Light is the one thing you can't fake.

• Low light is a room where you can read comfortably but no sun lands on the floor: north windows, hallways, the far side of a room.
• Bright indirect is near a window that gets sun, where the rays don't land on the leaves.
• Bright direct sun means real sunbeams for a few hours a day.

When in doubt, move a plant closer to the window, not farther away. Every plant page tells you what it likes, and you can filter the whole shop by light.

More houseplants are loved to death than neglected. Check before you water: push a finger an inch or two into the soil. If it's dry, water thoroughly until it runs out the drainage hole, then empty the saucer. If it's still damp, walk away.

Succulents and snake plants like to dry out completely between drinks. Ferns and calatheas like to stay lightly moist. Everything drinks less in winter, so stretch the time between waterings when the days get short.

Most houseplants are happiest between 65 and 80°F, away from heater vents, AC drafts, and cold winter windows.

Ferns, calatheas, and marantas like extra humidity. Group plants together, set them on a pebble tray, or give them a spot in a bright bathroom. Crispy brown edges are usually their way of asking.

Every pot needs a drainage hole. No exceptions, no matter how cute the pot is.

Repot when roots circle the bottom or poke out of the drainage hole, usually every one to two years, and go up just one pot size. Feed at half strength about once a month in spring and summer, then let plants rest through fall and winter.

Some plants are perfectly happy sharing a home with cats and dogs, and some are better kept out of reach. Every plant page has a Pet Safety section, and our Pet-Friendly collection only includes plants that are non-toxic to cats and dogs.

If a pet does nibble something it shouldn't, call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center.

• Yellow lower leaves: usually too much water.
• Crispy brown tips: low humidity or uneven watering.
• Leggy, stretched growth: it wants more light.
• Drooping: check the soil. Bone dry and soggy can look the same from the outside.

A new plant dropping a leaf or two in its first couple of weeks is just settling in. Still stumped? Send us a photo. We love these questions.