Some people are reluctant to purchase indoor plants because past experience deters them from doing so. Certain individuals don’t do so well with indoor plants and eventually become discouraged when they kill off every one they acquire. Such people should not give up so easily because anybody is capable of helping an indoor plant to flourish. The secret of successfully nurturing an indoor plant is watering, temperature and light. There is definitely an art to indoor plant watering but once you have mastered it then you shouldn’t have any trouble keeping them alive in your home.

Insufficient Water

Indoor plant watering is very important for numerous reasons. First of all, all living things require water to survive and plants need more than animals. Plants are actually comprised of about ninety-five percent water. Plants also need water for photosynthesis, which is the chemical process that allows them to get nutrients from light. Water is also necessary for plants to transpire or swap water for carbon dioxide through tiny pores in their leaves called stoma. Plants need water to stay cool too. Just as we sweat to cool down, water on the leaves of an indoor plant stops them from overheating when the temperature of your home is warm or hot. If you should forget that indoor plants need watering they will eventually die. They will also perish if you do not give them as much as they need when you do water them.

Too Much Water

Giving an indoor plant too much water is just as bad as not watering it enough. Plants that have been overwatered will sag, wilt and eventually die just as they would if they were dehydrated. Excessive indoor plant watering can drown the roots so that they cannot acquire the air they need in order to flourish. Eventually the drowning roots will rot and the plant will die. Individuals who overwater a plant usually do so because they have killed off other plants by not giving them sufficient water in the past and they are overcompensating. Always remember that too much of anything is not good for any living creature, including plants.

Getting The Balance Right

The key to indoor plant watering is to give them as much as they need but not more. Getting the balance right can be tricky because a great deal depends on the type of plant, its age and the amount of light it gets. For instance, a young tropical indoor plant will need a great deal more water than an aged cactus. Before you purchase indoor plants for your home it is a good idea to do a little research if you want them to survive for any length of time. You can find out more about any type of plant by perusing a gardening book or going online to look for information.