Caring for houseplants in containers involves a number of concerns: soil, water, sunlight, and preventing pests and diseases. Of course, we want our potted plants to be healthy, but we also want them to look good and fill our spaces with beauty. Sometimes doing everything “right” still requires a bit of extra care to keep a potted plant looking vigorous, and plants are pretty good at showing you they need a bit of extra TLC.
We spoke to some experts to get their advice on making potted plants look more full and healthy. Some of these tips are fairly standard elements of plant care, but there are also some unexpected yet very easy tricks for making your potted houseplants look their best.
Meet the Expert
- Mary Jane Duford is a master gardener and founder of the gardening website Home for the Harvest.
- Annette Hird is an experienced gardener and writer who specializes in horticulture for Easy Urban Gardens.
Pruning and Pinching
We often think of pruning as something done to trees, shrubs, and rose bushes, but houseplants benefit from this practice, also. Pruning and pinching back the tips of plants (also sometimes called tip pruning) helps to stimulate fresh growth, in some cases forcing the plant to produce multiple stems or leaves from a single one. Annette Hird, an experienced gardener and writer who specializes in horticulture for Easy Urban Gardens, often starts with tip pruning to encourage plants to produce bushy growth.
The pinching method is commonly recommended for perennials and annuals such as chrysanthemums and dahlias, but different kinds of plants may require different approaches. For houseplants, it helps to know the best way to prune. Mary Jane Duford, a master gardener and founder of the gardening website Home for the Harvest, recommends trimming a stem just above a leaf node, which should cause the plant to put out new branches as the pinching stimulates it to grow.
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Increase Sunlight or Use a Grow Light
Knowing the light needs of your houseplants is key to their health and vitality. Some plants need low light while others need much more direct light. Hird suggests observing whether houseplants have become “lanky” (longer stems with a lack of leaves). If you do notice any lanky plants, Hird explains how this can happen when they’re reaching for more light. She recommends moving or rotating houseplants to a brighter spot to see if growth improves.
Duford agrees that insufficient light can negatively affect growth in some houseplants, making stems long and thin. She suggests using a grow light if natural light isn’t plentiful enough, to help stimulate fuller growth.
Fill in Pots
This simple trick has more to do with how plants are arranged and potted. Putting more plants in one container can instantly make the planter look more full, Duford suggests. Be sure not to crowd too many plants together and be aware of when they may become root-bound. This can be a good method for succulents that don’t have large or sensitive root systems.
Duford also recommends adding some cuttings from easily propagated tropical plants (like tradescantia or philodendron), dipping them in rooting hormone, and planting them next to the main plant. If growing from seed (as with herbs in containers), add more seeds if growth is too sparse.
Give Plants Some Outdoor Time
If your houseplants are in containers that can easily be moved (you can get wheeled carts and plant holders to help), placing them outside during warmer weather can be very revitalizing. If you have space, you can even move them outdoors for the season.
The fresh air, additional humidity, and natural sunlight often have a positive impact on houseplants and may rejuvenate plants that have been showing lackluster growth or become vulnerable to pests or disease. Hird recommends placing containers in a protected spot so they’re not exposed to wind, heavy rain, or too much sun, and says even a little time outdoors can be helpful.
Increase Humidity
In the winter, interior heating systems can dry out the air, which can cause some plants to droop and even slow their growth. Duford points out that many tropical houseplants grow best in humid air, and that air that is too dry can dry out their leaves which may fall off.
She recommends using a humidifier to keep the humidity level at 50% or higher, to help keep indoor tropical houseplants looking full and lush. Some plants benefit from light but frequent misting also, especially ficus trees.
Support Vines
Vining and climbing plants tend to grow best with support. If you’ve trimmed and pinched them but they still seem to lack fullness, try adding a bit of support with a trellis or stakes. Duford says climbing plants like monstera and pothos can develop fuller growth when they’re secured to a support structure. You can use twine or florist wire to do this or coax the vines onto the trellis or stakes where they will cling.
