Green symbolizes life, balance, and harmony, so why not spruce up our homes with cutesy indoor plants? Instead of splurging on elaborate home decor, being a plant owner brightens up indoor spaces. It is also proven to reduce your stress levels, along with many health benefits. Having indoor plants can also be helpful for those who do not have much yard space for an outside garden.
If you are a new plant parent with a green thumb, all the caring and maintenance of your lovely indoor plants can initially feel a tad bit overwhelming. Fortunately, you are in luck as the majority of living room indoor plants require little care and attention to flourish, but there are certain things you can do to make your houseplants greener and healthier.
Just for that, we present the rookie's guide to caring for your indoor plants.
1. Water quality
When it comes to watering indoor plants, your best bet is to collect rainwater as it is a mixed electrolyte containing major and minor ions. Major constituents such as sodium, magnesium and calcium are great for healthy growth.
Room temperature water works fine enough for most indoor plants, even if there are large traces of fluorine or chlorine added to your tap water supply. Although, one must avoid the continuous use of softened water as a high content of sodium can lead to a major salt build-up in the soil, which could stunt the plant’s nourishment.
2. Proper fertilization
It depends upon the plant's age, growth pace, and season. The best period to fertilize houseplants is spring and summer, as they typically go through their growth spurt. Most indoor plants don't use much fertilizer during the short days of fall and winter. It's crucial to prevent overfertilizing your indoor plants, as it might damage their roots and stunt their growth. As a rule of thumb, use a fertilizer with nearly equal amounts of the four magic nutrients- nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
3. Groom and prune your plants on the daily
Grooming and pruning your indoor plants keeps them nice and tidy. Using herb scissors or pruning shears, remove any dead leaves and dead foliage regularly. Dirty leaves cannot purify your indoor air or produce oxygen as effectively as clean leaves, so wipe them down with a soft, moist cloth regularly to eliminate dust and debris. Leaf shine products should be avoided, as they may look appealing but clog and damage the leaf pores.
4. Choose your soil mix
Your selection of a high-quality potting soil mix is critical to the health and well-being of your indoor plants. Each plot of land has its unique blend of minerals, and organic and inorganic substances, influencing whether crops, bushes, or trees can be grown successfully. A good potting soil mix helps to keep soil moisture consistent so your plants don't suffer from being too wet or too dry. Make sure to consider the soil's quality as well, since too much clay or sand in the ground may not be suitable for plant growth.
5.Repotting overgrown houseplants
There are some surefire ways to know if your indoor plants need repotting. If the plant's roots are circling inside the container, it's time to repot it. If you want to retain it in the same pot, cut some of the roots with a sharp knife and transplant them with fresh potting soil.
Now since you are acclimated with how to raise your plant children, it goes without saying that you need tons of supplies. Zamia is a one-stop online store for all your plant-parenting needs and the first hyperlocal gardening marketplace in the world. As a member of the Zamia+ community, you can access in-depth plant care instructions, the best indoor plants online, personalized plant doctors, a content library with more than 300 plant care videos, and much more!
Think gardening, think Zamia!