Welcome to the world of happy plants! Each day we care for our houseplants, we'll learn how to keep them smiling. From finding the right spot to giving just enough water, let's make your home a green paradise. Ready for the plant adventure?
Every plant is different and as the days go by, if you pay attention, you can start to notice if the plant is happy or not where you placed it or if it needs water more frequently. The frequency in which you will need to water will depend on the individual conditions that you are growing your plant in (temperature and humidity), but you should get an idea of the pattern before too long. If the plant is thriving, its leaves will look shiny and crisp, if it’s not happy the leaves will start to wilt and look opaque.
Most plants live happier if you wait to water them, excessive water kills them faster than having a lack of water because roots rot faster. A drought is more frequent in real life than a continued flood. Think about it, do you know a place that has plants that are always submerged in water? (other than oceans or rivers). Instead, how many places are there that go through occasional droughts and plants mostly survive? Most plants are not meant to be submerged in water, their roots need air and water not just water.
Exploring General Knowledge of Houseplants
Most houseplants must be grown inside to survive year after year (if you live in a place that doesn't have seasons, this doesn't apply to you). Since houseplants are grown in containers, they require extra care from humans. This includes good soil drainage, proper nutrient levels, and adequate watering. Houseplants come in all types of textures and growth habits suitable for use in home décor. Flowering houseplants can provide color and sometimes fragrance. They usually require more sunlight than your typical houseplant to bloom successfully. Placing them in high-light areas like a sunny window or near a sliding glass door is advisable. Houseplants are even known to improve indoor air quality by absorbing common pollutants.
Exploring the World of Plant Varieties
Plants are known as annual or perennial, evergreen or deciduous, and tropical.
An annual plant completes its life cycle in the span of one growing season. This means they germinate from seed, grow, flower, set seed, and then die; usually Spring to Fall. Some annuals thrive in cool weather and complete their life cycle from Fall to Spring.
Perennials provide short or intermittent periods of color and come back every year for at least three years or more.
Tropical plants have great foliage and can be used as an accent to add texture to the garden or patio. Others have stunning blooms used for cut flowers. Tropical plants are evergreens and live year after year in the tropics.
Evergreen flowering shrubs maintain their leaves year-round while deciduous varieties lose their leaves in the fall and re-leaf in the spring.
Mastering the Art of Houseplant Hydration
Proper watering is crucial for the successful growth of houseplants. Understanding when and how much water is essential.
In general, it's advisable to let the soil dry slightly between waterings. This helps prevent overwatering, the primary culprit behind houseplant fatalities.
Observe the feel and color of the soil after a thorough watering; dry soils usually have a different color than moist ones.
Ensure you add enough water to moisten the entire volume of soil. If the container lacks drainage, eliminate any excess water by literally flipping it upside down. Never let the roots stand in water, as this can lead to flooding and eventual root rot.
Always use room-temperature water when watering your houseplants; cold water can damage the roots. Water slowly and deeply, ensuring the root ball is completely saturated.
If a new plant wilts between waterings, consider increasing the frequency of watering.
As a bonus tip, avoid watering at night if possible, as morning watering helps prevent diseases.
Here's a handy trick to determine if your plant needs water: insert a toothpick into the soil and wait a couple of minutes. If the entire toothpick comes out wet, refrain from adding more water.
Grab a New Toothpick.
Insert in soil for a couple of minutes.
Check if the toothpick gets wet. In this example, only the tip is wet so the plant needs more water
Water and check again.
The last picture shows the whole toothpick is wet, which means the whole soil is moist.
Navigating the Light Preferences of Your Houseplants
Ensuring the right amount of sunlight is crucial for the well-being of your houseplants. Different plants have varying needs when it comes to sunlight, so understanding these requirements is key to fostering a thriving indoor garden. Generally, there are three categories of sunlight conditions: bright light, indirect light, and low light.
Plants that thrive in bright light need direct sunlight for a significant portion of the day. These are typically positioned near south or west-facing windows, where the sunlight is intense. Examples of plants that love bright light include flowering plants. On the other hand, plants that prefer indirect light thrive in the filtered sunlight found in areas away from direct rays. East or west-facing windows often provide suitable conditions for these plants. Some popular choices for indirect light include ferns, snake plants, and pothos.
For low-light conditions, where natural light is limited, plants that can adapt to shade are ideal. These are often placed in north-facing windows or areas with minimal light. Common low-light houseplants include peace lilies, ZZ plants, and certain varieties of ivy. Always consider the specific needs of each plant and observe how they respond to their location. Adjusting their placement accordingly ensures they receive the right amount of sunlight for optimal growth and health.
Trimming Tips: How to Prune Plants with Ease
Pruning houseplants is a catalyst for new growth. Perform this task while the plant is actively growing, ensuring a swift recovery and the emergence of fresh greenery. Post-pruning, fertilize to expedite the growth process.
Pruning involves removing damaged stems, dead leaves, and any dry or decaying flowers promptly from both the plant and its container.
When pruning, opt for angled cuts just above the bud.
Using proper tools, such as hand pruners, is advisable, though regular scissors can work as well. Ensure all equipment is clean and sharp, and consider cleaning your tools with alcohol before and after each pruning session for optimal plant health.
If you ever wish to repot your houseplant in your garden,
There are many sustainable practices that can be used to control weeds and pests, such as:
Cover cropping: Cover crops are planted between cash crops to help suppress weeds and improve soil health.
Intercropping: is the practice of planting different crops in close proximity to each other. This helps to create a more diverse ecosystem that is better able to resist pests and diseases.
Mulching: Mulch is a layer of organic material that is placed around plants to help suppress weeds and retain moisture.
By using these and other sustainable gardening practices, we can help to protect our health and the environment.
In the future, it is important that we move towards a more sustainable way of farming and gardening. This means using methods that do not rely on harmful chemicals, such as herbicides.
Roundup is a glyphosate-based herbicide widely used in industrial agriculture and home gardens. It has been linked to a number of health problems, including roundup cancer. There are a number of safe and effective alternatives to Roundup that can be used to control weeds and pests.
The use of Roundup and other herbicides has a number of negative environmental impacts, including water pollution, soil contamination, and air pollution.
People who developed non-Hodgkin lymphoma after heavy Roundup use have been filing Roundup cancer lawsuits against Monsanto and other defendants, claiming the company should have warned the public about the risk.
The use of safe and effective alternatives to glyphosate-based herbicides such as Roundup, like cover cropping, intercropping, and mulching, can help protect our health and the environment, and control weeds and pests effectively. Switching to safe alternatives is a key step towards sustainable gardening.
Now that we learned all these tips on how to care for houseplants, I hope your plants start to thrive! Remember, no over-watering, and enough sunlight, those are the two main tips when taking care of houseplants! And each plant requires different amounts of these two elements. Check out our other blog post for detailed care instructions tailored to each specific plant.
If you have any questions or need advice for a specific plant, let me know in the comments and I'll do my best to help you.