How to care for your house plants

Plants liven up your home and bring lovely colourful touches to your decor. From knowing when to water to how to get the dust off their leaves, here are some easy tips to help you take care of them.

A person sits on a light grey sofa holding a large potted plant in front of some windows in a sunny room.

The right amount of light

Some plants like more light and some less. The rooms in your home get different amounts of sunlight and even within the same room, the amount of light varies. Further away from windows can be perfect for plants that prefer shade. Around 1.5 metres from a window is a light area but often out of direct sunlight, even when the window faces south.

See all plant stands & movers

An OLIVBLAD plant stand with plants in it and various plant pots with plants in them stand in front of some windows.

See all plant stands & movers

Helping your plants thrive

Different plants need different amounts of water. Where you place them matters, too. They may dry out faster in direct sunlight and in a warm area. Generally, many plants need more water in the warmer summer than the colder winter. Not sure if a plant needs water? Try the thumb test: if the soil in the pot sticks to your thumb, you don’t need to water.

Remember to remove dust so the plants can absorb light properly. Spray a mist of lukewarm water on smaller leaves or use a soft damp cloth on broad ones.

IKEA plants usually have enough fertiliser for 1–3 months. After this, it can be good to add some every month during the peak growing cycle.

A person sprays water on some plants in plant pots using a TOMAT spray bottle next to a TALLSKÄR armchair.

Make it easier to look after your plants

Skip listing

Tips for easy repotting

Plants need more space as they grow. Go for a pot that’s 5–7 cm larger than the previous one. You can store soil, tools and more in a box like this. The lid makes a great work tray when you’re repotting, leaving less mess. Aerate the soil properly – don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty.

See the SAMLA series

Three MUSKOTBLOMMA plant pots are stacked on top of each other on top of four saucers next to a transparent SAMLA box.

A person puts a plant into a plant pot which is on top of the lid of a transparent SAMLA box with lid.

See the SAMLA series

Grow more of your favourites

Why not make some more of your favourite plants by taking cuttings? You can start them off in water like here and then transfer them to suitable pots when they develop roots. You can swop a few with your family or friends and get to know some new plants.

See all growing accessories

Some small plant cuttings stand in the glass tubes of a VATTENKRASSE propagation set standing in front of some potted plants.

See all growing accessories

Looking fresh, no watering needed!

Artificial plants can liven up your home with lush greenery, too, without you needing to look after them. They’re a great option, especially in areas that are too dark or cold for living plants, or hard to reach for watering. Or why not combine artificial and living plants?

See all plants & flowers