How to keep a gifted plant alive

Most gifted plants die in the first month, and nearly always from too much water and too little light. None of this needs a hobby. Five minutes on the day it arrives, then a check once a week, is enough to keep almost any houseplant going.

We don't sell plants - we make cards, pin badges and prints in house, printed in the UK. So this is a straight guide to the plant, and the card to send with it.

The first week

• Take the wrapping off straight away. Paper and cellophane trap moisture and rot the leaves.
• Find out what it is. If there's no label, photograph it and use a plant ID app - the care depends entirely on the species.
• Put it somewhere bright but out of direct midday sun, and leave it there. Moving a plant around stresses it.
• Don't water it on arrival. Push a finger into the soil first - if the top two centimetres are damp, leave it.
• Don't repot it for a month. It's already had enough upheaval.

Watering, the only rule that matters

• Check the soil with your finger, not the calendar. Dry two centimetres down means water.
• Water until it runs out the bottom, then tip away whatever collects in the saucer.
• Never leave a pot standing in water. That's what kills most gift plants.
• In winter, roughly halve how often you water - the plant is barely growing.
• Yellow lower leaves usually mean too much water. Crispy brown edges usually mean too little.

Light and position

• A metre from a window is bright indirect light, which suits most houseplants.
• South-facing windowsills suit cacti, succulents and herbs, and burn almost everything else.
• North-facing rooms suit snake plants, ZZ plants and cast iron plants.
• Keep plants away from radiators, open fires and draughty doors.
• Turn the pot a quarter every week so it grows evenly rather than leaning.

Rescuing a plant that's struggling

• Droopy but the soil is dry: water it and wait two hours. Most recover completely.
• Droopy and the soil is wet: take it out of the pot, let the root ball dry, and cut off anything black or mushy.
• Leggy and stretching: it needs more light, not more water.
• Brown crispy tips: dry air. Group it with other plants or stand it on a tray of damp pebbles.
• Sticky leaves or fine webbing: pests. Wipe the leaves down and treat it before it spreads.

Long term, the low effort version

• One weekly check, same day every week. That's the whole routine.
• Feed it monthly from April to September, and not at all over winter.
• Wipe the leaves every few months - dust genuinely blocks light.
• Repot every two years, into a pot one size up with a drainage hole.
• If it dies anyway, tell whoever gave it to you. They'd much rather know than be shown a healthy plant every visit.

Shop cards

Prints for the same windowsill

Botanical prints, posted flat and ready to frame.

How to write it so it lands

• Buy a saucer. Tipping away standing water is the single highest-value habit there is.
• Set a weekly phone reminder to check, not to water.
• Group plants together - they hold humidity for each other.
• Keep the plant label. Everything else is easier when you know what it is.

Where to shop next

• Plant gifts UK
• What plant to give for each occasion
• How to wrap a plant as a gift
• Plants as a housewarming gift
• Plant meanings and symbolism
• Low maintenance plants to give
• Sympathy and memorial plants
• Pet safe plants for gifting
• Plants as seasonal gifts
• Gift wrapping ideas
• All guides
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• Pin badges

Frequently asked questions

How often should I water a houseplant?

Check weekly rather than watering weekly. Push a finger into the soil, and water only when the top two centimetres are dry. Most houseplants need water every one to two weeks in summer and less in winter.

Why is my new plant dying?

Almost always overwatering or too little light. Yellow lower leaves point to too much water, and long stretched growth points to not enough light.

Should I repot a plant I've been given?

Not straight away. Leave it a month to settle, then move it up one pot size into something with a drainage hole.

Can a wilted plant be saved?

Usually, if the soil is dry - water it and most recover within hours. If the soil is wet and it's wilting, the roots are rotting and it needs drying out and trimming.