Most people tend to overwater plants. They always think they’re going to forget about their plants. I have heard that 80 per cent of plants die because of overwatering. You might overwater a plant once and it looks sad and yellow, and you think you need to water it more. But it gets worse. We tend to pick a day and water all our plants without thinking. But the weather might have changed. Our own schedule is not relevant. Try the finger trick. Stick your finger into the soil. With the majority of tropical plants, you only water them if the top quarter of the soil is dry. Succulents and cacti, you can hold off longer than that.

Humidity is very abstract; we don’t really know how much we have in the air in our homes. The atmosphere in nature will be very different to what we have in our houses. You can adjust it a little bit according to the type of environment your plant is used to. Plants such as calatheas or ferns enjoy a higher humidity. You can recreate that in the home, for example in winter when the radiators are on and the air is drier, if you have a humidifier. Alternatively, put some pebbles and water in a saucer and put the plant on that to create a humid environment. Or you can stick it in the shower.

If you buy a plant, learn where it comes from. At Calienna, we write down the details of the plant, so people know. For example, if it comes from a super arid environment, you can assume the plant enjoys direct sunlight and doesn’t need watering every week. It might come from the misty, foggy undergrowth of a forest, like calatheas or ferns, so you might need to regulate the humidity. There are also plants such as philodendrons that come from diverse climates. They tend to be adaptable. I like to recommend these to plant first-timers. Our customers tend to buy various plants over the years then realise which ones fit best with their home and lifestyle.

Plants constantly give us signs to let us know how they’re doing. If the leaves are droopy or yellowing, you’ve probably gone overboard with the watering. If the leaves are dry and crispy, they need a bit more care. But remember to love its imperfections. Instagram has pushed the plant trend in recent years – especially for monsteras or fiddle figs. But Instagram has beauty ideals and everything looks so insanely perfect. Over time, plants develop their own growth and go off in different directions. They will have imperfections here and there, the same in nature. I love the plants that are unusual in how they grow.

Our homes stay at constant temperatures, but plants know when its winter or spring and they adapt accordingly. We should change how we treat them, too. In the northern hemisphere, the tropical plants are in their growth phase between April and October. They tend to drink more water and more sunlight means the water evaporates more. That’s the best time to fertilise a plant as well – the soil runs out of its natural nutrition. In winter, they reduce their growth and they go dormant, so you can feed them less.

Society expects instant gratification, we expect things to happen at the click of a finger. Plants do make your living room look nice but they will also teach you patience. Nature moves at a different pace. Sometimes it takes months to create a new leaf. It helps you to slow down a bit. We’re a bit like therapists at Calienna ­– people come in worried about their plants. We help them on their journey. People are often looking for a manual, but you can’t give that. You need to give people more abstract advice. Every home is unique, so trust the process and observe. That’s where the fun comes in. Nature is messy. Grow every day – that’s our motto.

• ZZ plant (zamioculcas zamiifolia). The ZZ raven is a particularly beautiful and beloved variety

• Sansevierias (ie, whale fin, moonshine)

• Epipremums (ie, marble queen, happy leaf, pinnatum)

• Scindapsus pictus

• Hoya (eg, krimson queen, linearis, wentii)