Not everyone has a green thumb, and some people are more prone to accidental planticide than others.
If you end up forgetting to care for your plants — or fall for the trap of caring too much — #planttok is for you. Anyone tasked with keeping a plant alive knows the anxiety that a floundering plant can induce, especially when you’re not sure why your beloved green child isn’t thriving. Like many other plant parents, I’ve spent too many afternoons in a Google search spiral over yellowing leaves or possible bug infestations, only to be met with conflicting answers from the countless gardening forums online.
For clearer advice on how to care for your plant collection, here are five TikTok creators who can answer all of your houseplant questions.
1. For succulent advice: 1sneakypete
If you need help with your succulents, check out these catchy tunes.
Paige, who goes by 1sneakypete on TikTok, is known for sharing jaunty facts about death blooms and preventing root rot in succulents, to the tune of Dean Martin’s "That’s Amore." The songs are catchy and informative, especially for those who tend to overwater their succulents.
2. For wholesome reminders: gardenmarcus
Marcus Bridgewater, known online as Garden Marcus, is as much a motivational speaker as he is a gardening connoisseur. His gentle videos about dealing with damage after a frost or sharing the fruits of a harvest remind viewers to take care of themselves and others just as much as they care for their garden.
3. For help with dying houseplants: plantprodigy
Jacob Soule, who posts on TikTok as theplantprodigy, gives straightforward advice on whether plants on their last legs can still be saved. Sometimes, Soule will tell viewers, the plant is just too far gone to salvage. In other cases, even if the mother plant itself is beyond help, Soule will advise viewers on how to propagate what’s left. If your plant is truly in its worst days, theplantprodigy may be able to help.
4. For repotting and rehab: steeze365daily
Myeshia Carter, who posts as steeze365daily on TikTok, will educate you on breaking up root bound plants, mixing your own potting soil instead of relying on big box store mediums, and propagating plant babies that will actually develop healthy roots. Carter’s narration is equally entertaining, roasting homophobes and racists while she teaches viewers about the joys of plant rehab.
5. For dealing with pests: br_anaconda
Aside from root rot, pests are a gardener’s worst nightmare. Brandon, who posts as br_anaconda on TikTok and Instagram, teaches viewers how to deal with pesky fungus gnats and spider mites, and also how to avoid them in the future. And if you can’t figure out what’s killing your plant, Brandon also teaches viewers how to diagnose their plants’ problems.
When it doubt, just remember the classic plant parent mantra: Don’t mist your succulents.