Decorating with plants has become the quarantine hobby of the year. From seasoned plant moms to novice gardening enthusiasts, home decor is taking an official green turn.

The desire to suddenly acquire green fingers goes beyond the beautiful aesthetics added by plants to home decor. Being stuck in our homes for most of 2020 had us craving the outdoors and fresh air like never before. For many, gardening and decorating with plants has given them much-needed respite within the comfort of their homes.

So what happens if you’re enthusiastic about planting succulents all over your house— but honestly, truly, don’t know how to keep a plant alive to save your life?

Do your plants die mysteriously in their plant pots, robbing you of your dream of decorating with plants? Fear not, because Roomi is here with a rookie guide for the gardening newbies.

Read on for the basics on everything from planting succulents, the importance of plant pots, and everything in between. After this, you might just become an expert on decorating with plants and gardening. Or you can just fake (plant) it till you make it!

1. When decorating with plants: Lighting is everything, honey!

Just like the beauty models on Instagram, plant babies thrive on the natural lighting in the house.

You may be eager to use all your Pinterest-inspired plant pots and start decorating with plants to create a mini-forest in your house—  but there are a few things to keep in mind first.

• A common rookie mistake is to perch the plant pots on windowsills or a sunny-seeming corner. Just like us humans, our plants don’t want to be sunburnt or get winter chills! It is good to do a quick lighting check in each room of the house.
• Light tip: South-facing windows will allow the brightest natural light, followed by east and west for moderate exposure and north-facing for low light. The farther away from the window, the less the natural light!
• Your plant might be your home decor shining star, but it might have come all the way from another city in the back of a dusty truck. Give it some time to adjust to its new home!

2. Watering basics for the gardening rookie

Okay, so do we really need to go over watering plants? Plants get thirsty just like us right?

Well, it might be helpful to remember that when decorating with plants, overwatering kills.

You know that feeling you get when you step into a puddle of water with socks on? Think of that when you water, because even plants don’t like their feet soggy and wet! Look for plant pots with holes. Be sure to dump out excess water from the plant pot after watering and keep a saucer under the pot to allow proper drainage.

If you’re planting succulents or similar species, remember that they need watering only every 7-10 days.

Here’s a short watering basics video from Bloomscape to help take care of those plant beauties in your home decor:

Related: 6 Tips To Take Care Of Your Indoor Plants

3. Planting succulents: the easy way to achieve your plant mom home decor aesthetic

In the quest for decorating with plants, many innocent have fallen prey to glamourous and easy-to-maintain succulents! I mean, Debra Lee straight up wrote a book about design and planting with succulents, so there is definitely star value here!

• Succulent darlings come in a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes. They need watering only every 10 days to two weeks.
• These plants need bright light, but putting them on a sunny window is a sure way to give them a sunburn.
• They store water in their leaves, stems, and roots so you can almost let them go completely dry.

Don’t forget to dress your plant children up in some beautiful, porous ceramic plant pots to upscale the home decor! Hang up the plant pots for an extra edge when decorating with plants.

4. I’m dead.. I’m alive but I’m dead!: Dormancy phases of gardening

We’ve all had an “oops, I killed my plant!” moment. It’s alright— you are not a bad mother if your child looks dead.

Like human beings, plants too go through “dormancy” phases. This can happen within a 24 hour period, and often usually after they fully bloom.

Dormancy phases in gardening can vary based on the plant you have, even when you’re planting succulents. The plant pots can look dilapidated during summer or winter dormancy. This is a rest phase before the plant blooms full cycle again. Be sure to do a bit of research to ensure decorating with plants stays easy for you.

If you want plants that are more perennial, consider investing in an edible herb garden. Gardening + fresh mint for lemonades = happy plant parents.

Related: Your Guide to Growing Your Own Kitchen Garden

5. Why you need to DTR (define the relationship) before adding plants to home decor!

Plants are living, breathing, colorful creatures that are life-affirming to care for. So when you’re flirting with the idea of decorating with plants, you really need to define the relationship you can have with your future plant children.

Are you looking for something casual or committed to a long-term affair? Get real about your work hours and schedule. Gardening and being a plant parent means catering to each of your plants, which may all run on different schedules over the year.

I know we all want a lush, green forest feel in our living rooms, but nobody wants a dead jungle in their house. Do you need to break up with your succulents? Think tactfully through so you can ensure the best experience for both you and your plant babies. I mean, fake plants aren’t THAT bad.

See also: A Simple Guide To Taking Care Of Houseplants In The Fall

Happy gardening and decorating with plants to our new plant parents!

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