This 2-Minute Weekend Project Will Keep Your Plants Looking — And Feeling — Healthier

If owning plants is just about the gorgeous greenery, there’s no reason not to get artificial plants. You can get exactly the look you want without worrying about light requirements, feeding, repotting, and keeping anything alive in general.

But of course, plant parenting is about more than the punch of color they provide. Just look around at all the plant newbies minted during the pandemic! Tending to plants can be a balm to the soul. Just today I enjoyed my watering ritual: I drop plant food into my watering can as I watch and listen to the water fill it. Then I make the rounds, giving my verdant friends a drink, leaving them alone if their soil is still damp, examining the leaves, giving the pot a turn if it needs it, rejoicing over new growth, and preening them all along the way.

One of my favorite plant care tasks, one that happens less often than watering, is trimming off dead or almost-dead leaves. I love doing this because it’s an easy, methodical task with instant visual gratification. Aren’t those the best kind of chores? Let’s tackle it this weekend.

Even if you’re less effervescent about plant care than some of us are, trimming off dead or dying leaves isn’t only satisfying. Of course it’s aesthetically pleasing; a plant shed of its saddest looking parts looks fresher. But getting rid of dead or dying leaves also helps prevent pests from making home in your plants, and keeps your plants healthy.

Note that you should wait at least until a leaf is fully yellow and it pulls easily away from the plant before taking it off; one that’s only partially yellow means that the plant is still absorbing the leaf’s nutrients. But brown leaves and brown leaf tips can be trimmed with impunity. These hand pruners are my favorite tool for the job. In addition, you should sanitize your pruners between plants so you don’t transfer diseases or pests; a disinfecting wipe to wipe down the blades works great.

In addition to making your plants look better and helping them stay healthy, trimming off dead parts creates space and energy for new growth. Doing it will not only encourage your plant to grow, but will remind you, while you’re doing it, of how true this holds for you, too.

You can catch up with weekend projects right here. Share your progress with us and others by posting updates and photos on Instagram and Twitter with the hashtag #atweekendproject.

Remember: This is about improvement, not perfection. Each week you can either choose to work on the assignment we’ve sent you, or tackle another project you’ve been meaning to get to. It’s also completely okay to skip a weekend if you’re busy or not feeling the assignment.