Let’s Do Indoor Gardening

Even though you don’t have an experience of gardening, keeping houseplants healthy and happy is easy. With these tips, you can soon have a pleasureful town jungle.

Select a suitable place

One of the important necessities for healthy plants is light. So look around your rooms before you commit to a particular species. Your space should have light according to the plant species requirement:  light should be strong or weak, direct or filtered. Although all plants want light, some, like cacti and succulents, desire more than others, so the amount of light available will guide to you in choosing plants that are right for your surroundings.

Another factor to think through before you buy is the presence of young children or pets in your home. If you have kids, kittens or pups in the house, you need to be sure that your plant should not be sharp or toxic. Also pay attention to the level of care your selected plants need. If you have to be away for long periods of time and your plant requires daily care, you need to make sure that there’s someone available to tend to your plants.

When you’ve picked out the plants you want to buy, check the state of what’s in the pot. Confirm leaves are hydrated, not dry, and that the plant’s roots are hid by soil. If the roots are making their way through the drainage holes you will need to shift your sample to a bigger pot. Ensure the soil is moist and that there are no insects present.

Availability of Light

Generally, plants like to be placed by east- or south-facing windows. To ensure your plants stay healthy during winter’s darker days, you may want to put in a plant stand fixed with artificial lights. Bright lights are not recommended, as they emit too much heat and not as energy efficient as LED or cool bulb forms. Place the lights about three feet above the plants and fix a timer so the lights mimic the cycle of a natural spring or summer day.

Water Requirement

One of the most common blunders plant owners make is to only give plants a minor drink of water when what they actually need is a good immerse. Most plants can be watered until liquid comes out of the drainage holes in the pot. Empty any remaining water gathered in the pot after a few minutes to confirm the plant has taken up as much as it needs. Between watering, a good rule of good growth is to wait until the soil is dry to the touch before rewatering. When in doubt, push your index finger into the soil: if it’s dry at least one to two inches below, your plant needs water. Some special species that have sandy soil in their natural environments, like succulents and cacti, need the soil to be totally dry before getting another drink.

Humidity Requirement

Plants like 40 to 60 percent humidity, as a common rule, which can be tough to keep in wintertime when our heating is on. A humidifier located near your plants and far from your heat openings will surely help. It’s also possible to rise humidity levels by making a stone tray. Place stones in a dish filled with water and put your plant on top. The stones keep the pot from sitting right in the water and humidity is created as the water evaporates.

Practice Potting

Plant pots are available in almost any size, shape, colour and material—the one thing to remember when selecting a pot is to make sure the bottom has appropriate drainage holes.

Plants that have expanded their pots are not pleased, and they show it. Lookout for roots that are coming out of the holes in the drainage pot, shows that the plant is no longer stable in its pot, if it fades only a couple days after watering, or if a white crust forms on the sides of the container. If these signs are apparent, it’s time for transplanting.

Select a new pot that’s a size bigger than the old one, which means about an inch or more in diame­ter. To prep plants for being shifted, water them the night before, so the soil is moist and eas­ier to work with. Next day, lay down some soil in the new pot as a base for your plant and add some water to moisturize it. Carefully lift and move plants to their new homes, distressing the roots as little as possible. Gather in more soil around the plant to about an inch below the edge of the pot.

Fertilizer Facts

Natural fertilizers like liquid seaweed or soluble feed help your plants grow. Add them to the soil during the plants’ energetic period (March to October) every two months, or every month for those with fast growth shots. Avoid fertilizing sick plants, those with dry soil, or samples that have just been repotted, as new soil commonly already contains fertilizer—wait at least a month.

Don’t Neglect Leaves

Dusty houseplants are a nonstarter. Smoothly clean large leaves with a soft cloth or place small plants in the bathtub and wash them with soapy water before washing clean. Use a tooth­ brush or paintbrush on plants with fluffy leaves. Regular care is the best pre­ventive treatment for insect pests, so check your plants regularly and treat them with the good care.

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