Lawn & Garden - Indoor Plant Care
About Indoor Plant Care
Introduction
Indoor plants help provide a pleasant home environment as they add color and scenery to windows or tables and also help soften and blend well with groups of furniture and fixtures in the home.
However, the natural habitat of a plant is not exactly indoors, that is why it is important that basic requirements for the care of indoor plants are adequately satisfied. These basic requirements are: Light, Water, Temperature/Ventilation, Humidity and Fertilizers.
Light
Indoor plants can never grow in a dark or poorly lit room. Plants make their food by the process called photosynthesis and light is the vital factor in the photosynthesis process. Indoor plants can get the light they need by placing them close to windows where they are exposed to natural light.
Light from reading lamps and “broad spectrum” fluorescent lights are also beneficial in satisfying the plant’s light requirement and enabling indoor plants to grow properly.
Water
There are no definite guidelines as to how much water is needed by the plant but water is something which has to be applied judiciously to plants. Generally, it is recommended to water all plants once a month to prevent mineral or salts build-up as well as to prevent the plant from wilting. A well-drained soil mixture is essential for ease of watering. Heavy soil mixes hold too much water and often cause the plant to rot at the crown. Temperature and Ventilation
Most indoor plants grow well between 60 and 75F but flowering plants will retain blossoms longer if lower temperatures are provided. Having a temperature exceeding 75F hastens the death of flowers and makes plants spindly as well as less resistant to disease and insect attack. A good rule of thumb in satisfying indoor plant’s temperature requirement is to keep the night temperature to 10 to 15 degrees lower than the day temperature. Proper ventilation is also necessary for good plant growth. In most homes, ample fresh air is provided. However, guard against escaping fumes from gas appliances or furnaces.
Humidity
Most plants require a high humidity. Any means of increasing humidity will be beneficial to indoor plants. Below are some ways to promote increase in humidity:
- Place the plants on a tray of wet pebbles. The water evaporates upward from the surface of the stones and creates a humid atmosphere around the plants
- Group the plant together so that they can break the air currents blowing on them and also take advantage of the moisture evaporating from each other.
- Spray water on the leaves of the plant.
Fertilizer
Indoor plants must be fertilized once in fourteen days and it is important that the fertilizer to be used contains the 3 elements most essential for the balanced growth of all plants. These elements are nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium (N: P: K). Nitrogen is essential for the growth of the stem and leaves, phosphorous for the roots, and potassium for the general sturdiness of the plant.
Additional Care
- Repotting - Plants grow their roots and gradually fill up the pot, thus the need to re-pot. When repotting, it is important to have a very good potting mixture and a drainage hole to allow excess water to flow out of the pot
- Pruning - Pruning is necessary not only to make plant grow bushier and to give it the desired shape but also to get rid of the diseased parts of the plant.
- Pest Control - Plants must always be observed for symptoms of disease and pests. It is recommended to spray the plants with insecticides once in fourteen days to prevent pests and diseases.
