Trader Joe’s isn’t just a great place to buy nutritious groceries at affordable prices, but also a wonderful spot to pick up houseplants and flowers, too!
Yes, that’s right. Trader Joe’s often has entire sections of seasonal plants you can buy to keep at home – or replant in the yard – without having to break the bank.
You’ll want to make sure you know what you’re getting into when it comes to caring for these plants, though. It’s not the hardest thing in the world to master, but if you’ll want to use the inside info below to keep your plants happy and healthy for sure.
Light Requirements
Because Trader Joe’s will have so many different kinds of flowers available throughout the year, each of them with unique light requirements, it’s tough to give a universal recommendation aside from most houseplants (including flowers) enjoying quite a bit of bright, indirect light.
This means that the best places to set your flowers up indoors are on east and west facing windowsills, ideally with sheer curtains or open blinds protecting them from direct sunlight.
Southern facing windows often provide too much sunlight for flowers from Trader Joe’s, and north facing windows are going to rob your plants of sunlight they need to really thrive.
In a pinch, you could always set up your Trader Joe’s flowers anywhere you like in your home with a portable grow lights system. That may or may not be something you want to worry about, though.
On top of all of that, do make sure that your plants are kept away from direct heat sources.
Things like fireplaces, radiators, space heaters, etc. can all “cook” your plants and kill them faster than you would have thought possible.
Water Requirements
Each type of flower is going to have their own specific water requirements, and you’ll want to do a little bit of research based off of the plants you are buying from Trader Joe’s.
At the same time, as a general rule it’s a good idea to add just enough water to the containers holding your flowers from Trader Joe’s so that the first inch of soil is damp. When you notice that inch of soil start to dry out it’s generally time to water again.
You do want to be careful about not overwatering or under watering your plants, too.
Under watering will inevitably cause your flowers to wilt, the plant to become extremely stressed, and can even cause the plant to die off completely.
Overwatering, though, can cause a problem known as “root rot” – and that can drown your plant pretty quickly.
You’ll know that you are under watering when your flower leaves are wilting, the soil feels dry or crumbly to the touch, and the flowers have experienced stunted growth spurts.
You’ll have a good idea that you are overwatering when the soil is constantly wet to the touch, waterlogged, or the flowers are kind of mushy.
Soil Requirements
Believe it or not, replanting flowers you buy at Trader Joe’s is really pretty simple or straightforward – regardless of whether or not you want to replant into a larger pot or container or replant those flowers outdoors.
The trick here is to use a high quality potting mix or garden soil when you are making the switch.
You want something that is going to drain easily and consistently, and that means shooting for soils that have a mixture of peat moss, perlite, and vermiculite mixed in.
Here’s a quick “cheat sheet” to help make the process go as easy as possible:
- Pick a pot or outdoor space that is larger than the old container
- Fill the new planting space with a layer of high quality potting mix and soil
- Gently and carefully remove the plant from its original container, loosening roots that have started to bind up
- Place the plant gently into its new spot and then fill around it with more potting mix and garden soil
- Overfill the new container or spot in your garden by an inch or so, allowing for compression that happens over time
- Water your flowers thoroughly, making sure the soil is moist but never waterlogged
- Set everything up in a bright spot with indirect light
Now you’re good to go!
Temperature and Humidity
Again, specific flowers from Trader Joe’s are going to do better at different temperatures and humidity levels than others, but as a golden rule you want to stick to between 60°F and 75°F as well as relative humidity levels between 40% and 60%.
A little bit of research into the ideal temperature and humidity range for your Trader Joe’s flowers will go a long way.
Pests and Diseases
A sometimes overlooked risk of having Trader Joe’s flowers in the home are pests and diseases, “invisible” issues that can kill your flowers faster than you would have thought possible.
Some of the most common pests and diseases responsible for killing off Trader Joe’s flowers include:
- Aphids – Tiny little insects that eat sap in your plants, stealing nutrients and stunting their growth
- Mealybugs – Little white masses that stick to foliage and stems, choking plants over time
- Spider mites – Teeny tiny insects that spin webs and can cause your flowers to wilt and die
- Fungal diseases – Almost always cause extreme discoloration, wilting, and will inevitably kill off your plant
Luckily, there are a couple of things you can do to prevent and treat against these insidious attacks.
For starters, make sure that you keep your plants clean. A spritz of water every now and again will clean off dust and debris that pests and diseases are attracted to.
Secondly, make sure that you’re not overwatering or under watering your Trader Joe’s flowers. Either of those things will cause the plant stress and can invite pest and disease infestation.
Regularly check your plants for obvious signs of damage, obvious signs of disease, or obvious signs of pest infestation. The faster you get out ahead of these things the less of a problem it’ll be long-term.
Flowers Maintenance
There aren’t a lot of Trader Joe’s flowers that are going to require tons of pruning and maintenance “right out-of-the-box”.
But if you keep these flowers for a long enough block of time this is something you’ll inevitably bump into.
Here are some tips to help you with flower maintenance:
- Routine pruning – Routine pruning (schedule based off of the kind of flower you have) won’t just help you keep the ideal shape of your flower, but it’ll help you spur on healthy growth
- Repotting – Moving your Trader Joe’s flowers from their original pot into a larger one or outdoors when they outgrow the original is critical
- Watering – You need to be smart about how you water your Trader Joe’s flowers. You want to hit that “sweet spot” between under watering and overwatering to keep your plant hydrated
- Lots of light – Read up about how much light your Trader Joe’s flowers need and try to position them around your home and spots they can thrive. Indirect light is best!
- Fertilize when necessary – Every now and again (we are talking every year or so) a little bit of fertilizer or plant food can go a long way towards rejuvenating and revitalizing your older Trader Joe’s flowers
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Keep Trader Joe’s Orchids Alive?
Orchids are much easier to keep alive when you expose them to plenty of bright, indirect light, keep their soil moist (watering once a week), and ensure that they are in spaces with between 50% and 70% relative humidity.
How Do You Take Care of Trader Joe’s Orchids?
Fertilizing during the orchid “growing season” (usually in the spring), keeping your orchids well watered, and repotting or replanting as your orchids get larger are great ways to take care of them.
Can I Order Flowers Ahead of Time From Trader Joes?
Not every Trader Joe’s will allow you to order flowers in advance, though some do. The best way to know for sure is to contact your local Trader Joe’s directly and find out.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, keeping Trader Joe’s flowers alive is a lot easier than most people realize – especially when they leverage the tips and tricks we highlighted above.
Be smart about the flowers you choose and position them around your home properly so that they get the right amount of light. Be careful not to over water or underwater, and move your plants from their original container to larger spaces as they grow.
Stay vigilant for attacks from disease and pests, keep your plants clean and pruned up, and you’ll have nothing to worry about when it comes to making sure these Trader Joe’s flowers really thrive.
