Plant care guides
Indoor plant care written for Indian homes — watering, light and repotting advice from the people who actually grow these plants. Built around our summers, the monsoon and hard tap water. No myths, no moisture meters, no affiliate links.
WateringHow often should you water indoor plants?
Most of the plants we replace drowned. Here is how to stop guessing and start reading the soil.
6 min read
Low lightLow-light plants that actually survive
Shaded flats and north-facing rooms need the right species, not a grow light. Here is how to tell what light you actually have, and which plants will cope with it.
5 min read
RepottingWhen to repot a plant — and when not to
Most plants are repotted too soon, into pots that are too big. Here is how to know it is actually time.
5 min read
Start with light, then water
Nearly every problem people write to us about comes down to one of two things: a plant in the wrong light, or a plant watered on a schedule instead of a check. Fix those and the rest of plant care is detail.
Caring for indoor plants through the Indian year
Three things change here that most plant care advice ignores. From April to June the heat dries a small pot out in a day, so check the soil twice a week and water early in the morning. Through the monsoon the air is already wet and soil stays damp for weeks — watering almost stops, and pots need to drain freely rather than sit in a tray. Hard tap water leaves a white crust on the soil and leaf tips; letting water stand overnight, or flushing the pot thoroughly every few months, keeps it in check.
Still stuck?
Send a photo of the whole plant, a close-up of the affected leaves, and where it sits. A grower replies within a working day, whether you bought the plant from us or not.
Quick answers
How often should I water?
Check two inches down once a week. Water thoroughly only when it is dry at that depth. Through the monsoon the soil stays damp for far longer, so watering almost stops; in the April to June heat a small pot can dry out in a day, so check twice a week.
What counts as low light?
If you would reach for a lamp to read at midday, treat the spot as low light and choose a snake plant, ZZ plant or money plant (pothos) — the three that cope best in shaded Indian flats.
When should I repot?
When roots show through the drainage hole or water runs straight through. Go one size up — about two inches wider — never more.
Should I mist my plants?
Rarely worth it, and in Kolkata the air is usually humid enough already. Misting raises humidity for a few minutes. Grouping plants together, or moving them out of the direct draught of an air-conditioner, does far more.