Have you ever brought an indoor potted plant into your home, only to have it die on you after a few days? It’s not that you don’t have “green thumbs”, it’s just that we’ve never really properly learned how to take good care of indoor plants. Unlike outdoor plants which can live almost entirely by itself, indoor plants are much more fragile and need more attention. The good news is it’s not hard at all! Just master a few key points, and your indoor plants will grow well and healthy.
Giving It Adequate Sunlight
Indoor plants have different requirements for sunlight, ranging from low light plants, indirect light plants, and bright light plants. Low light plants like Peace Lilies can be placed in relatively dark corners where sunlight does not usually reach such as bathrooms or dining rooms.
Indirect light plants such as Rubber Plants only need, as the name suggests, indirect light such as near doorways or corridors to grow well. Meanwhile, direct sunlight plants such as Gardenias would suggest you to place it by the window or on your balconies. Properly placing plants according to their sunlight needs would reduce the chances of them withering.
How Much Water Is Too Much Water
In addition to different sunlight requirements, the water demand also differs from plant to plant. If you’re the kind of person that tends to “accidentally” neglect your plants, then it's best to choose plants with low water requirements such as ZZ Plants. These can be watered once a week and are highly drought-tolerant.
If you like spending more time with your plants, then consider medium to high water requirement plants such as Weeping Figs and String of Pearls. These plants require soil that is steadily moist so watering at least twice a week is a must. Otherwise, these plants will definitely let you know if they’re thirsty!
When The Soil Hardens, Replace In Time
Soil hardness will affect how well water seeps into the soil. Not only that, hardening soil becomes an obstacle for the roots of the plants to grow, reducing their ability to absorb nutrients. Add on to that oxygen having a hard time getting into the soil, reducing the growth of healthy bacteria and probiotics which provide the much needed components for plant growth.
Trim, Trim, Trim
As the plant starts to grow larger than the size of the pot, the roots start to spiral at the bottom of the part. This quickens soil hardening and we’re back to the aforementioned problems of malabsorption of nutrients and water. Pruning roots should be done selectively and carefully.
Besides, as the plants grow bigger and the canopy gets too tall, the potted plant becomes unstable and will start tilting to the ground. To overcome this, regularly trim your plants or move them to a bigger pot when needed!
Having indoor plants not only make our living spaces greener, but also can help you feel more relaxed at home. It can improve our health, not only physically but mentally. If you keep the points above in mind when taking care of your indoor plants, you’re bound to get livelier and healthier plants all around!
