Adding Plants - Complete Guide

🎯 What You'll Learn

• Start the form - Multiple ways to add a plant
• 5-step process - Complete walkthrough of each step
• Required vs optional - What you must fill vs what's nice-to-have
• Best practices - Tips for accurate tracking from day one

⚡ Quick Start

Add your first plant in 3 minutes (minimum):

1. Click "Add Plant" button on dashboard
2. Fill Basic Info (Step 1) - Name and species (required)
3. Set Watering Frequency (Step 2) - How often to water
4. Click "Save" - Plant added! (Steps 3-5 optional)

Result: Plant is in your collection with basic care schedule set up.

📚 Complete Guide

Starting the Process

There are several ways to begin adding a plant:

From Dashboard:

• Large "Add Plant" button (center or top-right)
• Most obvious and accessible

From Plant List:

• "+" icon in top-right corner
• Quick access when browsing

Mobile Quick Add:

• Floating action button (FAB)
• Always visible at bottom-right

Keyboard Shortcut:

• Press Ctrl+N (Windows) or Cmd+N (Mac)
• Power user feature

Multi-Step Form Overview

PlantKeeper uses a guided, 5-step form to collect comprehensive plant information. Don't worry - you can edit everything later!

Form Structure:

1. Basic Information (Required) - Essential details
2. Care Settings (Recommended) - How to care for it
3. Initial State (Optional) - Current condition
4. Reminders (Optional) - Automated care tasks
5. History (Optional) - Import previous data

Quick vs Full Add:

• Quick Add: Only Step 1 → Fast entry
• Full Add: All 5 steps → Complete setup

Toggle in: Settings > General > "Use Quick Add by default"

Step 1: Basic Information ⭐ REQUIRED

Essential details about your plant.

Plant Name (Required)

Give your plant a unique, memorable name.

Examples:

• "Big Bertha" (personality-based)
• "Kitchen Monstera" (location-based)
• "Bedroom Fern #1" (category + number)
• "Mom's Birthday Gift" (origin-based)

Best Practices:

• ✅ Use descriptive names for quick identification
• ✅ Be consistent with naming convention
• ✅ Keep it short (under 30 characters)
• ❌ Avoid generic names like "Plant 1"

Nickname (Optional)

An alternate or affectionate name.

Use Cases:

• Main name: "Monstera Deliciosa" → Nickname: "Monty"
• Main name: "Fiddle Leaf Fig" → Nickname: "The Diva"
• Helps personalize your relationship with the plant!

Species (Recommended)

Scientific or common name of the plant.

Why It Matters:

• Enables care recommendations
• Groups plants of same species
• Helps with Plant Doctor AI accuracy

Examples:

• "Ficus Lyrata" (scientific)
• "Fiddle Leaf Fig" (common)
• "Snake Plant" (common)
• "Monstera Deliciosa" (scientific)

Finding Species Name:

• Check plant tag from nursery
• Use Plant Doctor AI (upload photo)
• Google image search
• Ask in plant communities

Location (Highly Recommended)

Where the plant lives in your home.

Examples:

• "Living Room"
• "East Balcony"
• "Kitchen Window"
• "Bedroom - North Wall"
• "Office Desk"

Best Practices:

• ✅ Use consistent location names
• ✅ Be specific when needed ("East Window" vs "Living Room")
• ✅ Update when you move plants
• 💡 Enables location-based filtering and care routines

Acquisition Date (Optional)

When you got the plant.

Benefits:

• Track how long you've had it
• Celebrate plant anniversaries
• See growth over months/years

Tip: If unsure, use approximate date or leave blank.

Acquisition Source (Optional)

Where you got it from.

Options:

• Purchased - Bought from nursery/store
• Gift - Received as a gift
• Propagation - You propagated it yourself
• Found - Rescued or found
• Trade - Exchanged with another plant parent

Notes (Optional)

Any additional initial information.

Examples:

• "Propagated from mom's plant"
• "Needs repotting soon"
• "Was overwatered at store, monitoring closely"
• "Birthday gift from Sarah"

Step 2: Care Settings 🌱 RECOMMENDED

Configure care schedule and requirements.

Watering Settings

Watering Frequency (Required):

• Daily
• Every 2-3 days
• Weekly (7 days)
• Bi-weekly (14 days)
• Monthly
• Custom (set exact days)

Tips:

• Start conservative (less frequent)
• Adjust based on plant's response
• Consider season (less in winter)

Last Watered Date (Optional):

• Defaults to today if empty
• Set accurately for proper scheduling
• Example: If you watered yesterday, set to yesterday

Light Requirements

Sunlight Needs:

• Full Sun - 6+ hours direct sunlight
• Partial Sun - 3-6 hours direct or bright indirect
• Shade - No direct sun, bright ambient light
• Low Light - Minimal light, tolerates dark corners

Light Hours per Day (Optional):

• Approximate hours of light received
• Example: 6-8 hours for full sun plants
• Helps assess if location is suitable

Temperature Preferences

Preferred Temperature Range:

• Enter in °C or °F (set in Settings)
• Example: 18-24°C (64-75°F)
• Most houseplants prefer 18-24°C

Why It Matters:

• Alerts if location too cold/hot
• Seasonal care adjustments
• Moving plants in winter

Humidity Requirements

Humidity Level:

• Low (30-40%) - Succulents, cacti
• Medium (40-60%) - Most houseplants
• High (60-80%) - Tropical plants, ferns

Tips:

• Tropical plants need high humidity
• Bathrooms and kitchens naturally more humid
• Use humidifiers or pebble trays if needed

Fertilization Schedule

How Often to Fertilize:

• Weekly (during growing season)
• Bi-weekly
• Monthly (most common)
• Seasonally (spring/summer only)
• Never (low-maintenance plants)

Best Practice: Most houseplants need fertilizer spring/summer only.

