In our second blog series we will be talking about how you can plant different greenery within your own house, and how to make sure that your plants thrive!
One of the most important decisions you make when deciding to have houseplants, an indoor garden, or an outdoor garden is where your plants will be located. Some important things to consider are sunlight, temperature, and water.
Some plants need direct sunlight for a few hours a day, while others thrive best in partial or full shade for most of the day. It is important to research how much sun your plants will need in order to help them grow. Plants that are labeled as full sun, need direct sun for at least 6 hours a day. Plants that are labeled partial sun only need direct sun for 3-6 hours a day. Then there are plants that require shade; partial shade plants only need sun for 3-6 hours a day, and need to be shaded from intense sunlight common in the “hottest” time of day (usually midday). Finally there are full shade plants, which need 3 hours or less of direct sunlight. When choosing plants it is important to think about which “sun type” they are and think about how much direct sun each room in your house receives.
It is also important to think about what temperatures the plants will thrive in. For instance, if you are planting tropical plants within your house, they will do better with constant warmer temperatures (around 70 degrees Fahrenheit). However, other plants might thrive better at around 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit. It is also important to keep plants away from a direct heat source, like air vents or space heaters. These heat sources tend to dry out the air in their surroundings, which can be detrimental to indoor plants that need plenty of water.
Finally, water is one of the most important aspects of caring for an indoor plant. It is important to do a little research on your plants to figure out how much water they need to survive; since cactuses need little water whereas lilies need more water, it makes it easy to kill one or the other if you aren’t sure how much water they need. It is also important to water plants using room temperature water, rather than cold temperature from the fridge or tap, which can cause the plants to be shocked. It is also important to use planters that allow water to drain from the bottom, which keeps water from collecting and eventually drowning the roots causing them to rot. There is a delicate balance when watering your plants, so it is important to check the soil, if it is still moist then chances are it probably has enough water.
Hopefully these tips will help you and your indoor plants thrive, and maybe we have even convinced you to create your own indoor garden. Once you know how to properly care for your plants, you will have no trouble keeping them alive for a long time! Stay tuned, next week we will explore different planters that you can find within your home! Thanks for reading!
Cites:
Edible Landscape Initiative
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