Bright, Indirect Light, Explained

The phrase on every plant label, translated into which window, how far back and for how long. Most of it comes down to paying attention: a plant tells you what it needs well before it is in trouble.

Mind the humidity

Tropical plants come from air far damper than a heated room. Group them together, stand them on a tray of wet pebbles, or give them a spot in the bathroom.

Check the soil, not the calendar

A plant drinks according to its light, its pot and the season, not the day of the week. Push a finger into the soil: if the top few centimetres are dry, water; if not, wait. It is the one habit that saves more houseplants than any other.

Have a plant that is puzzling you? Write and tell us about it -- the best questions become the next guide in the care library.