Organizing Plants - Master Your Collection

🎯 What You'll Learn

• Locations - Physical organization (room-based)
• Tags & Categories - Custom grouping (traits, projects)
• Collections - Curated sets (themes, goals)
• Sorting - Order by any criteria
• Searching - Find plants instantly

⚡ Quick Start

Organize 20+ plants in 5 minutes:

1. Set Locations - Assign room names to all plants
2. Add Tags - Mark traits (e.g., "Low Light", "Pet Safe")
3. Create Collection - Group project plants (e.g., "Propagations")
4. Sort by Health - See what needs attention first

Result: Organized collection, easy to browse and filter!

📚 Complete Guide

Using Locations 📍

Physical, room-based organization.

What Are Locations?

Definition: Where plants physically live in your home.

Examples:

• "Living Room"
• "Kitchen Window"
• "East Balcony"
• "Master Bedroom"
• "Office Desk"
• "Bathroom Shelf"

Key Benefit: Filter plants by where they are, not what they are.

Setting Up Locations

Method 1: During Plant Creation

• Add plant → Fill "Location" field
• PlantKeeper remembers location names
• Autocomplete suggests previously used locations

Method 2: Edit Existing Plants

• Edit plant → Change location
• Or use bulk edit for multiple plants

Method 3: Location Manager (Settings)

• Settings → Locations
• Create predefined locations
• Add descriptions, sunlight info
• Assign plants later

Location Best Practices

Be Specific When Needed:

• ✅ "East-Facing Kitchen Window" (high light)
• ✅ "North Bedroom Corner" (low light)
• ❌ "Kitchen" (too vague if multiple spots)

Be Consistent:

• Pick naming convention and stick to it
• Examples:
  • Room-based: "Living Room", "Bedroom", "Kitchen"
  • Window-based: "East Window", "South Window"
  • Functional: "Bright Spot #1", "Dark Corner #2"

Use Hierarchies (Optional):

• "Living Room - East Window"
• "Living Room - Plant Stand"
• "Living Room - Coffee Table"

Group Outdoor Plants:

• "Balcony - Full Sun"
• "Balcony - Partial Shade"
• "Porch - Morning Sun"

Filtering by Location

View Plants in Specific Location:

1. Open plant list
2. Click Filter icon (🔍)
3. Select Location filter
4. Choose location from dropdown
5. Result: Only plants in that location shown

Use Case Examples:

• Moving day: See all "Living Room" plants to relocate
• Room makeover: View "Office" plants to rearrange
• Seasonal care: Filter "Balcony" plants for winter prep

Using Tags & Categories 🏷️

Flexible, trait-based organization.

What Are Tags?

Definition: Custom labels describing plant characteristics, needs, or projects.

Examples:

• Care Level: "Beginner-Friendly", "High Maintenance"
• Light Needs: "Low Light", "Bright Indirect", "Full Sun"
• Safety: "Pet Safe", "Toxic to Cats", "Safe for Kids"
• Status: "Propagation", "Needs Repotting", "Under Observation"
• Season: "Summer Bloomer", "Winter Dormant"
• Origin: "From Mom", "Nursery Purchase", "Propagated"
• Projects: "Variegation Project", "Rare Collection"

Key Benefit: One plant can have many tags (multi-dimensional organization).

Creating Tags

Method 1: During Plant Edit

• Edit plant → Tags section
• Type new tag name
• Press Enter to create
• Tag saved globally (reuse on other plants)

Method 2: Tag Manager (Settings)

• Settings → Tags & Categories
• Create tags in advance
• Add descriptions, colors
• Assign to plants later

Tag Strategies

Functional Tagging (Care-Based):

Plant: Pothos
Tags: "Low Maintenance", "Low Light", "Pet Safe", "Air Purifying"

Use: Filter by care needs

Project Tagging (Goal-Based):

Plant: Monstera Cutting
Tags: "Propagation", "Rooting in Water", "Gift for Sarah"

Use: Track progress on projects

Aesthetic Tagging (Display-Based):

Plant: Fiddle Leaf Fig
Tags: "Statement Plant", "Instagram Worthy", "Living Room Centerpiece"

Use: Identify showpiece plants

Seasonal Tagging:

Plant: Poinsettia
Tags: "Winter Bloomer", "Holiday Decor", "Short-Day Plant"

Use: Seasonal care adjustments

Multi-Tag Filtering

Combine Filters for precise results:

Example 1: "Low maintenance plants safe for pets"

• Filter: Tags → "Low Maintenance" + "Pet Safe"
• Result: All beginner-friendly, pet-safe plants

Example 2: "Bright light plants needing repotting"

• Filter: Tags → "Bright Indirect" + "Needs Repotting"
• Result: All plants to repot in sunny spots

Example 3: "Propagations rooting in water"

• Filter: Tags → "Propagation" + "Rooting in Water"
• Result: All active water propagation projects

Using Collections 📚

Curated sets with purpose.

