Many people worry a lot when it comes to caring for their
plants. When talking about house plants, there is no need to
worry. There are just a few things you need to consider.
1. Watering Overwatering kills most houseplants. Looks can be
deceptive, so to see if your soil is dry enough to water, try
the finger test. Insert your index finger up to the first joint
into the soil. If the soil is damp, don't water it.
2. Feeding Foliage plants usually have high nitrogen needs,
while flowering plants, K2O is needed. Slow release fertilizers
can be mixed with the compost. However, certain plants like
cacti and orchids need special fertilizer. Feed plants during
their most active growth period.
3. Lighting Plants like Sanseveria and Aspidistra require no
sun. They can be placed away from a window. Spider plants need
semi-shade. You can put plants like these near a window that
does or does not get sunlight. Check the label to see what your
plant needs.
4. Temperature Houseplants can survive in cool or warm
temperatures, but drastic fluctuations of temperature may not be
good for them. One thing that most plants cannot survive is gas
heating. If you have a plant that likes warm conditions, don't
put it near an air conditioner in the summer.
5. Humidity Some houseplants require a humid environment. One
tip to maximize humidity is to put the pot inside a larger pot
and fill in the gaps with stones or compost to keep in the
moisture. Grouping plants together often creates a microclimate
that they will benefit from. If you want, you can spray them
with water once or twice a day depending on the temperature.
6. Re-potting Some plants require re-potting for optimum growth
but there are others that resent having their roots disturbed.
Or their roots system may be small enough that they don't
require re-potting. One way to check if your plant needs
re-potting is to turn it upside down. Tap the pot to release the
plant and check its roots. If roots are all you see, then
re-pot. Sometimes the roots will come out of the pot. You should
either cut them off or re-pot the plant.
You just need to have a little care for your plants and in turn,
you'll reap the benefits. Indoor plants not only add to the
beauty of your décor, but also give much pleasure to the indoor
gardener.
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