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Growing Home: Healthier Houseplants

Want healthier houseplants? Try ignoring them a little. Many houseplants are killed with kindness, especially too much water or fertilizer. Snake plants, ZZ plants, pothos (also known as Devil’s Ivy), aloe vera, spider plants, philodendrons and jade plants are forgiving if you sometimes forget to water them. These houseplants are perfect for brown thumbs. Several of these houseplants prefer their soil to dry between waterings. So before reaching for the watering can, stick a finger into the soil. If it’s still damp, walk away. Sometimes the best thing you can do for a houseplant is nothing.