Everything you need to know about growing an indoor garden

Making your apartment look beautiful and comfortable to live in is important. Some may choose to liven it up with fancy artefacts and colors, whereas others may choose to accentuate it with nature involved. It is not true that gardening is only meant for people with a sprawling backyard. In fact you can create your own haven of plants right inside your house or even in a tiny apartment. Indoor gardening is usually the norm among city dwellers where space is a constraint. Having plants inside your house is also a good way to not only beautify the space, but also improve air circulation as the plants absorb carbon dioxide and releases oxygen that we are in much need of. Listed below are some tips and advantages of indoor gardening.

Tips for indoor gardening:

1. Avoid dark places

Plants require plenty of light. Placing them in dark corners of the house without any light reaching them would cause them to die a slow death. If at all your apartment or house receives very little natural light then use medium or low artificial lights to provide the required amount of heat. They would also struggle to reach out to the light which can hinder the appearance of the plant. Place them directly under the light source and also keep rotating them occasionally in order to let them grow straight. Another important thing is to avoid keeping plants below an air conditioner or cooler where the cold air can harm the indoor plant.

2. Sunlight

Giving the opportunity for your plants to get natural sunlight is the best thing you can do to see them grow well. If they are not given their daily supplement of sunlight, the plants would appear thin and frail. Get plants that do not require ample sunlight to thrive like a Chinese Evergreen plant or the Money plant. If that doesn’t suit you, then place the plants out in the sunlight for a few hours during the day and then transfer them inside for the remaining part.

3. Care

Adequate watering and looking after is required for indoor plants, maybe even a bit more than the outdoor varieties. While most of your plant problems can be solved with sufficient watering, adding a light liquid fertilizer once in a while won’t hurt. Also make sure the water you use is at room temperature and that you do not do so frequently, as too much water can also harm the plant. When you notice grime or dust accumulating on the leaves and stem, give it a gentle shower using a spray attachment of your hose. This will clean them as well as let the leaves breathe.

4. Fresh air and temperature

Like how sunlight is required for plants to thrive, ample fresh air is prominent too. If kept in a smoky or congested area, the plants tend to struggle a great deal. Keep your doors and windows open as much as possible and let the plants breathe in all that fresh air. Temperature control is one other factor that needs to be dealt with. Plants tend to grow really well at temperatures of about 65°F to 75°F during day time and can handle about 10°F at night.

5. Container gardening

If using containers for your plants then make sure you buy the ones that have proper drainage holes at the bottom for excess water to be released. If water collects in the pot, then the roots are prone to damage and the plant will most certainly die. Also make sure you get convenient pot sizes, as you should be able to move them around the house freely depending on temperature and sunlight.

6. Soil

Soil is integral for indoor plants as well. If you have decided to grow them in containers then it is advisable to buy good quality soil apt for that, instead of using soil from the garden where the risk of insects, weed and other diseases attacking the plants are high. Head to a nearby plant nursery and get soil fit for container gardening.

Advantages:

1. Indoor gardening is much more economical than traditional soil gardening.

2. Fruits and vegetables grown indoors are known to contain more nutrients and taste much better than those grown outdoors.

3. You can grow plants indoors all year long without the cold and hot climate outdoors being a hindrance to plant growth.

4. Indoor gardens are much easier to maintain since they are very rarely prone to diseases and pests and attack by animals. There is also very little or no soil prep work like weeding, tilling etc. required for house plants.

5. Last but not the least, they make all the difference to the house with their colors and appearances, transforming a house to a home.