Indoor plants are great for creating a warmer room in the house. Besides being a colorful decoration, indoor plants can also purify the air, improve health, and help improve focus. By providing a good environment and adequate amounts of water and nutrients for your plants, you can ensure that your indoor plants stay alive.
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Method 1 of 3: Watering the Plants Consistently
Step 1. Keep the soil in the pot moist, but not soggy
If the soil is too dry or too wet, it can destroy the roots and hinder plant growth. In some cases, too infrequent or too often watering the plant can also make the plant die. Plants with thick, thick leaves require more water than plants with waxy or leathery leaves (leaves that keep water on the surface from being lost). There is no specific watering frequency that is suitable for all indoor plants. Instead, all you have to do is find out what kind of plant you have, and follow guidelines on how often to water your plants by doing research on a particular type of plant.
- If mold starts to appear on the surface of the soil or there is water that won't drain at the bottom of the pot, you are overwatering the plant.
- Water the plant if the soil is lighter in color or if the soil is cracked.
- Plants in the succulent family require periods of drought between waterings.
Step 2. Insert your finger into the soil to find out how wet the soil beneath the surface is
If you dip your finger into the soil up to your knuckle, you can feel whether the plant needs more water or not. If the soil feels damp, the plant does not need to be watered. If it feels dry, the plant needs watering.
- Again, this varies from plant to plant. This condition can be used for most plants but not all.
- Signs of over-watering plants are rotting roots and leaves not growing or forming soft lines and rotting.
- Signs of a dehydrated plant are slow leaf growth, leaf margins are brown and dry, and lower leaves turn yellow and curl.
Step 3. Use room temperature water
The best water temperature to use for watering plants is 20 degrees Celsius. You can use a thermometer to check the temperature of the water, or you can let the water sit, after pouring it on the plants, and allow it to come to room temperature.
- If it's too hot, the water can cause the roots to rot and the plant to go into shock, causing the indoor plant to die.
- Water that is too cold causes plants not to grow so that it inhibits growth now and in the future.
Step 4. Use a handheld humidity meter to check the moisture level of the soil
Using a humidity meter is the most accurate way to find out how moist your plant is. The mechanism of this tool is to examine the soil to produce an analysis of how moist the soil is.
You can buy a humidity meter online, at home and garden supply stores, and certain convenience stores
Step 5. Choose a pot that has a drain hole
The number of drain holes in plant pots is very important because too little or too much water can damage or kill the plant. Make sure there is a drain hole at the bottom of the pot.
- Materials like plastic, metal, and glass will absorb less water than ceramic or clay, so pay close attention to this.
- Insert a perforated plastic container, called a cachepot, if there is no drain hole in the bottom of the pot.
Method 2 of 3: Caring for Indoor Plants
Step 1. Choose an area in the house that has enough sunlight
Plants need sunlight to carry out photosynthesis. The quality, duration, and intensity of light affect plant growth.
- If the plant does not get direct sunlight, fluorescent lights can be used as an alternative for some types of plants.
- Allow flowering plants to be exposed to light for 12-16 hours per day.
- Allow leafy plants to be exposed to light for 14-16 hours per day.
Step 2. Don't move the plant too often
Plants are a bit slow to adapt to the climate of their surroundings, so it's best not to move them too often. In addition, do not place the plant in a place that has drastic temperature changes.
Moving the plant suddenly from a dark place to a place that gets a lot of sunlight has a negative effect on the plant
Step 3. Purchase and use a humidifier for small spaces
Dry air can make certain plants grow well, such as cacti, but most plants need moisture, especially tropical plants. Choose a humidifier with cool steam, and make sure the humidifier is close enough to provide moisture in the air to the plants, but not soggy leaves or flowers.
- Withered and brown leaves and flower buds that are not well developed are signs of a plant suffering from low humidity.
- Grouping plants can help increase humidity.
Step 4. Fill the pot with NPK fertilizer with a balanced composition of 10-10-10
Most indoor plants thrive with NPK fertilizers with a balanced composition of 10-10-10. Indoor plants need nutrients from potting soil and fertilizer to survive. If you don't move the plant to a new, larger pot or add new nutrients to the potting soil, the plant will eventually die. The first number in the composition is for nitrogen, the second number is for phosphorus, and the third is for potassium.
- If you have flowering plants, you can buy a fertilizer rich in potassium.
- If you have leafy plants, you will need to purchase nitrogen-rich fertilizer or potting soil.
- Plants also need micronutrients that need to be replenished by adding potting soil or fertilizer in order to survive.
- If you keep cacti or succulents, use potting soil specifically made for such plants to prevent them from dying.
Step 5. Prune the plant regularly
Certain plants need to be root pruned at different times, so it's important to learn how often they should be pruned. Plants that are not pruned can grow uncontrollably and the roots of a plant can grow out of the pot or vase. Prune plants regularly to keep them healthy and prevent replanting
- Prune off dead branches or stalks that attract insects.
- Prune above the growing point of the leaf at a 45-degree angle to promote healthier plant growth.
Step 6. Do not pour tea or coffee on indoor plants
Pouring coffee or tea on potted plants will attract flies that can eat indoor plants. Sugar is also a perfect breeding ground for these insects.
While some people claim that adding coffee grounds is good for the plant, doing this with plants that have low acid tolerance can kill the plant
Method 3 of 3: Recognizing Plants
Step 1. Learn the classification of plants
There are various online encyclopedias available that will explain how to care for certain indoor plants, including recommended humidity levels, sun exposure guidelines, and watering guidelines. Since there are different types of indoor plants, it is important to find out the ideal care for a particular type of indoor plant.
- Most indoor plants have labels that contain the plant's common name and scientific name. If not, ask the seller.
- If you've been given an indoor plant and aren't sure what type it is, look in a photo in a plant book or encyclopedia and find an image that fits the plant.
Step 2. Find out if your plant is a green leaf or a flowering plant
Green and flowering indoor plants are different breeds, require different nutrients, and different levels of watering and exposure to sunlight. Angiosperms or flowering plants are plants that have seeds contained in the ovary-usually inside the fruit, while gymnosperms or leafy plants do not have flowers or fruit.
Certain flowering plants will develop annually while other flowering plants will develop seasonally
Step 3. Choose plants that are easy to care for
Certain tropical plants require a special environment to thrive while others such as geraniums, jambe antidote, ivory betel, and aspidistra are inexpensive to maintain, strong, and easy to care for.
