“There’s where we want to put certain plants, and then there’s where we should actually put them,” says Stephen Schneider. Understanding the difference will give anyone a green thumb.
If you’ve ever thought, “I just can’t grow plants. I can’t even keep a cactus alive,” the reason might not be that you have a brown thumb. It might just be a matter of finding the right place for the right plant, according to Stephen Schneider, Northeastern University’s arborist.
“There’s where we want to put certain plants, and then there’s where we should actually put them,” Schneider says. “If we just go strictly on the former –– where we would like to see something personally –– that translates to your highest degree of failure both short term and long term.”
With his experience managing Northeastern’s vast collection of trees, bushes and flowers, Schneider says the difference between a healthy plant and a dead one is knowing your property, your plant and yourself. For anyone who wants to get into gardening and houseplants or even those who have grown skittish after one too many dead cacti, Schneider has some tips and tricks to turn a brown thumb into a green one.
Avoid impulse buying a plant because it looks beautiful in a nursery, he says. Most nurseries and plant stores tag each plant with the most important information you’ll need to make your decision: sunlight and water recommendations. But Schneider says there is more to know than just the basics.
“It’s not just sunlight: It’s soil conditions,” he says. “Are things moist? Damp? Dry? Some plants like ‘wet feet,’ usually swampy loving plants, so if you put a plant into a very high and dry space and they prefer wet feet, then they’re going to suffer.”
Once you’ve found the plant you want, think about your property. If a plant needs a lot of full sunlight and your garden bed is mostly shaded, he recommends buying something that needs less light or getting a raised bed with access to more sun.
For outdoor growers, it’s also important to know whether your property has any unwanted guests. Pest resistance is another vital consideration when picking a plant, Schneider says.
“What are your tolerances for applying pesticides? What are your tolerances for putting up barriers to animals that want to eat and munch on the plants?” Schneider says. “Many of us just don’t have the time, myself included, for my own home. I target disease-resistant varieties.”
Some people might provide all the right conditions –– the right amount of light and water, the right pest protection –– and they still end up with dead plants. It’s why Schneider always recommends testing your soil.
“You may find that your soil is acidic,” Schneider says. “Instead of trying to amend the soil and change that situation, plant rhododendrons, plant some blueberries. … There are some really great plants out there on all ends of that pH spectrum. Find out what you’ve got and plant to what you have.”
“The good news is that for those of us who take the time to explore what kind of diversity is out there in terms of plant diversity, there’s something for every situation,” Schneider adds.
All of the same tips apply to growing indoor plants. However, you have much more control over the water and light they receive, along with their location, Schneider says. That also means it’s even more important to know what your plants need –– and don’t need.
“The other thing is a lot of people kill their houseplants because they’re too damn attentive,” he says. “There are certain plants that people can’t keep alive because they can’t help themselves.”
Although it might seem counterintuitive, Schneider often advises new growers that “if you’re not killing plants, then you’re not really gardening.”
“My advice … would be to keep trying different varieties of plants,” Schneider says. “If you’re indoors, try cacti. If you water too much, get something that’s going to want to live in a swamp. You might find that you want plants in your house, and you might really like tropical fish. Put in a planted tank. You can’t overwater that. … Know your conditions, but, as the grower, you have to know yourself.”