To rotate your plant, or not to rotate your plant, that is the question
Learn how to rotate your houseplants for even growth and healthier leaves. Find out why it's good, when not to rotate certain plants, and easy tips to help them thrive. Great for plant parents who want a happy, vibrant indoor garden.
Have you heard about rotating your plants and wondered if you should rotate your indoor plants or not? It can be a bit of a confusing topic, but I'm here to help you understand.
Rotating your indoor plants can be a good idea because it helps them grow evenly and stops them from leaning towards the light. This can make your plants grow more symmetrically. However, you don't need to rotate all plants, so it's important to know what each plant needs.
Let's figure this out together!
The benefits of rotating your plants
So rotating your plant is great for some plants and not so good for others. But what are the benefits of rotating your plants?
Promotes even growth
There are a few benefits, but it all boils down to this: When you rotate your plant, it gets sunlight from all angles throughout the day. This ensures that every part of the plant receives enough light, promoting even growth. As a result, you'll have a well-balanced and healthy plant, free from the lopsided growth you'll often see when only one side receives sunlight. Regular rotation can lead to a stronger, more aesthetically pleasing plant.
This is great for plants that have flexible growth, like Spider plants, Pothos, Philodendron, and Peace Lilies. Their growth can easily adjust to light coming from different directions to capture the most sunlight possible.
Example of a plant you should rotate
As I've mentioned, a great example of a plant you should regularly rotate is a spider plant. This plant tends to grow straight up and by rotating the plant, you encourage healthy growth on all sides of the plant.
A spider plant doesn't really have one angle that you can consider to be the front of the plant. All growth starts in the center and gradually spreads from there, so all sides are equally looking for light.
The benefits of not rotating your plants
After reading the benefits of rotating your plants, you might be a little confused why you wouldn't want to rotate all plants. It promotes even growth and makes your plant stronger, why would you not want this? Let's see why you might not want to rotate your plant!
Reduces stress
Plants can get stressed if they're moved around too much, since frequent changes in their environment can mess with their growth patterns. Keeping them in one spot helps them grow consistently, letting their roots settle firmly in the soil and their leaves orient towards the light better. Consistent placement also helps them adapt to their surroundings, making them healthier and more resilient over time.
Plants aren't moved around in nature either and grow well when they're left alone. Plants generally don't like to be handled, so not rotating them is what they want.
Convenience
Some plants are big or heavy, making them tough to move around. Rotating them can be a hassle and takes a lot of effort. Keeping them in one spot is easier and can save you from potential strain or injury. Plus, finding the perfect spot with the right sunlight and water access helps these plants thrive without needing constant repositioning.
It's also easier planning, because you know exactly how much space your plant requires in its current position.
Preserves aesthetics
If your plant has a "front" and "back," rotating it might mess with its symmetry and how its leaves are positioned. Keeping it where it is can help maintain its aesthetic and ensure it keeps thriving in its favorite direction. Plus, this can prevent any stress on the plant, which is great for its health and longevity.
Example of a plant you shouldn't rotate
Distorted growth on a Monstera due to rotation
A great example is a Monstera: it grows against trees, so it has a very obvious "front" and "back". Its leaves are all growing on one side, which is the aesthetic side. The other side is, well, empty. If you were to rotate the plant and make it so leaves start to grow on the other side, you'll have semi empty sides. Besides that, the leaves need to catch light, so they'll try to rotate to face the light. This causes twisted stems and leaves growing upside-down. It won't make the plant look too great.
The steps to take to rotate your plant
Peace lily leaning to the right on a coffee table
If you made the choice that you want to rotate one of your plants, there are 3 things to consider before you rotate your plant.
- Wait until the plant grows towards the light, and only then rotate them 90 degrees. Only rotate your plant in the growing season (spring and summer).
- If your plant isn't growing towards the light, don't rotate it. Your plant seems happy, and rotating it might cause unneeded stress to your plant.
- Don't rotate plants that have a clear front and back. It can make them grow in a weird and unappealing way.
If you keep these 3 things in mind before rotating your plants, you are ready to give all of your plants the light they'd like. Some plants simply don't have to be rotated, because you've already given them a great spot in which they're happy.
Common mistakes in plant rotation
Monstera in windowsill growing towards light
If you've followed the steps in the previous section, you'll notice that not all of your plants should be rotated. You might have seen that some plants have a very clear front and back, or they're simply not growing to one side. That's great!
If you do find that one of your plants needs to be rotated, there is one big mistake you'll want to avoid making: Rotating your plant too much or too often.
If you move your plants more than 90 degrees or more frequently than once every 14 days, you might be rotating your plant too quickly. This causes your plant unnecessary stress, because it can't adjust to its new growing situation quickly enough. By rotating your plant more than 90 degrees, your plant might struggle to rotate towards the light before you move it again.
With anything related to plants, give it time to adjust and don't handle it too much.
Conclusion
Rotating your plants can be beneficial for even growth and healthier foliage. But some plants do just fine without it and might even prefer staying put. Keep an eye on your plant's needs and make adjustments as necessary.
Thank you for reading this post! I hope it helps you to keep your plants healthy and beautiful! If you're looking for more guides on specific plants, you can always request a plant guide to get a guide for the plant you have trouble with.
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