Taking Care Of Indoor Plants

If you have indoor plants, or want to have some, then you may have faced a few problems, ranging from the choice of soil to temperature differences.
Here’s how to properly take care of your indoor plants.

Soil | Light | Moisture | Temperature

An airy, rich soil

To thrive, indoor plants need a rich soil that is also light and airy.

Potting soil

The easiest way is to buy “potting soil” bags. This soil is suitable for most plants. However, you can prepare your own potting soil by mixing peaty soil, leaf mold and garden soil. You can add a little bit of grainy sand too.
An important point: drainage in pots or trays. For beautiful green plants, it is essential to create in the bottom of each container a draining layer. It consists of scrap clay or gravel, with a thickness of an inch or two. This layer will allow irrigation water to flow without stagnation (stagnation cause roots to rot). Except for bins with permanent water reservoirs, all pots will need to drilled.

Air for the roots

The plant also breathes through its roots. This is why indoor plants resent over-watering. Be sure to keep clean the leaves of your plants as well. Photosynthesis and gas exchange are blocked if the leaves are loaded with dust.

Abundant light

This is a major need. Most often, indoor plants languish due to lack of proper light. Plants need light to get carbon from the air, which is their main constituent.
Some green plants support only moderate lighting. Save for those, it is advisable to place your indoor plants near a window. However, avoid direct exposure to sunlight, which could cause burns on the foliage.

Water & Moisture

Green indoor plants need moisture for both roots and leaves.

Soaking the plant

For water-loving plants (like fern), and if the soil is too dry, it is advisable to immerse the pot completely in water (i.e. bathe the plant). Indeed, on dry soil, water flows through the holes without penetrating the mound.

Watering without excess

To water your indoor plants, a small watering can with a long spout is ideal. To assess the need for water, monitor and check the plant’s soil. It should be moist and soft (the finger can push down a bit). It should however not be soggy. If there’s excess water, let it dry before watering the plant again.
If the soil is very compact, slightly discolored, it is much too dry. Leaves may become loose and hanging. You’ll need to act quickly.

Humid atmosphere

A slight spraying of your plant, using fine droplets of water on the foliage, is also sometimes ideal. Many indoor plants are of equatorial origin. Their natural environment is warm and saturated with water. Heating of rooms during the winter may create a very dry air, and causes flowers to lose their buds. Spraying will allow the plants to find a familiar humid atmosphere.

Constant temperature

Indoor plants prefer a temperature between 64°F/18°C and 75°F/24°C.
They may stop growing if the temperature drops too much as they dislike sudden and strong changes.