An indoor garden is a fantastic addition to your interior décor, even as much as creating and maintaining one takes a lot of time, finances, and effort. But, as a nature enthusiast, nothing should stop you from bringing that natural look into your house. Besides decorating your house, indoor plants provide a range of health benefits, particularly their mood-boosting abilities.
It’s important to understand the native habitat of your indoor plant to give the best chance of having healthy pleasant plants. This includes knowing the right potting soil, amount of humidity, the amount of light and the right nutrients. But even with less knowledge of your houseplant specification, you can still get started with these 5 guidelines:
1. Light
Before you even think of the plant you want you should consider the lighting in your room, office or apartment. Varied plants need varied light intensity. Some can be fine with dull light but there those that can languish due to lack of direct light. Note that plants depend on light to make their food. You may need to invest in modern, high-quality grow lights to help the plants easily convert water, carbon dioxide, and nutrients into sugar. Luckily enough, there are companies that specialize in creating artificial lights that do well with almost every type of indoor plants. Without sufficient light energy, your plants will be doing more of bud growth and less of leaves growth, with some leaves falling off. That leaves the plants starved and unhealthy.
2. Water
Water is a basic need in a plant's life. It acts as transportation media by drawing nutrients from the soil. With a balance in the water, the plant becomes nourished and physically strong enough to support its upper weight. Water also aids in cooling the plants through transpiration.
Note that even the succulent plants and cacti need water for growth, but you need to be careful not to over-water. Overwatering kills more plants than any other cause. Frequent watering is only necessary when the weather is warm and sunny. The plants might not even need a drop of water during cold and cloudy seasons.
Pro tip: It’s imperative that you avoid chemically treated water since it contains salts that could harm your plants.
3. Air and ventilation
Plants constantly need carbon dioxide for the purposes of photosynthesis. Proper air circulation also aids transpiration, reduces chances of fungal infections and rot, and strengthens plant stems. And because poor air circulation in most homes is a major cause of houseplant deaths, you need to keep your plants near windows and other openings not only to expose them to light but also to fresh air. The use of fans can also promote free circulation of air in your home. While at it, avoid placing your houseplant in room corners and damp spots.
4. Soil and nutrients
Having the right choice of soil for your houseplant is an important consideration. The right soil should be free from pests, fungi or even mold. Plants such as cactus and rosemary, for example, prefer coarse well-drained soil while seedlings prefer light, moisture-retentive soil. Houseplants need soil for a variety of reasons including root protection, keeping your plants physically upright, providing a medium of nutrients, and aids in carrying water to plant roots.
Even though most houseplants get most of their nutrients from the soil, they require to be supplemented with fertilizers. They are potted, after all, meaning that the soil nutrients are limited. Fertilizers aid plants in developing a strong root system. However, don’t make the mistake of giving your plants excess fertilizer (or inadequate). Ensure that you enquire from a professional the right amount of fertilizer for your type of plant.
5. Temperature and humidity
Most plants usually experience temperature fluctuations in their natural habitats. In your house, they will have constant temperatures which are beneficial for them. The indoor air is devoid of moist thus its necessary to put rocks and pebbles in the plant pot and fill with water. You can also opt to run a humidifier or vaporizer but most importantly ensure the bottom of your pot is not in water.
Conclusion
As you prepare to bring in your first houseplants, you might want to do some of your homework well and prepare the home to become a favorable plant-growing environment. You will need to add a few décor pieces or even do away with some. You will probably make a lot of mistakes in the early stages, but this should not discourage you.
Author Bio: Lena Linetti is an architect based in San Francisco.
