is general information

Care guides are general information drawn from published sources, not a guarantee for any individual plant. Growing conditions vary, and a guide cannot see your light, your soil, or your watering can. Pet safety information comes from the ASPCA list and is provided as a starting point; it is not veterinary advice.

Accuracy

We check facts against our sources and date every guide, but sources update and plants surprise everyone. If you rely on a guide for a high stakes decision, verify it against the linked sources first.