Step 3: Initial State 📸 OPTIONAL

Record the plant's current condition for future comparison.

Physical Measurements

Current Height:

• Measure from soil to tallest point
• Use cm or inches (your preference)
• Enables growth tracking

Current Width:

• Measure widest point of foliage
• Helps track bushiness/spread

Leaf Count (Optional):

• Number of leaves
• Great for tracking new growth
• Example: Count monthly, see progression

Health Status

Current Health Assessment:

• 🟢 Healthy - Thriving, no issues
• 🟡 Fair - Stable but could be better
• 🟠 Needs Care - Some issues present
• 🔴 Sick - Serious problems

Be Honest: Track improvement over time!

Initial Photo

Upload Plant Photo:

• Take photo now or upload existing
• Use good, natural lighting
• Include whole plant in frame
• Take from same angle each time

Best Practices:

• 📸 Take from consistent angle (front view)
• ☀️ Natural light (no flash)
• 📏 Include size reference if possible
• 🗓️ Photo becomes "Day 0" reference

Initial Observations

Notes About Current State:

• "Some yellowing on lower leaves, investigating"
• "Recently repotted, monitoring for transplant shock"
• "New growth spotted on 3 stems"
• "Slightly leggy, will prune in spring"

Step 4: Reminders ⏰ OPTIONAL

Set up automated care reminders.

Available Reminder Types

1. Watering - Based on watering frequency
2. Fertilizing - Based on fertilization schedule
3. Inspection - Regular check-ups
4. Repotting - Annual or seasonal
5. Pruning - Maintenance pruning
6. Pest Check - Regular inspections
7. Measure Growth - Monthly measurements
8. Custom - Any other task

Configuring Reminders

For Each Reminder:

• Title - "Water Monstera", "Fertilize Fern"
• Frequency - Daily, weekly, monthly, custom
• Start Date - When to begin
• Notification Method - Push, email, in-app
• Advance Notice - Hours before task due
• Priority - Low, Medium, High, Critical

Pro Tip: Start with watering reminder only. Add more as needed.

Step 5: History 📚 OPTIONAL

Import historical data if you've been tracking elsewhere.

Import Options

Previous Watering Dates:

• Upload CSV file
• Manually enter past dates
• Helps establish pattern

Past Growth Records:

• Import measurements over time
• See growth from day 1
• CSV format accepted

Historical Photos:

• Upload dated progress photos
• Shows transformation
• Tag with dates

Past Diary Entries:

• Import care notes
• Activity logs
• Observations from previous tracking

Skip If: Starting fresh - you'll build history naturally!

Completing the Form

After filling desired sections:

1. Review Tab - Check all information
2. Fix Errors - Address any validation issues
3. Save Button - Click "Save" or "Add Plant"
4. Success Message - Confirmation appears
5. Auto Redirect - Taken to plant's detail page

Can't Save?:

• Check for red error messages
• Plant name is required
• Fix validation errors

💡 Tips & Tricks

Quick Add Workflow

For experienced users:

1. Name + Species (10 seconds)
2. Location + Watering frequency (20 seconds)
3. Save (instant)
4. Total: Under 1 minute per plant

Detailed Add Workflow

For comprehensive tracking:

1. All basic info (2 min)
2. All care settings (2 min)
3. Photo + measurements (2 min)
4. Watering reminder (1 min)
5. Total: ~7 minutes, fully set up

Batch Adding Plants

Adding many plants at once:

1. Use Quick Add mode
2. Add names quickly
3. Come back later to add details
4. Update 5-10 plants per session

Data You Can Skip

Safe to Skip Initially:

• Nickname
• Acquisition date/source
• Temperature/humidity (use defaults)
• Initial measurements
• Photos (add during first care)
• History import

Add Later: From plant detail page → Edit

❓ Common Questions

Q: What if I don't know the species name?

A: Leave it blank initially. Use Plant Doctor AI later to identify from a photo. You can always edit and add the species name when you find out.

Q: Can I add a plant without setting watering frequency?

A: Yes, but not recommended. Without watering frequency, PlantKeeper can't create a schedule or remind you. You can set a rough estimate and adjust later based on the plant's needs.

Q: What happens if I skip all optional steps?

A: Your plant is added with minimal information. You can:

• View it in your collection
• Add diary entries manually
• Update all details later via Edit
• Still use most features (except growth tracking without measurements)

Q: Can I change everything later?

A: Yes! Almost everything can be edited:

• ✅ Name, species, location
• ✅ All care settings
• ✅ Photos and measurements
• ✅ Reminders
• ❌ Creation date (when added to PlantKeeper)

Q: How do I add multiple plants of the same species?

A: Add them separately with unique names:

• "Pothos #1", "Pothos #2", "Pothos #3"
• "Kitchen Pothos", "Bedroom Pothos"
• "Golden Pothos", "Marble Queen Pothos"

Use species field to group them for filtering.

🔗 Related Topics

Essential Reading

• Quick Actions - Add Plant - Quick add from dashboard
• Editing Plants - Update information later

Next Steps

• Organizing Plants - Use locations, tags, collections
• Plant Details - Overview - Explore your new plant's page

Complementary Features

• Creating Reminders - Set up care reminders
• Recording Growth - Track development
• Plant Doctor - Identification - ID unknown plants

Last Updated: October 24, 2025
Document Version: 2.0 (Modular Structure)