Plants & gardening
Houseplant care, watering, repotting and plant pests, explained step by step with the sources listed.
IllustrationPlant and gardening articles are reviewed by Sonia Abu Bakar, MSc Botany.
GardeningHow to tell if a houseplant needs water, and fix over- or underwateringPush a finger into the compost: if it's dry at your fingertip, and the pot feels light when you lift it, water until it runs out of the drainage hole, then empty the saucer. If the compost is still damp, wait, even if the plant droops.28 October 2026
GardeningHow to repot a houseplant, step by stepRepot in spring into a pot only a little wider, with a drainage hole. Water the plant an hour before, ease it out, loosen circling roots, set it at the same depth in fresh potting mix, firm lightly and water until it drains.28 October 2026
GardeningHow to get rid of fungus gnats in houseplantsLet the top of the compost dry out between waterings and empty saucers, catch adults on yellow sticky traps, and treat the compost with Steinernema feltiae nematodes or a Bti product to kill the larvae. Keep going for 3 to 4 weeks.28 October 2026