Owning plants isn’t all glossy leaves and Pinterest-worthy corners. If it was, Willow wouldn’t need to exist 😉

There’s a not-so-pretty side of keeping them alive. The influx of plant content online has created a lot of necessary awareness – but a lot of outrageous claims and bad practices, too.

Direct from the brains of our horticulture team, here are a few hard truths every plant parent should know. 

The Pebbles Aren’t Helping

Let your plants breathe and ditch the top dressing.

Decorative stones and mulch might look chic, but they’re often a slow ticket to root rot. They trap extra moisture right where your plant’s roots are most vulnerable. Unless you’ve got flawless soil, perfect sunlight, and always water on time, those pretty pebbles are more harm than good.

Open the Blinds

No light = no life for plants. If your blinds are shut all day, your plants aren’t photosynthesising. Artificial grow lights can help, but nothing beats real sunlight pouring into the room.

Not sure if your plants are getting enough? With Willow Grow you'll get a daily summary and chart to show you exactly how much they’re soaking up.

Pruning Isn’t Optional

Think of pruning like a haircut. Plants often need a chop to grow back fuller and stronger. Yes, they’ll look a bit raggedy at first, but that new flush of growth will thank you later.

Plants Aren’t Always Pretty

Like all living things, plants have rough patches. Winter sulks, sunburnt leaves, a bit of yellowing, leaf loss? It happens. They won’t stay Instagram-ready at all times, and that’s okay.

Variegation Is Fickle

Variegated foliage is gorgeous but oh-so-fragile. Those creamy white patches on your Monstera Thai Constellation are less resilient than green leaves, meaning they’ll brown or burn faster.

Unless you can provide a lab-perfect environment, expect the white to fade. Variegation is here for a good time, not a long time.

Save Big Jobs for Warm Weather

Repotting, propagating, or any big shake-ups? Do them in spring or summer. In the cold months, plants stress out easily, making success much less likely.

Ferns Demand Humidity

Most ferns won’t tolerate average household air. They need 65% humidity or more, ideally higher. If you can’t provide that, don’t bring them home — it’s that simple.

Comitted to the cause? Check out our tips and tricks to increase your houseplant’s humidity

Window Direction Matters

If you only have windows facing south in the Southern Hemisphere or north in the Northern Hemisphere, you’ll struggle to grow tropicals without additional lighting help. These spots get the weakest light, and a grow light becomes less of a luxury and more of a necessity.

Fertiliser Is Essential

Plants can’t thrive on water and sunlight alone. Without nutrients, they’ll limp along at best. Even the bare minimum means feeding your plant fertiliser once or twice a year — more if you want lush, vibrant growth. 

Bare Minimum Light = Barely Living

A plant that’s “just surviving” in low light isn’t really thriving. If your light levels are scraping the bottom, don’t expect glossy leaves and vigorous growth. Think of it as the “dying slowly” zone.