One weekly email with tips, tricks, guides and discussions around our favourite thing – houseplants!
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Avoid These 3 Spring Mistakes
Together with
Rich here, and welcome back to Houseplant Digest, sponsored by SANSI – the global leader in LED lighting.
In this week’s issue:
Weekly Q&A
Three similarities between gardening and houseplants
Spring is (almost) here
Three biggest spring mistakes
This is why spring is so great
And more…
🇬🇧 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!
Question: "Why is it so hard to keep herbs alive when growing them in the kitchen?" Amy
My Answer: "I would say 3 things make it tricky. Herbs need lots of light to thrive and often the light in our homes is nowhere near as bright as the great outdoors. Pot size can be a problem, particularly if you are buying a basil plant with lots of plants in the pot fighting for nutrients. One plant per pot is the way to go. And then watering. It’s tricky to get the watering balance right when they’re living in a small pot. Herbs don’t like to dry out."
The Similarities (I've Found) Between Gardening & Houseplants
Since documenting my gardening journey via our brand new YouTube channel, I’ve been diving headfirst into outdoor gardening.
Let’s just say, it’s been an experience.
As someone who’s spent years obsessing over houseplants, I assumed I’d be able to transfer all my skills seamlessly. Turns out, while there are some major differences, I’ve also noticed quite a few surprising similarities between tending to a houseplant jungle and managing a garden.
Here are a few ways gardening and houseplants are more alike than you might think:
1. Soil matters just as much outdoors as indoors
If you’ve ever watched a houseplant struggle in dense, soggy soil, you already know the problem (plants hate compacted dirt). The same goes for outdoor gardening. Gardeners swear by well-draining soil, and yes, I even add perlite to my outdoor beds. It helps aerate the soil, keeps roots happy, and prevents water from turning your plants' home into a swamp.
2. Lighting is everything
It doesn’t matter whether it’s a pothos on your bookshelf or a tomato plant in your backyard, if the lighting isn’t right, they’ll struggle. Outdoor gardeners obsess over “full sun” vs. “partial shade,” but houseplant lovers? We’ve got the added challenge of navigating indoor conditions, which are rarely as bright as our plants want them to be.
Most of us are convinced our homes get plenty of light. And yet, put a light meter next to your plant, and suddenly, reality sets in… most indoor spots barely reach the intensity of deep shade in the wild.
That’s where grow lights come in.
This week’s newsletter is proudly sponsored by SANSI, and if you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll know I swear by their grow lights (because I’ve tested a lot of them).
The SANSI 40W Adjustable 4-Head Clip-on LED Grow Light is hands-down my top recommendation. It mimics natural sunlight, provides a full spectrum of light for every growth stage, and is fully adjustable (perfect for keeping your plants thriving year-round).
For the Houseplant Digest community, I’ve secured an exclusive 32% discount, just use code Sheffield32 at checkout.
If your plants deserve a little extra glow, click here to grab one.
3. Pruning leads to better growth
Cutting plants back feels counterintuitive, but it’s essential (indoors and out). Take hydrangeas and wisteria, for example. Prune them right, and they’ll reward you with stunning blooms. Get it wrong, and you’re looking at a summer of disappointment. The same goes for houseplants, strategic pruning encourages fuller, healthier growth. So don’t be afraid to get the scissors out!
Avoid These 3 Spring Mistakes
Spring is creeping up, and while I’ve already covered the must-do prep steps in a recent YouTube video, I wanted to talk about something just as important… but rarely mentioned.
Most people focus on what they should do when spring hits. But what about the habits you should avoid? A lot of plant problems don’t come from neglect, they come from well-meaning plant parents making the wrong moves at the wrong time.
Here are three common mistakes to steer clear of this spring:
1. Don’t Overwater Just Because It’s Warmer
Yes, your plants will start growing quickly again, but that doesn’t mean they’re suddenly chugging water like an elite athlete.
Check before watering by sticking a finger into the soil. If the top two inches are still damp, hold off.
Watch for new growth. This is your cue that your plant actually needs more water.
Overwatering after winter dormancy is like eating too much after a long nap (not a good idea).
2. Don’t Repot Too Soon
Spring is a great time to repot… but not too early. Your plants are just waking up, and stressing them out with a dramatic pot upgrade isn’t the best start to the season.
Wait until you see active growth before repotting.
Only go up one or two pot sizes – too much space = too much moisture retention = root rot.
If in doubt, hold off. Your plant can wait a few more weeks for the perfect timing.
Basically, repotting too soon is like dragging someone out of bed and expecting them to run a marathon. Let them warm up first.
3. Don’t Move Plants into Full Sun Right Away
Your plants have been surviving on low winter light for months. Throwing them straight into full sun is a recipe for leaf scorch.
Transition gradually. Move them closer to bright light over a couple of weeks.
Rotate them to encourage even growth.
Check for signs of stress like yellowing or crispy leaves.
Sunburned leaves don’t recover, so slow and steady wins the race.
Plant Of The Week
Senecio rowleyanus 'String of Pearls'
A charming and low-maintenance popular houseplant that can work inside and out. And given these guys enjoy warmth but are perfectly able to handle slightly lower temperatures, it’s the perfect pick for spring.
Spring is when houseplants typically grow the fastest. As daylight hours increase and temperatures rise, plants kick into high gear, producing new leaves, stems, and even flowers at a much quicker rate than in winter. Some species, like bamboo, can grow up to 35 inches in a single day (under the right conditions, of course).
