By: Matthew Hick
You may love to garden, but perhaps the weather does not allow you to grow the flowers that you love most. Or, you may live in an apartment complex that does not have a yard area available for your hobby. You may even live in the midst of a large city, with no green grass in sight! In these cases, indoor gardening is always an option. This way, you can grow the plants you want right inside the four walls of your home – no matter where it happens to be located.
As we all know, plants remove carbon dioxide from the air and put oxygen back into it. This is a health benefit and another reason to pursue indoor gardening. In addition to this, plants also remove toxins and pollutants from the air. So, not only is it healthy for you, it may just get rid of some of the dust and allergens in the air which cause you problems.
Since lighting is so important in a plant’s life, as it is needed for growth, it is a major consideration when beginning indoor gardening. The amount of light your home receives naturally, and how much it has, will determine which plants will be able to survive. Usually plants requiring medium to low light do well in homes, unless you plan on using artificial lighting. It is also important to condition your plant after you buy it. Since your house has limited light, slowly adjust your plant to this situation by initially providing a maximum lighting for it and gradually decreasing this over several weeks, until a desired condition is obtained. With this in mind, during summer months put your plant outside for direct sunlight exposure. This will energize its growth pattern. Also, if you watch, you will notice a plant will turn toward sunlight, so unless you want a plant pitched in a certain direction, rotate it on a regular basis.
When heating your house in winter, humidity indoors will decrease. Plants require moisture in the air. So during these months you will want to increase the humidity levels. Using a humidifier, or spraying the plant’s leaves with water can do this.
As in an outdoor garden, an indoor garden also needs to be watered. Too little watering, as well as, too much watering is likely to be detrimental to your plants. You should also provide your plant with a container that drains out through the bottom. This allows excess fertilizer and salts to drain out of the soil and the plant has access to its nutrients. Fertilization is based on the type of plant you have. It can be done every two to three months, although never during the dormant season.
Plants do well in temperatures between 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 10-15 degrees cooler at night. Make sure your plant is not placed where either hot or cold drafts occur. Sudden temperature changes can damage the plant. Placed on a cool windowsill, in the middle of winter, may cause the plant to freeze.
If you enjoy having a piece of the outdoors in your home all year round, you will enjoy indoor gardening. Indoor gardening provides everyone with an opportunity to develop a green thumb. By following the different amounts of light, fertilizer and water, your plant requires, you will successfully beautify your home with a thriving indoor garden. You no longer have to wait until summer to see your beautiful flowers blossom again.
