Indoor plants are an easy way to add some color and texture to a room and improve its overall mood. Houseplants are also considered to have several benefits, including improving your mental health and helping to filter the air.
The kinds of plants you get for your house depend on your tastes, the amount of sunlight available, how much space there is, and if a stable temperature can be maintained. Some popular varieties of plants often found in people’s homes are money trees, fiddle leaf figs, orchids, rubber plants, Madagascar dragon trees, Ravenea majesty palms, and snake plants.
If you are looking to improve how your existing plants look or would like to buy some new ones, you must first consider how you can best take care of them, which you can read more about below.
Treat Every Plant Differently
Every species of plant is different in terms of the climate they prefer and the amount of sunlight and water they require. For example, the folks behind https://properlyrooted.com/ravenea-majesty-palm/ describe how Ravenea majesty palms need to be kept moist and prefer mild temperatures. Other plants such as succulents thrive in drier soil and need to be watered less frequently.
If you want to check you are taking care of your existing plants correctly or want to find some new plants that perfectly suit the conditions in your house, then it is worth putting in some time researching all the different types of houseplants available.
Some plants will prefer more sunlight whilst others like darker and cooler conditions, so it is also a good idea to have a look around your house at spaces where plants can fit and make note of the microclimates.
Use the Correct Soil
For indoor plants to thrive they don’t need soil in the traditional sense, but their pots should instead be filled with a potting mix consisting of compost, peat moss, perlite, and vermiculite. For some plants, such as orchids and other plants, you will need to make or buy a potting mix that drains well. Most potting mixes are organic and contain nutrients left by earthworms and natural decomposition.
Water According to Each Plant
Usually, most people are worried that they aren’t giving their houseplants enough water, however many times indoor plants are getting too much water which leaves their roots sitting in water. Some negative consequences of overwatering are rotting roots and the increased chance of bug infestations.
One way to assess how much water a plant requires is to check its weight. You can eyeball this by picking it up, if the plant is feeling light then it probably needs watering. Generally, most indoor plants prefer their soil and roots to be slightly dry rather than constantly wet, so setting watering times for two or three times a week often works well.
Fertilizing Indoor Plants
Even though plants use the process of photosynthesis to create the energy needed to survive, they also require nutrients to continue growing healthily. One method of ensuring your houseplants have plenty of nutrients is to use fertilizer, which can be diluted in water or added as granules into the soil. Water-soluble fertilizers should be applied every few weeks, whilst granules are usually added to pots every few months. It is worth remembering that fertilizers are best applied during a plant’s growing season.
Enough Light is Vital
The amount of light a plant gets is just as important as how much water it receives. Light is essential for plants to carry out photosynthesis, so you should read up about how much sunlight each kind of plant you have requires. Some plants grow best in direct sunlight in a south-facing window, whilst others prefer indirect or filtered light. To maintain balanced growth, you should turn your plants every so often to make sure a different side is facing the Sun.
Generally, indoor plants can put into three groups in terms of how much sunlight they require:
- High-light – at least six hours a day
- Medium-light – between 4 and 6 hours a day
- Low-light – fewer than 3 hours a day
Temperature
The majority of indoor plants require a minimum temperature of 55 degrees Fahrenheit, so in winter you should keep plants away from drafty doors or windows. In most cases, the warmer it is inside the better it is for a houseplant, however, you should still keep them away from extreme heat caused by fireplaces or heat vents as they are likely to wilt.
Maintain Good Airflow
Another consideration that will ensure your plants grow well is maintaining a good airflow, this is especially important for more tropical varieties. One solution is to keep ceiling fans running, spraying plants with water mist, and regularly cleaning leaves to remove dust.
Adding indoor plants is a simple and colorful way to spruce up any room in your house, although to keep them looking vibrant it is a good idea to follow advice about how to care for them and what they need.