What Are Collections?

Definition: Named groups of plants with a common theme, goal, or purpose.

Difference from Tags:

• Tags: Describe individual plant traits
• Collections: Group plants for a specific reason

Examples:

• "Beginner's Corner" - Easy plants for learning
• "Variegated Beauties" - All variegated plants
• "Propagation Station" - Plants being propagated
• "Gift Plants" - Received as gifts
• "Wishlist" - Plants to acquire
• "Rare Finds" - Hard-to-find species
• "Drought Tolerant" - Low-water plants
• "Bathroom Spa" - High-humidity plants for bathroom

Creating Collections

Step-by-Step:

1. Click Collections in sidebar
2. Click "+ New Collection"
3. Enter Collection Name
4. Add Description (optional)
5. Add Plants:
   • Search and select plants
   • Or drag & drop from main list
6. Save collection

Collection Strategies

Themed Collections:

Collection: "Tropical Rainforest"
Plants: Monstera, Philodendron, Pothos, Ferns, Calathea
Purpose: Group jungle-vibe plants

Project Collections:

Collection: "2025 Propagation Goals"
Plants: Monstera cutting, Pothos nodes, String of Pearls stems
Purpose: Track propagation success

Room Collections:

Collection: "Living Room Display"
Plants: Fiddle Leaf Fig, Snake Plant, ZZ Plant, Pothos
Purpose: Plants visible to guests

Learning Collections:

Collection: "Experiment Group"
Plants: 5 identical Pothos with different care methods
Purpose: Compare watering techniques

Using Collections

Quick Access:

• Click collection name in sidebar
• View only plants in that collection
• Edit, filter, sort as usual

Dynamic Collections (Advanced):

• Collections update automatically based on criteria
• Example: "Needs Attention" → Auto-includes unhealthy plants
• Example: "Recently Added" → Auto-includes plants from last 30 days

Searching Your Collection 🔍

Fast, powerful search capabilities.

Basic Search

Quick Search Bar (Top of Plant List):

• Type plant name, species, or nickname
• Results filter instantly
• Searches across all text fields

What It Searches:

• ✅ Plant name
• ✅ Nickname
• ✅ Species (scientific + common)
• ✅ Location
• ✅ Notes
• ✅ Tags

Examples:

• Search "Monstera" → All Monstera plants
• Search "Kitchen" → All kitchen plants
• Search "Variegated" → Plants with variegated in name/notes
• Search "Propagation" → Plants tagged or noted as propagations

Advanced Search

Advanced Filters Panel (🔍 Filter Button):

Filter Options:

1. Text Search

   • Name, species, notes

2. Location

   • Dropdown of all locations
   • Select one or multiple

3. Health Status

   • Healthy, Fair, Needs Care, Sick
   • Multi-select

4. Care Needs (Overdue Tasks)

   • Needs watering
   • Needs fertilizing
   • Needs inspection
   • Any overdue reminder

5. Tags

   • Select multiple tags
   • AND logic (must have all)
   • OR logic (must have any)

6. Light Requirements

   • Full Sun, Partial Sun, Shade, Low Light

7. Date Ranges

   • Added between dates
   • Acquired between dates
   • Last watered before/after date

8. Measurements

   • Height range
   • Width range
   • Leaf count range

Search Examples

Find Unhealthy Plants Needing Water:

• Health Status: "Needs Care" or "Sick"
• Care Needs: "Needs Watering"
• Result: Struggling plants that are also thirsty

Find New Acquisitions This Month:

• Date Range: Added between Oct 1-31, 2025
• Result: All plants added in October

Find Large Plants in Low Light:

• Light Requirements: "Low Light"
• Height: > 50cm
• Result: Big plants thriving in shade

Saved Searches

Save Frequent Searches:

1. Set up advanced filters
2. Click "Save Search"
3. Name it (e.g., "Needs Immediate Care")
4. Access from "Saved Searches" dropdown

Common Saved Searches:

• "Weekly Watering List" (watering frequency ≤ 7 days)
• "Monthly Fertilize" (fertilization = monthly)
• "High Maintenance" (tagged "High Maintenance")
• "Propagation Projects" (collection + tag combo)

Sorting Your Plants 🔢

Control the order plants appear.

Available Sort Options

Sort By (Dropdown in Plant List):

1. Name (A-Z / Z-A)

   • Alphabetical order
   • Good for quick lookups

2. Species (A-Z / Z-A)

   • Group same species together
   • See all Pothos, all Monstera, etc.

