Gear and Supplies
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This is the stuff I actually use. Not a sponsored list, not a roundup of things I read about — these are the bags, bottles, and tools sitting on my shelf in Palm Springs right now.
Fair warning: I've killed plants with most of the mistakes you're about to avoid. A lot of what's here I bought after something went wrong, which is honestly the best way to learn what matters.
If you're just getting started, skip straight to the first section. You don't need most of this page yet.
Start Here: What You Actually Need
If you're standing in a store holding your first plant, here's the short list. Five things. That's it. Everything below this section is for later, when you've got a few plants alive and you're starting to get curious.
1. A pot with a drainage hole
Not optional, not negotiable. More beginner plants die from sitting in water than from anything else. If you fell in love with a pot that has no hole, use it as a cachepot — keep the plant in its nursery pot and set it inside.
Clear Nursery Pots with Drainage Holes, 3.5/4/5 Inch, 36-Pack
Drainage for Everyday Care: Multiple base openings allow excess water to leave the pot when used with a suitable tray. These clear plant pots with drainage support routine watering for seedlings, cuttings and houseplants.
2. A well-draining mix
Most bagged "potting soil" holds too much water for houseplants. You can buy a houseplant-specific mix to start, or make your own — my recipe is further down this page and it's cheaper per pot once you're buying in volume.
