Houseplants used to quake in their roots when they saw me coming, now I'm a plant mother thanks to this one trick

Like every other Millennial/Gen Z cuspie, I'm filling my apartment to the brim with houseplants. Monstera? Check. Spider plant? Check, check, check. Cactus? Check. Snake plant? Check. I've even got ferns. Every time I go to the garden center, I come back with a trunk full of brand-new plants.

A few years ago, these plants would've quaked in their boots (roots, haha) when I approached them with a devilish grin and money to burn. But now, the plants see me coming and beg to be taken home. What was once a houseplant graveyard is now a houseplant grove. And my secret? Gemini. Yep. Google Gemini.

Not that I have anything against ChatGPT, but I find that it's not the best AI app for houseplant advice. The best ChatGPT alternative for real-time plant info is Gemini. I'll tell you why.

I'm a houseplant's best friend (well, trying to be)

I've tried it all: tips on how to save dying plants, houseplant hacks that actually work. I even bought a house full of the best low-maintenance plants to stop me from murdering them all.

And the best news? All those low-maintenance plants are still alive! Yay! I still want more plants, because too much is never enough when it comes to greenery in my apartment, but I'm focusing on keeping my current pets alive at the moment.

I've followed expert guides on how to add greenery to my house, and I think I'm happy with my current setup. Appearance aside, houseplants can also provide a plethora of other health benefits. Plants can brighten up dark homes, which can help with feeling down in the winter. On top of that, plants have been found to reduce air pollution.

Some houseplants can even ease stress! There are so many reasons why I think everyone should stuff every corner of their houses with plants.

I've been trying for so many years to reach this level of houseplant-obsessed. Success — I can't go a day without babying my plants. Here's how I use Gemini to make sure they're all as healthy as possible.

Thanks, Gemini

I'll show you exactly how I ask advice from Gemini. With the Google app, I open the camera on the right side of the search bar — Google Lens. It looks like this:

When the camera is open, take a picture of your plant. Make sure you're on the "Search" option, not "Translate". From there, type your question into the search box. I found I got the best results from asking "What's wrong with my plant?" or "Is my plant healthy?"

When I took a picture of my Alocasia, which suffered a minor car accident 6 months ago and had to have most of its leaves cut off, this is what Gemini said:

This gave me some peace of mind. As I said, the Alocasia recently experienced some mild injuries, and I wasn't sure if it would pull through. Thankfully, with nurturing, consistent watering and misting, and its prime location near (but not directly in front of) the window, it is perfectly healthy again.

I also asked Gemini what was wrong with my miniature Schefflera, which is still in the trenches. Here's what it said:

Thanks to Gemini's advice, I have repotted the plant and am watering it more mindfully. As this happened literally yesterday, I can't tell you if it worked or didn't work yet, but I have faith.

My favorite plant is my huge Monstera — it's literally the light of my life. As I always want to ensure it's happy and thriving, I decided to ask Gemini. I prompted "Is this plant healthy? If it's not, tell me what's wrong with it and how I can fix it".

This is what Gemini said.

As you can see, Gemini told me my plant is healthy and gave me some extra tips on how to maintain its health.

You should always fact-check AI. You can't trust what any AI says completely. I always click on the source links (shown with the blue chain icon beside the text) and read through the article to make sure Gemini is telling me the truth.

It's also good to visit the plant specialist's websites and see what else the experts have to say, as Gemini can't give you as much information as a real human specialist can.

But AI can still help get you off on the right foot, that's for sure.

More from Tom's Guide

• 5 houseplant hacks that are totally free and actually work, according to experts
• 7 best low maintenance plants
• The secret to happy houseplants — are you overwatering?