Plants and Trees - Indoor Plants
About Indoor Plants
Introduction
An easy and enjoyable way to bring life to your home, or office, is by placing a few indoor plants in the room. You will be pleased by the added color of nature and the feeling of comfort and serenity indoor plants provide. Indoor plants not only add an element of natural beauty to the room, but they will also help keep the air in the room cleaner.
The best types of indoor plants are those whose needs match a drier, darker and cooler living environment, like the conditions of your home or office. Such conditions mean that indoor plants grow very slowly and may even go dormant during fall and winter. Indoor plants have different needs than outdoor plants. They are not as demanding and require less of almost everything an outdoor plant would require.
Caring for Indoor Plants
Some people get discouraged at the thought of having to grow and care for the indoor plants, but it’s actually very simple once you are familiar with the rules. The problems are usually related to poor fertilizing practices, poor potting practices or just plain neglect. All plants require certain elements in order to grow and with just a few pointers, practically anyone can grow beautiful indoor plants. Fertilizing
Because indoor plants grow slowly in low light areas, their fertilizer needs are less. The rule of thumb is to apply more fertilizer when the indoor plant is in its growth stage, which is mainly in spring and summer when sunlight increases and the days are warmer and longer. Less fertilizer should be applied during the short winter days when indoor plants receive little light and begin to enter their dormant stage. If the indoor plant goes into a winter rest period, no fertilizer is required. Fertilizer should be applied every two to three months, or it can be diluted to one-tenth of the recommended rate and used every time the indoor plant is watered during the growing season. Another option is to fertilize every seventh watering. A fertilizer that contains nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium is an ideal choice for indoor plants. It can be available in water-soluble granules, in liquid form, or in slow release forms like granules, tablets or sticks.
When the soil of your indoor plant has a white film on the surface, or if the pot has a white crust on the rim, then the plant is being over-fertilized and maybe over-watered. Watch out for these indications, as the increase of salt will lead to root damage and consequently reduced growth, brown leaf tips and leaves dropping.
Soil
Indoor plants grow well in balanced soil with a faintly acidic pH level. It’s best to use sterile potting soil from your nursery as it will contain a good mixture of nutrients helping the plant grow indoors. Such soil will also be correctly blended to enable good drainage without loss of moisture. Indoor plants should be repotted every few years with fresh soil as the old soil will eventually lose vital minerals. Light
The amount of light in a certain location in your house will vary depending on the time of the year, wall color and light reflection, window curtains, and outdoor tree shading. Unless your home has a sunroom or greenhouse, it would help to choose indoor plants according to their light requirements. Each indoor plant variety has different sunlight needs.
Low light indoor plants like cast-iron plant, heart-leaf philodendron and peace lily, can be positioned many feet away from eastern exposures or in northern exposures. Medium light indoor plants including African violet, Boston fern, and dumb cane grow well a few feet away from the light source or in eastern exposures. High light indoor plants such as English ivy, schefflera and weeping fig are usually grown near windows or glass doors with western or southern exposures.
