The Romance Of Foliage - House Plants
Keith Markensen
Plant life has been proven to be uplifting to the human health and spirit. The plants clean toxins out of the air, and are pleasant to look at. It is also fulfilling to take care of a living thing.
There are some things you must know to be able to take care of potted plants. The following article will explain some of those things.
You need to do plenty of research on which types of plants will naturally grow well in the conditions your home will provide. If you try to grow something that is out of place in that environment, you are asking for failure. It helps to choose plants that do not need much fertilizer or watering. This will make our job easier.
Spider plants and cacti are extremely easy to take care of. If you choose these, and some more exotic varieties that require more care, you should be able to have everything survive. Choosing some simple varieties will give you the time to care for the more complex ones.
After you choose the correct plants, you need to find the right size pots for them. It the pot is too small, the roots will become root bound and your plant could die. Too big of a pot is not good either.
The soil needs to have the correct amount of nutrients and moisture. Also, you need to provide the correct amount of sunlight. Not too little, but not too much. Too little is bad because plants need sunlight to grow. Too much, however, can burn the leaves or harm the roots by overheating the soil. The correct amount of these things will vary slightly based upon the species of plant.
Besides these health considerations, you also want to plants to look good. So, not only is the size of the pot important for the growth of your plant, but the color and style of the pot is important as well. Mixing the look of the plant with that of the pot can be a very creative venture that can either make you home look great or tacky. Careful choice is important.
For example, in bright, open corners of your home, a large plant will look great. It can be planted in a medium sized pot on a tall stand. A Sansevieria is one of the plants that would look nice here. Another option for this location is a palm. You can then place smaller plants that need shade beneath the shelter of the palm.
No matter what pots you choose the first time around, you should keep in mind that you will probably have to repot in a couple years. The plants will outgrow the pot, and it is unhealthy to keep a plant in a pot that is too small.
To avoid having to repot every plant at once, you should grow some plants from seeds or cuttings, while buying others that are young, and some that are mature. Also, you should buy some species that grow quickly and some that grow slow. You may have to repot a couple plants each year this way, instead of having the huge task of repotting everything at once. Repotting is all a part of caring for your indoor houseplants. Some plants can be repotted in the spring, and others in the fall. You can use pots from larger plants to plant the smaller ones that have now grown large enough for the large pots. This will keep you from needing to buy all new pots.
A separate advantage to this variety in plants is that you will have some plants flowering in the spring, others in the summer, and some in the fall. It will add color and pleasant scents to your home for more of the year--probably up to 6-8 months.
With proper planning, you will not have to exert a lot of time and effort to have a successful home garden.
