Whether you have a sole plant in your lounge, a tiny garden in your gallery, or an elaborate indoor garden, houseplants always increase the overall aesthetic beauty of your house.
Furthermore, these plants help clean the air in your house. In fact, research reveals that keeping plants inside your home has a number of health benefits.
Plus, it can help you relax and de-stress. No wonder, most people love keeping indoor plants in their houses!
However, it is important to understand that houseplants are a little different than the plants that thrive outside. Therefore, it is important to take time to understand the basics of indoor gardening.
If you keep plants inside your house or are planning to, scroll down to read all you need to know about indoor gardening to make sure your plants thrive and flourish better than ever!
Monitor Watering
Do you know that over watering can kill your indoor plants? While most people generously water their plants, it might not be a good idea. Generally, indoor plants do not require as much water as the ones that reside in your outdoor lawn. This makes it important to monitor watering.
It is important to understand that along with water and nutrients, the roots of your plants also require air. However, too much water can choke the air spaces in the soil. Next time you water your houseplant, make sure there is at least 2 inches of dry soil in the pot beneath the surface. Also, never let the pot sit in a saucer full of water. Make it a habit of draining the saucer as soon as it fills up.
Light is Life
Plants require plenty of light to survive. However, placing a plant inside your house can cut down their supply of sunlight. So, what can you do about it? Well, for starters, keep the leaves of your plant clean. When it comes to big leafy plants, even just a little bit of dust can obstruct the light from reaching the leaves.
Use a damp piece of cloth to wipe the leaves or wash them occasionally with water. Also, try to place the pots near a window. If that’s not possible, make sure your windows are clean to allow maximum light infiltration in the house.
Fertilisers
The importance of fertilising your indoor plants cannot be emphasised enough. It is important to keep your plants healthy and fresh. While outdoor plants can grow deep roots to get nutrients from the ground, houseplants are limited to the soil in the pots. This makes it essential to use fertilisers in order to make sure your plants get all the nourishment they need.
However, just like water, too much fertiliser can kill your plants. Therefore, always buy good quality fertiliser only from a reputable retailer and never use more than the amount specified by the manufacturer.
Humidity
Plants enjoy highly humid environments. Unfortunately, the atmosphere inside most of our houses is dry, especially in the winters, due to the artificial heating. To keep your plants thriving, it is advisable to invest in a humidifier.
Happy Gardening!