Houseplants – Do Your Research! Too many people overlook the importance of maintaining, watering and attending to indoor plants. Proper feedings and fertilizer are essential to grow healthy plants. Unlike outdoor plants and gardens, nature does not provide the essentials for food and nutrients for an indoor houseplant. We are limited with the amount of soil given to the pot. Here are some good housekeeping tips to spruce up your indoor plant life.

Just like anything, certain plants require more maintenance and attention than others. It is important to do your research and find out about exactly what your plant needs. One of the things you will want to know about is the amount of sunlight it needs and likes to survive and thrive. Some like full sun, partial sun, indirect sun, and some prefer to be in the shade with little sun at all. This will determine the placement of your house plant. The most important thing to find out about your plant is the amount of water it needs to live. For example, succulents and air plants need less water than plants such as caladium and peace lillies. All of these factors will determine which plants you think are best suited for your home.

Watering Your Houseplants

Indoor plants have the opportunity to add color, texture, and warmth to the home. They can even improve air quality. Every plant is different. Proper watering and lightning are the most important components of indoor plant care. Some plants need more water than others, some cannot get their leaves wet. With plants that love sunlight, it is best not to get their leaves wet while they are in the sun due to the fact that water acts as a magnifying glass, burning spots on the leaves where the water was. Regardless of the method of watering you use, it is important to remember to have proper drainage of water to avoid overwatering. To help decide which way to water, here are a few methods for watering indoor potted plants.

Methods

Top To Bottom

The quickest and most common way of watering is to use a watering can. Use the can to gently pour some water around the base of the plant, allowing the water to seep through the dirt to the root system. Be sure to not add too much water to your plants – to avoid overwatering. The rebuttal to this method is that you can not tell when there is too much water poured into the container. Having an abundance of excess water can cause root rot, overflow, or the water might just run through the pot and out the bottom drain holes.

Bottom To Top

By setting your potted plant in a shallow tray or drip tray full of water, the plant will draw up the water into its roots in order to feed. This is a method that does not take much effort or time away from your busy life. Make sure the plant does not end up sitting in water, because that may result in root rot. The best way to avoid this is to only leave the plant in the tray for 30 minutes, then empty the water out of the drip tray. This method is the best for most indoor plants, especially ones that like to keep dry leaves.

Exceptions

Orchids! These plants drink from the leaves and long roots. This means you can not water the plant like every other plant. Instead, remove your orchid from the decorative container, unless the container has many holes for drainage. Use a spray bottle and spritz the plant twice a week thoroughly. If the roots start to turn light brown, you may need to change its location or water it more often. You can also use the ice cube method on these plants. The ice cube method is by putting 1 ice cube per every 2 inches of the diameter of the container near the plants base. The ice will slowly melt and be absorbed by the orchid. It is still suggested to spray the orchid once a week. If the orchid is planted on moss you should only have to water it once a week at most because moss holds water. Never allow your orchid to stand in water.

Good air movement helps prevent fungus on orchids. So, it is suggested to plant your orchids in hanging baskets where the breeze from an open window can reach it. Just be sure to avoid heaters and air conditioning drafts because they could dry out the plant or damage the blooms, shortening the life of your flowers.

Tips To Take With You

The most important thing to remember when you have plants indoors is to make sure the excess water can drain from the container. Avoid over-watering which will lead to rot in the root system causing your plant to die. Make sure you research how much light and how much water your plants need to survive. Now that you know how to water your houseplants, you can sit back and enjoy your calm oasis.