About

About Caroline Cocker

I’m Caroline Cocker, and I run Planet Houseplant — a houseplant care website for busy people who love plants but don’t always have time or inclination to baby them.

I’m based in North Yorkshire, UK, and I’ve been keeping houseplants since 2016. I started Planet Houseplant in 2019 after watching Jenna Marbles’ houseplant tour and having a minor revelation that these things actually grow. I’d been keeping plants for years without really paying attention. That video changed that.

I currently have around 100 houseplants. I’ve had over 200. Many some of them are dead, but that’s ok. I think I know what I did wrong.

What I actually do here

Most houseplant advice online is written by people who either have one plant on a windowsill or work for a nursery. Neither of those people is you, and neither of them is me.

I have no desire to spend my precious free time babysitting my plants. I’m not monitoring soil moisture twice a day or dusting my plants every week. What I can do is figure out the minimum viable care routine that keeps a hundred plants alive — and tell you how you can also do the bare minimum.

My specialist area is rescuing plants. If your monstera has been thrashed by thrips, your rubber plant is dramatically dropping every leaf, or your calathea looks like it’s auditioning for a horror film — that’s where I come in. I’ve cut my monstera back to almost nothing after a bad thrips infestation more times than I’d like to admit. It came back every time. There’s almost always a way back.

Why you should (or shouldn’t) trust me

I’m not a botanist. I don’t have a horticulture qualification. What I have is seven years of trial and error across an unreasonable number of plants, in a draughty 60s ex council house in North Yorkshire that is not exactly tropical.

I only recommend products I’ve personally tested — no exceptions. Every affiliate link on this site is something I’ve actually bought and used.

I’m also pretty upfront when I don’t know something, when the science is mixed, or when the honest answer is “it depends.” That’s not a cop-out — houseplant care by environment, and anyone who tells you otherwise is a liar.

What Planet Houseplant covers

The site focuses on practical care for tropical houseplants — watering, light, soil, pests, propagation, and rescuing plants that are on their way out. The content is written for busy people who want clear answers, not 2,000 words of padding before the actual advice.

My favourite plant, for the record, is my ponytail palm. She requires almost nothing and thrives on mild neglect. She is everything I aspire to be.

Want the short version?

I put together a free guide — five rules that’ll keep your houseplants alive even if you’re busy, forgetful, or have killed everything you’ve ever owned. It’s called the Plant Survival Kit and it’s free.

Get the free Plant Survival Kit →

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