Indoor House Plants

Indoor house plants can be a beautiful addition to any room in your house or even your office. Plants are believed to help bring peace and ambiance to any space by keeping you in touch with nature. This alone is a good reason to surround yourself with a little of the outdoors. The fact that house plants help fight indoor pollution is a extra plus which can assist in keeping us all healthier. Since plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen; the direct opposite of what humans do; they actually clean the air.

You can also use house plants to liven up a room or for an easy decorative touch. Although foliage plants are the most common house plants you can also find some very colorful flowering plants. The placement of a beautiful flowering plant in an empty corner or entry way can make a huge difference that will amaze you. You can even take a healthy foliage only plant and place it in a decorative pot to bring some color into your space. So go ahead and place house plants all over your house. Do not forget the basement even if you do not get any natural light down there. Use special "grow" lights and get your clean air, nature and style all at the same time.

Indoor plants are mostly tropical or sub-tropical as these are best suited for a typical home environment that has year round moderate temperature. Since most indoor plants are usually grown in glass greenhouses under conditions which are warm and humid it helps to provide them a similar environment at home. But if you can not, it is still fine as many indoor plants are highly versatile and can thrive with only basic maintenance.

In order to have healthy house plants you do need to learn a little about each variety you select and how to take care of it. Soil, light, water, temperature, relative humidity, and fertilization are some of the things that will affect how your plant thrives. You should also need read up on how to appropriately place the plant within your indoor space and proper potting procedures. A good local nursery will also be glad to help.

Choose a good nursery that specializes in indoor house plants. You will find there are many varieties to pick from so have some idea of the size and type you want and possible placement in your house. Before you even go to the nursery, write down where you plan to put these new plants and some general notes on the lighting, temperature and size required. For example if you are going to put it in an empty corner -- is it one of the cooler or warmer spots in the house? does it get direct sunlight or indirect? does it get southern exposure to the sun or north, east, west? do you want to put the plant right on the floor or are you going to use a high planter? All this will help you narrow down your choices. Be prepared to ask many questions before you buy - use the nursery experts to make appropriate decisions.

Once you have selected the plant species, look at the specific plant very closely. You want to check the leaves, flowers and buds. You can easily check for disease or insect infestation by inspecting the undersides of leaves and the axils. The plant should look healthy to the eye with full, sturdy foliage. The shape should be balanced and evenly covered with leaves. The leaves should be clean but not shiny which is artificial polish applied to give it the healthy glow. It just means this plant already has problems and it is looking artificial while you wanted a real plant. If the leaves look yellow, have brown edges, spots, blotches or are wilted, it is clearly not the one to take home. If you are looking at flowering plants, select ones with new flowers and buds.

You should always select a specific plant species with placement in mind. All indoor house plants comes with general guidelines on how much light they will require to thrive -- high, moderate or low. If you have your plant near a window use this info as a guide. Southern facing windows get the most intense light and northern facing get the least (about a quarter of southern facing). Both east & west get about half as much as southern facing windows. You should also consider the decor you have in the room. Shiny, reflective surfaces will intensify the light & heat while dull and dark surfaces will do the opposite.

Although plants need light, preferably sunlight, to grow they also need some period of darkness daily. Select a spot that will give them at least eight hours of sleep.

All house plants are sensitive to cold and hot drafts, especially flowering plants. It is not recommended you place any plants close to heating sources or drafty windows in the cold weather. You can easily move the pot off the ground onto a decorative plant holder to keep away from baseboard heat and unto the dining table to keep away from windows. You can seasonally change this configuration and it will freshen up your room also.

Since most indoor plants are tropical or sub-tropical they do enjoy a some level of humidity. If your space is very dry, specially if you have forced air heating, you can use a humidifier or easier still place several plants together in a grouping which increases the humidity for all of them.

Every so often, if possible, move your plant out to the patio or balcony for some fresh air and light. Of course this needs to be done during temperate weather months and only for short periods of time. Do not place it in direct sunlight outside, only indirect.

Light is what a plant uses to photosynthesize or manufacture food so it is definitely an essential factor in its growth. You should consider both light intensity and duration when you are deciding on placement of your new plant. Each plant species is classified as requiring either high, medium or low light. As general rule plants with paler green leaves require more light than plants with dark green foliage. Although plants have a tremendous ability to adjust to varying light conditions, they do not adapt easily to day to day variations, so do not move it around a lot. Also, plants getting less light need less fertilizer. An indication that your plant maybe be getting insufficient light is if it looks weak, stretched and is developing abnormally small leaves.

