This is a very good question to which we unfortunately cannot give a very direct answer to. The reason being, a plant could be struggling for a few different reasons or have a combination of issues that are influencing it's health.

To better assess the health of your plant, we ask you to think about a look at some of these factors.

• How much light is your plant getting? Can it see the sky? Or is it tucked in a dark corner?
• How frequently or infrequently are you watering? Are you saturating the soil every watering? Is your plant sitting in water in the cache pot?
• How warm or cold is your house space? Is it sitting by a heater? Is it catching a draft or is by airco?
• Are you fertizling your plant? Could it's soil be lacking in nutrients?
• When was the last time this plant was repotted?
• Is this plant in the correct type of soil? Is it retaining too much water or draining too fast?
• Does your plant require humidity? Or does it like drier conditions?

To better answer these questions, it does require you to know your plant a little better and to research the growing conditions best suited for your plant.

These two questions are very much related as they influence each other greatly. If your plant received a lot of sunlight, this may mean it needs more frequent waterings. If it doesn't get as much sunlight, it's probably a good idea to not water your plant as much since the soil cannot dry out as fast.

Another larger factor is what type of plant it is. Different plants survive great in direct sunlight, whereas other thrive more in indirect light or even shadier spaces. In this respect, it's because to research more about the plant you have and know what it's light and watering needs are.

Only you and your plant can answer this question. Just because a root is poking out the bottom, this doesn't mean a plant is root bound.

We recommend you to answer the following questions before you start putting your hands in the soil...

• When was the last time you watered this plant? - To ensure a healthy repot and to not stress your plant too much, try to water your plan 2-3 days prior so it's hydrated and the soil isn't too soggy.

• When was the last time this plant was repotted? - If the answer is I have no idea because you've had it for so long, then it might be time to repot. If it's I don't know because it's a brand new plant in your possession, it might be better to give your plant some time to acclimate to your house's environment before poking around in its roots.

• Is this plant thirstier than normal? - A good indication that a plant might be root bound is that it is wanting a lot more water that it usually does. This could mean that there is more roots than soil and it's soaking up the water faster.

• Do I need to size up or size down my pot? - Repotting doesn't always mean going up a pot size. Sometimes it means giving your plant a small pot. If the soil is staying wet for long periods of time, this could mean there is more soil than roots and the plant isn't able to soak up the water fast enough; this can lead to root rot. In this instance, it's actually better to give your plant a snugger fitting pot so it can absorb water from the soil more efficiently. On the other hand, if you can't water fast enough and the outside of the nursery pot is feeling tighter than normal, you should probably pot your plant in a larger pot.

When you know more about your plant and it's origins, you can make the decision on how much you want to tailor the soil conditions. Because these plants aren't grown in their natural environment, you can try to mimic their environment as best you can by making your soil mixes or adding substrate amendments.

If you want to take yourself on the adventure of making your own soil mixes or adding amendments, take a look at what we have in stock at the moment. (Full blog posts on soil and substrates coming soon)

You can of course always keep your plant in the soil you bought it in, but this might not always be the right choice. Using store bought soil is always an option if that's what works for you, but just be aware of how much water it retains and adjust your watering schedule accordingly.

(But please know at BMBO Plants, we try our best to grow and send plants to you in their most optimal substrates.)

The answer is almost always yes, especially for aroids. However, plants can be acclimated to just home conditions... but this could mean they may not grow as optimally as they could if they had more humidity. Plants such as Philodendrons and Calatheas will give your more problems without the additional humidity, whereas plants like Monsteras or Syngoniums are more resilient without it.

But not every plant needs humidity; Cacti and succulents have entered the chat. In fact the opposite may happen with these plants if they have too much humidity. These plants are desert dwellers so the dryer and warmer the better.

Some people are not a fan of fertilizers... but we are at BMBO Plants. We aren't particular about the type of fertilizer as we think it's better to give your plants something rather than nothing.

In nature plants receive their nutrients from their environment, but now in your home, they are isolated in pots and are unable to receive their nutrients on their own. This is where you come in.

We recommend to fertilize your plants 1-2 times per month during the warm growing season depending on the conditions of your home, thirstiness of your plants, and type of plant it is. During the cold season, we recommend no more than 1 time per month as a lot of plants go dormant or grow slower during this time. This means they don't require has much nutrients to stay alive.

The time old question of what's wrong with my plant? We of course want our beautiful plant collection to be healthy, so being hyper vigilant about what is sitting on our leaves can happen.

Here is what we recommend when assessing what is going on with your plant.

• What is the location of the issue? - If it is a problem on the oldest leaves, it's most likely just an old leaf dying off. This is natural and nothing to worry about. If the problem is on the newest leaves, this could be an indication of a problem with the plant; pest, root rot, etc.

• Is it dust or pests? - When looking at your leaves, pests that can wreak havoc can be awfully small, but you can still typically see them moving. If you're unsure about what on your leaves, it's always good to give your plant a good rinse off in the shower or in the sink just to be safe. You can also wipe down gently with a clean microfiber cloth and prevention spray. If you do find pests, we recommend to treat isolate the infected plant(s) for up to 2 weeks to ensure you eradicate the issue and your other plants don't get infected. You can use a insecticidal spray or beneficial insects to treat the infected plants.

If you don't want to deal with all the hassle of treating pests or diseases, you can always just throw away the plant and get a new one. No plant is worth your mental energy and stress.

It is not required to prune your plant, but it is up to your discretion how you want you plant to look and grow. You can cut off old or ugly leaves to improve the overall look of your plant. If your plant is just getting to big or getting a little leggy, you can chop sections of the plant to contain the size and stimulate new growth; bonus you can propagate the cuttings and you'll have a whole new plant!

For any chopping, just be sure to not chop to much at a time as it can send the plant into shock. A good rule is to not cut more than a 1/3 of the plant off at a time.

One of the fun things about being a plant parent is knowing how to make more plants... aka propagation. Every plant has it's own way of being propagated, along with a degree of difficulty to root and how long it takes to root.

Here are a few tips that can be applied across all plants when propagating.

• Make sure they are hydrated: Try to water your plants 1-2 days prior to giving them the chop.

• Always have a clean cutting tool: Either wash them really well or sanitize in alcohol prior to use, and in between cutting different plants. This will ensure that any diseases wont spread and the wound on the plant will heal better.

• Use rooting powder: After propagating your plant, this isn't required, but using rooting powder can help increase the speed and success of rooting your propagation.

• Be mindful of time: When you're propagating, be mindful of the time of year you are cutting. Plants will do better when it's in the warmer growing season; both the mother plant and cutting will adjust better. This doesn't mean it's not possible to propagate in the cooler seasons. This just means that they will just need more controlled conditions in your home and more time (greenhouse/box, humidity, more light, heat, etc).

(More detailed blog posts about propagation coming soon.)

You've been through all the tips and tricks. You've watched all the videos on social media. But you're still struggling... that's okay!

If you are still having problems with your plants, feel free to email us with pictures and the particular problems you are facing. We can send you back our best suggestions and ideas to help your plant be a happy plant again.