Hello everyone! I’m new to this site and here to ask for help with a variety of houseplant issues. For many years, my friends and family have teased me for my anti-green thumb, saying that any houseplant I buy only has a chance of surviving for a weeks or months. The problem is...it’s true! I love plants and the way they look in a home, but I’ve spent a fortune over the years by constantly replenishing plants that I kill instead of just keeping my current ones healthy. No matter how hard I try, they end up dying. BUT...I’ve resolved to change that and to become a better gardener and plant caretaker so posting in this forum for advice is the first step.

I thought it might be helpful to post some info (and photos) about the only surviving plants I currently have in my home, and start by asking for help with those. Others I’ve had that died include: countless majesty palms (and similar trees) from Lowe’s (they all turn brown, lose their leaves and die within a few months), numerous sago palms and ponytail palms, several ferns and other unidentified plants and trees. Additionally, I had a thriving herb garden on my back porch during spring/summer/early fall with basil, rosemary, thyme, oregano and chives, but once I brought them into the house for winter, they turned brown and died off one by one even though I kept them near a window.

Anyway, here’s the current lineup (you can copy/paste the photo links into your browser):

Plant #1- http://www.flickr.com/photos/kbfolk/6792487526/

on my living room floor, about 12 feet from a couple north-facing windows. I think it’s a curly leaf philodendron maybe? The room gets some morning sun but also gets very cold in the winter since it’s got a 14-foot lofted ceiling (probably around 64- 65 degrees on floor level.) It usually has double this amount of leaves in the spring/summer, but it’s managed to hang in for a couple years. In a pot that doesn’t drain. Is that bad? Is the pot too small? Roots seem to be emerging out the top of the soil and leaves are turning brown. I'm worried about it.

Plant #2- http://www.flickr.com/photos/kbfolk/6792499094/

in my bedroom between two west-facing windows. No clue what kind it is. It’s sitting under two heat vents that blow air straight down on it and it doesn’t get a lot of light. Its leaves stay erect for a few weeks then they start dramatically bending down - that’s my cue to water it.

Plant #3- http://www.flickr.com/photos/kbfolk/6938647185/

in my bathroom beneath a north-facing window. Don’t know what kind of plant it is, but since it looks palm-ish and tropical, I put it in the bathroom where it would get exposed to daily humidity with the shower and feel more “at home”. I also read that spider mites infect palm-ish plants in dry rooms, so maybe I’m keeping them at bay by keeping it in a humid bathroom? It doesn’t look as lush as it once did though and leaves are turning brown.

Plant #4 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/kbfolk/6792487424/

my newest addition - a dracaena, since I heard these were hardy indoor plants. It looks healthy because I just bought it, but I'm nervous that it will start to turn brown or yellow and lose leaves soon. It's in front of an east-facing window that gets about 3 hours of full morning sun then of course gets indirect daylight the rest of the day. I've had it for a week but haven't watered it since I repotted on day of purchase.

What I’d like to know: how to best care for my surviving plants (soil type, container type, exposure to sunlight, watering frequency, fertilizer habits, etc.) and what I’m currently doing wrong. I’d also like to know what other houseplants I could purchase that would have a decent chance of surviving (maybe even thriving) in my Nashville home year-round….even during the cold winter.

I really want to get better at this and become a good gardener so any helpful info, insight, criticisms and suggestions are welcome. Thanks to everyone!