Melissa Greenhouse Tips

Melissa Greenhouse Tips Greenhouse Pro
Teaching the why behind plant care so you can grow with confidence - not guesswork.

09/03/2026

Snake plant propagation can take months, but this cutting surprised me. 🌿

Here’s my two-month snake plant propagation update, how I got it ready for soil, and what you need to know when propagating a variegated snake plant from a leaf.

Now we wait for the first new pup. 🪴

09/02/2026

Potting Mix 101, Part 6: Cactus & Succulent Potting Mix 🌵

Cactus and succulent soil doesn’t have to be complicated. My simple starting mix is 1 part potting soil to 1 part perlite to reduce moisture retention and create more pore space around the roots.

You can also use pumice, coarse horticultural sand, or grit, but you don’t need every ingredient. And if you’re starting with a bagged cactus or succulent soil, check what’s already in it before adding more amendments.

The goal is a fast-drying, well-aerated potting mix that works for your cacti and succulents.

09/01/2026

Potting Mix 101, Part 5: How to Build a Potting Mix 🪴 There’s no single perfect potting mix recipe for every plant, the key is knowing how to adjust it.

My standard tropical houseplant mix is 2 parts potting soil, 1 part perlite, and 1 part orchid bark. From there, you can adjust the ratios based on whether your plant needs more moisture retention, airflow, or structure.

Once you understand what each ingredient does, you can build the right potting mix for your plants instead of memorizing endless recipes.

08/31/2026

Potting Mix 101, Part 4: Structure 🪴 When building a potting mix, drainage and moisture retention get most of the attention, but structure matters too.

Ingredients like orchid bark, horticultural charcoal, pumice, perlite, and coco chips can help maintain pore space and prevent your potting mix from becoming too compact. And many of these ingredients do more than one job, affecting moisture retention, aeration, and structure at the same time.

Understanding what each ingredient does makes it much easier to build and adjust the right potting mix for your indoor plants

08/28/2026

A good potting mix needs to hold moisture, but your roots also need access to oxygen.

Ingredients like perlite, pumice, LECA, orchid bark, and horticultural charcoal can all help create pore space and improve aeration around the roots. The key isn’t memorizing one perfect recipe, it’s understanding what each ingredient does so you can build the right potting mix for your plants.

08/27/2026

Potting Mix 101, Part 2: Moisture Retention 🪴 A good potting mix isn’t just about drainage, it also needs to hold enough water for your plant’s roots to absorb.

Potting soil, peat moss, coco coir, vermiculite, sphagnum moss, and even worm castings can all contribute to moisture retention, but you don’t need all of them. The goal is understanding what each ingredient does so you can build the right potting mix for your indoor plants.

08/26/2026

Potting Mix 101, Part 1 🪴 If all the different potting mix recipes and ingredients have you confused, start here.

Every good indoor plant potting mix needs to balance three things: moisture retention, airflow, and structure. Once you understand what each part of the mix is actually doing, it becomes much easier to adjust ingredients and ratios for tropical houseplants, cacti, succulents, and more.

In this series, we’re breaking down potting mix ingredients, ratios, drainage, aeration, moisture retention, and how to choose the right mix for your plants.

08/25/2026

How to pot cactus cuttings 🌵 The key is letting the cut end fully callous before planting, then using a fast-draining cactus soil mix and planting the cutting shallowly to reduce the risk of rot. Keep the soil just slightly damp while roots develop, give them plenty of bright light, and be patient, it can take weeks to root and a couple of months before you see new growth.

08/23/2026

Humidity matters for houseplants, but understanding why makes it much easier to know what your plants actually need. 🪴💧

For most indoor plants, 40–60% humidity is a great range. If you use a humidifier, focus on consistent humidity for several hours during the day rather than short spikes. And remember, higher isn’t always better, too much humidity without enough airflow can encourage mold, fungal issues, and bacterial disease.

If your plants are already growing well without added humidity, you probably don’t need to change a thing.

08/21/2026

Six plants at the greenhouse I’m trying REALLY hard not to buy. 🫣🪴

Philodendron Prince of Orange, Monstera Burle Marx Flame, Alocasia Mint Dragon Scale, Begonia Cracklin’ Rosie, Philodendron Snowdrift and Tradescantia Pink Panther all made the list.

Somebody please tell me which one you’d bring home so I can live vicariously through you. 😂

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