Blog
Plant care, aquascaping, photography and studio notes from Coletivate in Denver, Colorado.
Why Are My Houseplant Leaves Turning Yellow?
Yellow leaves are a symptom, not a diagnosis. Here is how to work out whether the cause is water, light, age, nutrients, or pests, and what to do about it.
Overwatering vs Underwatering: How to Tell the Difference
Drooping, yellowing, and crispy leaves can mean too much or too little water. Learn the clues that tell the two apart and how to rescue each.
Brown Tips on Houseplant Leaves: Causes and Fixes
Brown, crispy leaf tips usually come from dry air, uneven watering, salt buildup, or water quality. Learn how to find the cause and stop it spreading.
The Best Low Light Houseplants (and What Low Light Really Means)
Which houseplants cope with dim rooms, what low light really means, and how to care for them honestly: they survive in shade but grow slowly.
How to Repot a Houseplant, Step by Step
Learn when a houseplant needs repotting, how to choose a pot and soil, and how to repot step by step without stressing the roots.
The Best Houseplants for Beginners
Pothos, snake plant, ZZ, spider plant and more: forgiving houseplants that tolerate missed waterings and average light, and why each one is easy.
How to Propagate Pothos in Water
Turn one pothos into many. Learn where to cut, how to root cuttings in water, how long it takes, and how to pot up the new roots without losing them.
Pothos vs Philodendron: How to Tell Them Apart
Pothos and philodendron look alike but differ in leaf texture, new growth, and stems. Learn the easy ways to tell them apart and how their care overlaps.
How to Get Rid of Fungus Gnats in Houseplants
Tiny flies around your plants are usually fungus gnats. Learn their life cycle and the steps that actually work: drier soil, traps, bottom watering, and Bti.
How to Care for Succulents Indoors
Succulents are not no-care plants. Learn what they need indoors: strong light, gritty soil, deep but infrequent watering, and how to fix stretching and rot.
How to Increase Humidity for Houseplants (What Works and What Doesn't)
Dry indoor air browns leaf tips on tropical plants. See which humidity fixes really work, from humidifiers to grouping, and which popular tricks barely help.
How to Fix a Leggy Houseplant
Stretched, sparse stems usually mean a plant wants more light. Learn why plants get leggy, how to prune and pinch them, and how to root the cuttings.