Indoor plants are a fulfilling hobby to be taken care of. Besides making your home beautiful naturally, they are also known to favor your well-being. Yet, to maintain them in a healthy condition, one has to know their simple needs. You should always keep in mind a few basic principles of care to make your green friends feel happy no matter whether you are already an experienced plant parent or you have just started.
This is a comprehensive list on how to maintain indoor plants taking into consideration the most important points in fostering the growth of plants.
1. Light Requirements
The most significant aspect which impacts on the survival of a plant is light. Photosynthesis is the process through which plants harness the light energy in their environment and convert it to chemical energy they are supposed to utilize in the available lighting. The quantity of light that is required by a plant varies a lot depending on the plant itself.
- Low Light: ZZ plant, Snake Plant, etc are a few of the plants that can survive in low light areas. But low light does not imply absence of light. They also require a little bit of indirect light to live.
- Medium Light: The most popular houseplants (e.g., the Pothos variety) are known to prosper in indirect, light conditions. A place that is usually used is a few feet in front of a sunny window or in an east facing window.
- Bright Light: Succulents, cacti, and plants in the family of Fiddle Leaf Figs require an area of direct sunlight at several hours in the day, south or west facing window.
- Golden Rule: If in doubt, be sure to check the details of your plant and how they need to be lit. A plant that is placed not in the right light will be scorched or gradually wilt.
2. The Art of Watering is Perfected
The death of a houseplant is most likely to be caused by overwatering. The specifications of plants to be planned are based on what type of plant needs watering, what season it is, the size of the pot and the amount of moisture in the household.
- Finger Test: And the only sure approach to when to water should be the touch of the soil. Then, insert your finger into the ground by two inches. When it is dry, then it is time to water. Wait some time more, in case it is yet wet.
- Watering Technique: Once you do water, do it well. Add water to the soil until it goes out of the drainage holes of the pot. This provides not only all the roots with a drink. Do not keep water in the saucer, it will cause root rot.
- Seasonality: Plants absorb less water when they are dormant in the fall and the winter. Cut your watering down, as you will usually have to water only half as often during the autumn and winter as you find necessary in spring and summer.
3. Give the Correct Humidity and Temperature
The majority of houseplants are tropical and most popular plants are tropical, which translates to plants that adore warm and humid conditions.
- Humidity: Heating and Air conditioning indoors may make the place very dry. You may:
- Mist: A light spraying of the plant leaves every few days or so.
- Pebble Tray: Put the tray in a tray of water with pebbles in it. When water evaporates, it produces a humid microclimate in the area the plant is left in.
- Group Plants: Engulfing plants would give rise to more humidity within the surrounding.
- Humidifier: A humidifier can be a good investment especially as a long term solution.
- Temperature: Indoors, most houseplants will prefer a temperature of 65-75 degrees F. (18-24 C). Do not put them in cold places or in front of heating/cooling vents.
4. Pick the Appropriate Pot and Soil
The environment that a plant is grown in and its location is of utmost importance to the plant.
- Potting Materials:
- Terra Cotta pots: breathe well and more air gets to the roots, and that is fantastic when dealing with plants that are overwatered, such as succulents.
- Plastic /Glazed Ceramic: Can hold more moisture at last longer which is preferable in most plants that grow well in moist soil such as ferns.
- No Negotiations on Drainage: Never forget the drainage hole on the pot you use. This is essential to prophylaxis against root rot.
- Soil: Which soil mix should I use? Well-draining potting mix, preferably the high quality brand. Most plants will do fine in a generic mix but succulents and cacti require a special mix that drains even quicker.
5. Feed Your Plants (In the Growing Season)
A plant requires nutrients to grow, but it does not have to be fed constantly.
- Time: Only develop your plants during their most active growing time of the year i.e. spring to early fall.
- Type of Fertilizer: All-purpose houseplant fertilizer. It should always be diluted to half-strength in order to prevent burning the roots.
- Winter Fertilizer: Never use winter fertilizing on a plant in dormancy as this leads to problems with salt build-up in the root system and possible destruction of the root system.
6. Clean Up and Prune
- Dusting: Dust may settle on the leaves such that it obstructs the sunlight and photosynthesis. Use a soft damp cloth a few times each month in wiping the leaves.
- Pruning: Do a regular pruning of yellow, brown, or dead leaves. This stimulates the plant to invest (vigorously) its energy in fresh growth as well as in fresh tissue. In the case of vining plants, pruning also can be used to keep the vines in a bushier, fuller form.
By remembering these basic things, you will be able to make your indoor plants a happy and healthy home and experience the peace and beauty they will bring into your living space.
