In this week’s issue:

• Weekly Q&A
• 5 brilliant houseplant tips from the community
• A quick Mental Health Month reminder
• Begonia Masoniana Iron Cross
• How snake plants survive the harshest of conditions
• And more…

🇬🇧 Sheffield Answers

Every week, I get tons of questions about growing houseplants. In “Sheffield Answers”, I’m going to pick one out each week and answer it. Want to submit your own and get it featured next week? Click here to ask me a question!​

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Question: "I have a pink princess. It looks like its drooping. I did as you said with the water conditioner. It still is drooping." Janize Joplin

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My Answer: "Water conditioner won’t help with a droopy plant. It only helps sensitive plants not develop crispy brown edges due to chlorine in the tap water. Sounds like you’ve got a watering problem, either under or over. Pink Princesses don’t appreciate soggy soil."

5 Houseplant Tips (From My Viewers)

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I spend a lot of time rambling about plants… so this week, I thought it was time to let you take the stage.

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I combed through the comments on my recent videos and picked out 5 of my favorite audience tips — practical, clever, and too good not to share.

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Here’s what made the list:

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1. Cluster your plants for a stunning display

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@lobodo988 shared how they line their windowsills with snake plants in matching tin cans, creating such a lush, thick display they don’t even need curtains. And the best part? Snake plants actually love being root-bound. It’s a great reminder that grouping plants together can create visual impact — and help with microclimates and humidity, too.

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2. Freeze aloe for an instant burn soother

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@MareHoff cuts up large aloe leaves and freezes them for later use. Not only is aloe a top-notch houseplant, it’s also your personal first-aid kit. Pro tip: keep some ready in the freezer for summer sunburns or kitchen mishaps.

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3. Skip cuttings, root straight into soil

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@ReneeMarchigano suggests placing a pot of soil right next to the mother plant and letting the nodes touch the soil — eventually, roots will form and you can separate it later. It’s a simple, low-effort propagation hack, especially for trailing plants.

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4. Give your plants a direct sun boost

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@itn0687 moved their ZZ plant, fiddle leaf fig, and peace lily into direct morning sunlight for 2–3 hours — and saw huge improvements in growth. Even bright indoor spots can fall short, so don’t be afraid to experiment with more sun (just monitor for signs of scorching).

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5. Soak roots to prevent rot after shipping

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@Nuts-Bolts recommends soaking new plant roots for 24 hours to wash off any growth inhibitors sprayed during shipping. Suppliers often treat plants to keep them dormant, but if you skip this rinse, you risk rot or poor growth.

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I love seeing how creative and resourceful this community is — you’re constantly proving there’s always more to learn in the plant world.

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If you have a go-to tip or hack, hit reply and share it with me.

A Small Reminder For Mental Health Month

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Since May is Mental Health Month, I wanted to share a quick thought.

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If you're looking for something simple to brighten your space and routine, a plant can be a surprisingly nice place to start.

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Even if it’s not perfect and you’ve had a few crispy ones in the past.

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Taking care of a plant gives you a small, steady thing to check in on — something to water, move around, and watch grow (or try to).

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And if it doesn’t work out? That’s okay too. I’ve failed dozens of houseplants in my time (and still do), so don’t sweat it too much. There’s always next time, and another plant to try!

Plant Of The Week

Anthurium warocqueanum

Don’t let the name put you off (I know, it’s a mouthful). Thankfully, it commonly goes by just “Queen Anthurium”. This guy is a prized collector's plant known for its long, dark velvety leaves with striking white venation.

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Native to Colombia, it’s known for its dramatic foliage, which can get to some pretty impressive sizes, making it a standout piece in any indoor plant collection.

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▸ You can order it here (UK only) 👉 https://collabs.shop/0wvznr​

Use code SHEFFIELDMADEPLANTS for a further 10% discount.

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Products I use to keep my plants strong and healthy

▸ Amazon UK 👈

▸ Amazon USA 👈

📹 Watch & Grow: This Week On YouTube

👉 I Wish I NEVER Did This To My Plants​

👉 15 Plant Tasks You MUST Do In May​

Did you know?

Some species of Sansevieria (snake plants) perform Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM), meaning they open their stomata at night instead of during the day to reduce water loss — but under extreme drought stress, they can switch off photosynthesis altogether and survive for weeks using stored malic acid without taking in CO₂. It’s one of the most hardcore drought adaptations in the houseplant world.

This edition of Houseplant Digest is bought to you by Houseplant SOS.

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If you want 1-on-1 help with your houseplants, click here and book in a consultation with me!