3. Date Added (Newest / Oldest)

   • Chronological order
   • Find recent additions or oldest plants

4. Acquisition Date (Newest / Oldest)

   • Order by when you got them
   • Track "plant family age"

5. Health Status (Best to Worst / Worst to Best)

   • Prioritize struggling plants
   • See healthiest first for inspiration

6. Next Watering (Soonest / Latest)

   • Care priority order
   • See what needs water soon

7. Location (A-Z)

   • Group by room
   • Useful when moving or reorganizing

8. Height (Tallest / Shortest)

   • Size-based organization

9. Custom Order (Drag & Drop)

   • Manually arrange
   • Saved per view (Grid, List, Compact)

Sort Strategy Examples

Daily Care Routine:

• Sort by "Next Watering (Soonest)"
• Water plants at top of list
• Work down until "3+ days away"

Health Check Routine:

• Sort by "Health Status (Worst to Best)"
• Focus attention on top (struggling plants)
• Quick check on healthy plants

Inventory Management:

• Sort by "Species (A-Z)"
• See how many of each type
• Identify gaps in collection

New Plant Parent:

• Sort by "Date Added (Newest)"
• Monitor recent additions closely
• Ensure they're settling in well

Combining Organization Methods

The power is in combination!

Example 1: Seasonal Winter Prep

Goal: Prepare all outdoor plants for winter

Steps:

1. Filter by Location: "Balcony", "Porch"
2. Add Tag: "Needs Winter Prep"
3. Create Collection: "Winter 2025 - Outdoor"
4. Bulk Edit: Reduce watering frequency
5. Sort by Health: Address weakest first

Example 2: Pet-Safe Plant Corner

Goal: Create safe display in pet area

Steps:

1. Filter by Tag: "Pet Safe"
2. Filter by Light: "Low Light" (pet corner is dark)
3. Create Collection: "Pet-Safe Corner Display"
4. Sort by Height: Arrange tall to short
5. Move plants to "Pet Corner" location

Example 3: Propagation Tracking

Goal: Track all propagation projects

Steps:

1. Create Collection: "Active Propagations"
2. Tag each with status: "Rooting", "Establishing", "Ready to Pot"
3. Filter by Tag: See each stage separately
4. Sort by Date Added: Track how long each has been in stage
5. Add Weekly Reminder: Check propagation progress

💡 Tips & Tricks

Location Hierarchy

Use prefixes for sub-locations:

• "LR - East Window"
• "LR - Plant Stand"
• "LR - Coffee Table"

Benefit: All "LR" locations group together when sorted alphabetically.

Color-Coded Tags

Assign colors in Tag Manager:

• 🔴 Red: "Needs Attention", "Overwatered"
• 🟢 Green: "Thriving", "New Growth"
• 🔵 Blue: "Propagation", "Experiment"
• 🟡 Yellow: "Monitor Closely", "Under Observation"

Smart Collections

Create collections that answer questions:

• "Which plants can I gift?" → Pet-safe, low-maintenance
• "What survives winter indoors?" → Cold-tolerant, low-light
• "What's ready to propagate?" → Mature, healthy, easy-to-propagate

View-Specific Sorting

Grid View: Sort by photo quality (put photogenic plants first)
List View: Sort by next action (care priority)
Compact View: Sort by name (quick lookup)

Quarterly Review

Every 3 months:

1. Review all tags - Remove unused
2. Update collections - Archive completed projects
3. Audit locations - Fix plants that moved
4. Clean up saved searches - Delete outdated

❓ Common Questions

Q: What's the difference between tags and collections?

A:

• Tags = Traits (what the plant IS): "Low Light", "Pet Safe", "Beginner-Friendly"
• Collections = Purpose (why grouped): "Bathroom Plants", "Gift Ideas", "Propagation Station"

One plant can have many tags. One plant can be in many collections.

Q: Can I search for plants with multiple tags at once?

A: Yes! Advanced search → Tags section:

• AND mode: Plant must have ALL selected tags
• OR mode: Plant must have ANY selected tag

Example: "Pet Safe" AND "Low Light" → Safe plants for dark, pet-friendly spots

Q: How do I reorganize plants after moving to a new home?

A: Bulk update locations:

1. Select all plants
2. Bulk Edit → Location → Clear (removes old locations)
3. As you unpack, assign new locations room-by-room
4. Use tags like "Unpacked" vs "Still in Box" to track progress

Q: Can I export my organization structure?

A: Yes! Settings → Export Data:

• Exports all plants with locations, tags, collections
• CSV format (open in Excel/Sheets)
• Use for backup or sharing with plant-sitter

Q: What if I have 100+ plants? How do I stay organized?

A: Prioritize by care frequency:

1. Daily Care Collection - High-maintenance plants
2. Weekly Check Collection - Medium-maintenance
3. Monthly Review Collection - Low-maintenance
4. Sort by "Next Watering" daily to focus attention
5. Use tags for traits, collections for routines

🔗 Related Topics

Organization Essentials

• Plant Views - Grid, List, Compact viewing modes
• Bulk Operations - Efficiently manage many plants

Setup & Maintenance

• Adding Plants - Set location during creation
• Editing Plants - Update locations, tags, collections

Daily Workflows

• Quick Actions - Fast care from organized views
• Dashboard Overview - See organization stats

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