Plant care while I’m away 🌱

Thank you for taking care of them!

The watering schedule is only a guide. Please check the soil before watering rather than watering automatically because a certain number of days have passed.

The two cacti, both IKEA snake plants, the Pink Lady, and the purple monster vine are in pots with drainage holes, even though some holes are difficult to see.

General watering method

When the instructions below say a plant is ready for water:

1. Take the pot to the sink.
2. Pour water slowly and evenly over the soil.
3. Continue until water begins draining from the bottom.
4. Leave the pot in the sink for 10–15 minutes so excess water can drain.
5. Empty any water collected in its saucer or decorative outer pot.
6. Never leave a plant sitting in drained water.

Do not give the plants frequent little splashes. A thorough watering followed by enough time to dry is better.

To check the soil, push a finger or wooden chopstick into it:

• Dark, damp soil sticking to it = do not water yet
• Mostly clean and dry = the plant may be ready for water
• When uncertain, wait another 2–3 days and check again

1. Purple striped monster vine

Check the soil approximately once a week. Water when the top 2–3 cm of soil feel dry. If the soil below that still feels wet, wait a few more days.

When it is ready, water thoroughly using the general method above. Keep it in bright indirect light, such as close to a bright window but protected from intense midday sun.

2. Pink Lady

Check the soil approximately every 5–7 days. Water when the top 2 cm of soil are dry. Because there is only a small amount of living plant left, the deeper soil may stay moist for longer than expected. When it is ready, water thoroughly and let it drain completely. Keep it in bright indirect light. Leave anything that is still green or flexible. Completely brown, dry, crispy leaves can be removed. Keep this plant well separated from the purple monster vine.

3. Fuller IKEA snake plant

Check it approximately every 2–3 weeks, but it may not need water each time. Only water when the soil is dry almost all the way through the pot. Push a chopstick deeply into the soil:

• If damp soil sticks to it, do not water.
• If it comes out mostly clean and dry, water thoroughly and let the pot drain. It may only need water approximately every 3–5 weeks. Keep it in medium or bright indirect light. It can tolerate lower light, but it will grow more slowly. Too much water is much more dangerous than letting it stay dry for a little longer.

4. Thin spear-shaped IKEA snake plant

Use the same method as the fuller snake plant. Check approximately every 2–3 weeks. Only water when the soil is completely dry. When it is ready, water thoroughly and let it drain for 10–15 minutes. Keep it in medium or bright indirect light. Please do not water it more often because it looks thin or sad. Extra water will not make it fuller and could rot the roots.

5. Two small cacti

Check approximately every 3–4 weeks. Only water when the soil is completely dry from top to bottom. A deeply inserted chopstick should come out dry and mostly clean. When they are ready, water thoroughly until water drains from the bottom, then let them drain completely. Keep them in the brightest available window, ideally with some direct sunlight. When uncertain, do not water them. The cacti will tolerate dryness much better than excess moisture. They may not need to be watered at all if I am only away for a few weeks.

Vine cutting currently growing in water

Care while it grows roots Keep the cutting in bright indirect light, not intense direct sun. Make sure:

• At least one bare node is underwater.
• The leaves remain above the water.
• No leaves are submerged and rotting. A node is the small joint or bump on the stem where a leaf or root grows. Change the water approximately every 4–7 days, or sooner if it becomes cloudy, slimy, green, or smells strange. Use room-temperature water and gently rinse the container before refilling it. Do not add fertilizer to the water. When it is ready to plant It is ready when it has:
• Several roots rather than one tiny root
• A small cluster of healthy roots
• Roots approximately 3–5 cm long
• A firm stem without black, soft, or mushy sections Tiny white bumps or one very short root are not enough yet. Please take a photo before planting it if there is uncertainty about whether the roots are ready.

How to plant the rooted cutting

What to use Use:

• A small pot approximately 8–10 cm wide
• A pot with drainage holes
• Fresh indoor potting soil
• Perlite, if available

A good soil mixture is approximately:

• Two parts indoor potting soil
• One part perlite Do not plant it directly into a large pot or into a pot without drainage. Do not plant it in the same pot as the purple monster vine. They need to remain physically separate. Planting instructions

1. Put some fresh soil in the bottom of the small pot.
2. Fill the pot until it is approximately two-thirds full.
3. Make a hole in the middle using a finger or pencil.
4. Carefully remove the cutting from the water.
5. Lower the roots into the hole without crushing, folding, or breaking them.
6. Place the rooted node slightly below the soil surface.
7. Keep every leaf above the soil. Do not bury any leaves.
8. Gently add soil around the roots and stem.
9. Press the soil very lightly so the cutting stands upright, but do not pack it down firmly.
10. Leave approximately 1–2 cm of space between the soil and the top edge of the pot.
11. Take the pot to the sink.
12. Water slowly until water comes out of the drainage holes.
13. Let it drain for 10–15 minutes.
14. Empty any water from its saucer or decorative outer pot.

Care for the first two weeks after planting For the first 10–14 days:

• Keep it in bright indirect light.
• Protect it from strong direct sun.
• Check the soil every 2–3 days.
• Keep the soil lightly moist while the water-grown roots adjust to soil.
• Do not keep it soaked or leave it sitting in water.

Add a little water when the surface starts becoming dry. It should feel lightly moist, not muddy. After approximately two weeks, or once healthy new growth appears, begin normal watering:

• Wait until the top 2–3 cm of soil are dry.
• Then water thoroughly.
• Let all excess water drain before putting the pot back. Keep the new plant away from the purple monster vine so the monster cannot root inside its soil.