Plant care, explained.
Practical guides for real homes, from watering and light to yellow leaves, pests and repotting.
Death Cap (Amanita phalloides): How to Recognize It
Death cap mushroom ID: greenish cap, white gills, a skirt-like ring and a buried cup. Look-alikes, myths that kill and what to do if someone eats one.
Curling Leaves: What Your Plant Is Telling You
Leaves curl from too much light, heat, dry soil, dry air, soggy roots or pests. Read which leaves curl and which way, then use the table to fix it.
The Best Plants to Give for Christmas and New Year
The best Christmas and New Year gift plants, with the room temperature each needs and which are safe for cats and dogs, for both hemispheres.
Can an App Identify Mushrooms Safely? What It Can't Do
A mushroom ID app can suggest a name from a photo, but it cannot tell you a wild mushroom is safe to eat. What apps miss and how to use one responsibly.
Caesar's Mushroom vs Fly Agaric and Death Cap
Caesar's mushroom (Amanita caesarea) next to the fly agaric and the death cap: season, trees, the egg-stage trap, myths and what to do after a mistake.
Popular Cactus Types for Indoors and How to Identify Them
10 popular indoor cactus types with Latin names, how to spot each one, light, size and pet safety, plus the toxic 'cactus' that is really a Euphorbia.
Brown Leaf Tips: Why They Happen and What to Do
Brown leaf tips on houseplants come from dry air, uneven watering, salt build-up or fluoride. Match your pattern in our table and fix the real cause.
Best Soil Mix for Houseplants: Recipes by Plant Type
The best houseplant soil is a soilless mix of peat or coir with perlite, bark or coarse sand. Tested recipes for foliage plants, aroids and orchids.
The Best Soil for Succulents and Cacti
The best soil for succulents and cacti drains in seconds. Mix ratios from the RHS and extension services, which sand to avoid, and pots that help it dry.
Best Plants for the Bedroom (and the Night-Oxygen Myth)
Do bedroom plants steal oxygen or add it at night? Both claims checked against the RHS, plus 7 easy bedroom plants with light, water and pet safety.
Aphids on Plants: Natural Ways to Get Rid of Them
Get rid of aphids naturally: check twice a week, hose or wipe them off, prune and let predators work. Use soap or oil only if needed, and follow the label.
Seasonal Plant Care Calendar: Season-by-Season Guide
A seasonal plant care calendar for houseplants: what to change in spring, summer, autumn and winter for watering, feeding, light and repotting.