Light intensity influences everything; from the plants ability to manufacture food to its stem length, coloring and flowering ability. The best source of light obviously is sunlight, which does not have to be direct, but if you need an additional light sources, try special horticultural type fluorescent lights. If you have your plant near a window use this guideline to ensure appropriate intensity. Southern facing windows get the most intense light and northern facing get the least (about a quarter of southern facing). Both east & west get about half as much as southern facing windows. You should also consider the decor you have in the room. Shiny, reflective surfaces will intensify the light & heat while dull and dark surfaces will do the opposite. You can compensate for low intensity by increasing the duration of light exposure specially for flowering house plants as they are indifferent to day length. As much as light is important to the plant, they do require some period of darkness to develop properly. Plants should be given at least eight hours of darkness. Excessive light is as harmful as too little light. An indication that your plant is getting too much direct light is if the leaves are pale, sunburn or brown and are starting to die. Therefore, during the summer months, protect plants from too much direct sunlight.

If you do not get enough natural sunlight you may compensate by using artificial light. You can use the special "grow" lights that are made specifically for plants, or you can use fluorescent lights. Remember regular or standard incandescent bulbs do not help plants in any way. Use blue fluorescent lights for foliage plants and red fluorescent lights for flowering ones. These days you can easily find fluorescent bulbs that fit into standard light sockets.

Every so often, if possible, move your plant out to the patio or balcony for some fresh air and light. Of course this needs to be done during temperate weather months and only for short periods of time. Do not let you house plant get direct sunlight when outside.

Watering of course is essential for your indoor plants to thrive. Over and under watering your plant can be very harmful so you need to learn first when to water and second how to water.

As a general rule plants with very thin leaves or very large leaves are going to require more frequent watering. The best way to determine whether your plant needs water is to feel the soil. Do not go by looks or by how dry the surface soil feels. You will need to get your hands dirty. Since indoor plant roots cover the bottom two thirds of the pot, put your finger into the soil approximately one third into the pot. For example for a standard 6 inch pot you need to feel the soil about 2 inches down. When this part of the soil feels almost dry it is time to water. If you have to struggle to push your finger into the soil it means that the soil mixture is not porous enough or the plant has become root bound. To solve this problem you will need to re-pot the plant.

Ideally if you could collect some rain water to use for your indoor plants they will definitely thank you. This can be done very easily by placing a large bucket on your patio or roof. If that is not possible, try to use room temperature water only. Cold water can stunt the growth of your plant. Pour the water slowly on the surface until it drains out of the bottom of the pot. Remember the bottom two thirds contains the roots so you want to ensure they get sufficient saturation. The draining also helps wash out excess salts and fertilizer residue. You do not want the plant to sit in this water as this can cause root rot and kill the plant. After this thorough watering wait for the soil to dry out as explained above. Most plants will require watering about once a week only.

If during watering you notice that the soil is pulling away from the sides of the pot, it is an indication that you have allowed the plant to dry out too much between waterings. You can place the plant in a shallow water container so the plant can absorb enough water to fully saturate the roots. You can even re-pot it at this time. Do not allow this extremely dry condition to re-occur though.

To start you need a container and some soil to pot your plant.

Pot
You want a pot that is large enough to hold your indoor plant, the potting soil with a little extra room for water and growth. Do not start with a pot that is a lot larger than the plant as you will not see any growth on top. A pot that is too large can also cause root disease as a result of the excess moisture retained in the soil. A container that is too small will obviously restrict a plant's growth.  You also want a pot with drainage holes. If you were to over-water, which may happen, the water sitting on the bottom of the pot will cause many problems for your plant. Plants in containers without drainage openings stay wet longer so if you do not have drainage holes and don't want to put any in, you should at minimum cover the bottom with pebbles so the water can sit away from the roots and be absorbed slowly.

These days pots come in many different materials -- clay, ceramic. plastic, fiberglass etc. Clay is still considered the best container for house plants as it provides excellent aeration for plant roots. FYI - Most plants you purchase already come in a clay pot. A clay pot is very porous and its walls hold moisture and nutrients for the plant roots. I recommend using a clay pot and inserting it into another container for decorative or practical purposes.

Soil
Potting soil is a mix of rich organic material such as peat, compost,vermiculite and barks designed especially for plants growing in containers. You can buy quality potting soil at your local nursery. You may also want to purchase organic potting soil which is not much more expensive these days. Just be sure to ask for soil that is porous, allows root growth, is fast draining and holds moisture. A tip - if the bag of soil is very heavy, it is not the one to buy. If you are very ambitious you can mix your own potting soil. I will post potting soil recipes on my site shortly.

Just remember correctly potting you plant is a key step, along with watering, fertilizing, and providing sufficient light in ensuring its healthy.

Accumulation of dust and dirt on the leaves causes the pores to clog and prevents your plant from absorbing adequate air and light.

Firstly you want to remove any yellow or brown dead leaves. Do the same for flowers. Also check the pot and remove anything thing that has already fallen off onto the soil to prevent disease. I try to do this as soon as I see this without waiting for the once a week bath.

