Plant Care Index

Every plant for sale by FernsGreenery is tagged to indicate its care requirements, allowing customers to filter for the conditions they can provide. Below are further details on these tags/filters. If you have additional questions or hope to acclimate a plant into your conditions, please contact us at fernbiswas@gmail.com. 

 

Lighting 

  • All lighting requirement designation are indirect sunlight unless explicitly stated; that means light is filtered through windows and/or shade, or comes from a grow light 
  • Bright Light designations mean a plant must receive access to large amounts of light for at least 12 hours every day; this can mean being placed directly in front of a full-spectrum grow light, or being placed by a south or west-facing window 
  • Medium Light designations mean a plant must receive access to large amounts of light for at least 8 hours every day; this can mean being placed nearby a full-spectrum grow light, or being placed by an east-facing window
  • Low Light designations mean a plant must receive access to light for at least 8 hours a day, not necessarily large amounts; this can mean being placed by a less powerful grow light, or slightly further from a window 
  • Direct Sunlight designations mean a plant must receive unfiltered light, preferably while outdoors, for as long as possible
  • Additional notices 
    • Almost every houseplant benefits from more light; that means that, even if a plant has a "Low Light" designation, it will still be happier with brighter light!! 
    • Receiving inadequate light can lead to the stunting of growth and/or wilting leaves
    • Being placed too close to a grow light, or in direct sunlight when not approved, can lead to the burning of leaves 

 

Humidity 

  • Humidity is the amount of moisture in the air, not created by spraying a plant
  • All humidity requirements can be met through external conditions and/or a humidifier in a controlled setting (like a grow tent); we do not consider pebble trays valid methods of significantly increasing humidity; grouping plants together will lead to a slight increase in humidity 
  • High humidity designations assume that humidity is at 70 percent and above; this can be measured through most humidity gauges and often requires a controlled setting
  • Medium humidity designations assume that humidity is between 50 and 70 percent; this can be measured through most humidity gauges and occasionally requires a controlled setting 
  • Low humidity designations assume that humidity is between 30 and 50 percent; this can be measured through most humidity gauges and rarely requires a controlled setting
  • Basal humidity designations assume that humidity is below 30 percent; this can be measured through most humidity gauges and almost never requires a controlled setting
  • Additional notices 
    • Most houseplants benefit from more humidity, with the exception of succulent and succulent-like plants
    • If you live in a humid area, leaving the plant outside might do more harm than good because of other care factors; try to use a humidifier or closed "greenhouse" instead
    • High humidity might warrant less watering frequency, as growing mediums will dry out slower; ensure you check the growing medium before watering 

Temperature 

  • Temperature requirements can be met through warmth mats, heaters, coolers, air conditioners, enclosed spacing, and more. Areas with high humidity often experience higher temperatures. Young plants and propagations especially benefit from higher temperatures. 
  • High temperature designations assume that the temperature is at least 80 degrees Fahrenheit. 
  • Medium temperature designations assume that the temperature is between 68 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. 
  • Low temperature designations assume that the temperature is between 50 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit. 
  • Additional notices 
      • Most houseplants benefit from higher temperatures
      • Too high of a temperature, especially if from an artificial source like a grow light, can lead to burns 
      • Higher temperatures often warrant higher watering frequency, unless accompanied by higher humidity 

Watering

  • All watering frequency requirements assume that you are soaking the soil thoroughly, with a fertilizer at least every 2 weeks during growing season and at least every month when not during growing season; pots must have drainage holes for these frequencies to be relevant, as roots cannot sit in water unless specifically adapted for that. Frequency requirements also vary based on medium. For these designations, assume a slightly chunky soil mix. 
  • High watering frequency means this plant prefers to be watered at least every 5 days, or when the top 1-2 inches of the soil are dry. Moisture meters can be used to measure this, or your fingers. Alocasias tend to fall in this category. For these plants, I would suggest considering a semi-hydro setup (using pon or leca instead of soil as a substrate) to minimize maintenance. 
  • Medium watering frequency means this plant prefers to be watered around every 7-10 days, or when the top 2-3 inches of the soil are dry. Moisture meters can be used to measure this, or your fingers. Monsteras and philodendrons tend to fall in this category. 
  • Low watering frequency means the plant wants to dry out completely between waterings, only requiring a watering once every 2 weeks. Moisture meters can be used to measure this, or your fingers. Succulents and cacti tend to fall in this category, as well as hoyas. 
    • Additional notices 
        • Root rot can correlate with higher watering frequency, but this is typically due to water stuck in soil. If you are an over-waterer, consider investing in chunky aroid mix. 
        • If you tend to underwater, consider transitioning a plant to a semi-hydro setup, where you use a non-soil substrate alongside a water reservoir.
        • Other growing conditions can impact watering requirements, so be sure to always check the soil before watering---even if you are on a schedule.