Secondly comes the real cleaning. A good time to do so is when you are already dusting the rest of your house. If are one of those that does not tend to dust at least once a week forget what I said and clean your plants every week. Use a damp cloth to wipe large leaves from base to tip. Be careful not to bruise or crack the leaf - just use your hand to support the bottom. For smaller leaves use a small, clean paint brush or a soft tooth brush. This is specially important for plants like African Violets that have fuzzy or hairy leaves.

Once a month pamper your plants with a bath. Smaller plants can just be rinsed off with lukewarm water right in your kitchen sink. Use the spray nozzle on a medium or low pressure setting and target all the leaves including there undersides. I tend to put my larger house plants in the bath tub and let them have a nice shower. Remember to much water pressure will damage the plant so go easy. This cleansing will also rinse away any small insects. Be sure to let the plants drip dry before you move them back specially if they reside in a sunny spot.

Tips

-- Use only room temperature water to clean. Cold water will leave spots on the foliage.
-- When rinsing your plants, cover the base with a plastic wrap or bag so the soil in the pot does not wash away.
-- Do not use any leaf shine products. These coat the leaves and their pores, similar to dust, and prevent the plant from breathing.

Remember a clean plant not only looks healthier it is healthier!

House plants need fertilizer just like all other plants specially since the nutrients in potting soil eventually get depleted and these plants are not getting nutrients from outdoor soil and rain. Do not wait until your plant is already looking "sick". Fertilizing needs to be matched with the specific plant, its age and how it is growing. Make sure you save all the information you received when you bought the plant. This should provide you a good outline of all its maintenance needs.

Plant food is made of three major components -- nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potassium. It also contains a smaller amount of calcium, magnesium and iron. As a general guideline, green foliage plants need more nitrogen and flowering plants need more phosphorous. Most commercially sold fertilizers are labeled with the ratio of each of these ingredients and will need to be mixed with water. Select appropriately and make sure you follow directions exactly. If in doubt use a more diluted solution rather than less. Remember over-fertilizing, just like over-watering, can harm your plants greatly. But on the other hand if you do not provide sufficient fertilizer your plant will experience stunted growth and become unhealthy and weak. You can purchase time release fertilizers can come in a form of a spike that you embed into the soil for a specific amount of time. When time is up you just insert a new spike. This will ensure a hands off approach to appropriately feeding your plant.

Plants in lower light do not use as much fertilizer as plants that are in more intense light. General guidelines are to fertilize every two weeks during all seasons but in the winter as no significant growth is achieved during those months. Again, be sure consider the exact species of the plant you have. Most nurseries will be glad to help.

Indoor house plants are usually grown in greenhouses and under conditions similar to what we have in our homes and offices. But since most house plants are tropical or sub-tropical, they enjoy warmer and more humid environments. These conditions are fairly easy to achieve if you are cognizant of your indoor temperature and humidity and where you place your plant.

Temperature
Most house plants will easily tolerate some temperature fluctuations although an excess of low or high temperatures can stunt growth, damage foliage and cause general weakness and kill the plant. Foliage only plants generally require temperatures between 70F and 80F during the day and about 10 degrees cooler for nighttime. Flowering plants prefer an even cooler nighttime temperature; just do not let temperature drop below 55F. A lower night temperature helps the plant recover from moisture loss, intensifies flower and leaf color, and prolongs life. Indoor plants, especially flowering varieties, are very sensitive to drafts so do not place them close to heating sources or drafty windows in the cold weather.If you have your plant near a window use the following guideline to ensure appropriate temperature as sunlight intensity, which also provides heat, can be key to its health. Southern facing windows get the most intense light and northern facing get the least (about a quarter of southern facing). Both east and west facing windows get about half as much as southern facing windows. You should also consider the decor you have in the room. Shiny, reflective surfaces will intensify the light and heat while dull and dark surfaces will do the opposite.

Every so often, if possible, during temperate & humid weather, move your plant out to the patio or balcony for some fresh air and sunlight. Do not let you house plant get direct sunlight when outside.

Humidity
Atmospheric humidity,which is the percentage of moisture saturation in the air, is important to your house plant. You may notice withering leaves and spider mite if your plant remains in very hot and dry conditions for an extended period of time.

There are some ways to increase the humidity and make your plants happy. The easiest way is to place plants in a room with a humidifier. If you have forced hot air heat, this is essential. Another way is to place your pot or container in a gravel tray filled with water. Make sure water is at room temperature and constantly refilled. As this water evaporates it will create a humid environment in the vicinity of the pot. Some people suggest misting your plant to increase humidity. Although this has not been proven to help, I guess it can not hurt. Just be sure to do this early in the day as you do not want your plant to be damp in the lower nighttime temperature as this can promote disease. If you have several plants in one room, group them closer together and they will all benefit. The best way I have found is to take my plants into the bathroom during my shower or bath. They love the heat, humidity and steam.

Grind and Brew Coffee Makers
Cuisinart Grind and Brew
Krups Coffee Makers
Coffee Maker with Grinder
Fish Pond Pumps
Pond Algae Control
More Indoor House Plants