You want to grow healthier house plants, but are you not able to?
Well here i have brought you the, 5 key tips to grow every indoor plant healthier than ever!
Be it any plants like aroids, ferns, cacti succulents, palms, Ficus trees and many more that can be kept indoors requires this 5 key tips to be followed in general to grow healthier.
Straight forward to the points,
- Light
Any plant requires adequate light for growth. From my personal experience, I have observed that plants grow faster and healthier when exposed to a sufficient amount of light. Never keep any plants under low-light conditions, and also, take care that they are not exposed to scorching summer heat. Bright light is ideal for the growth of any plant, be it aroids, ferns, cacti, succulents, palms, Ficus trees, and many more. Low light may result in a lack of growth, leaf drop, leggy growth, and color change in succulents. Any plant will be in its vulnerable state. If you follow this tip of placing any plant in a bright area of your house, at least you won’t be killing any plant for sure. After a period of time, you will be able to recognize growth patterns, understand what your plant needs, and shift it according to the requirement.
For a reference on rooms with bright light, you can check image of the south-facing windowsill of my house which is the most ideal for the growth of all types of plants, consider, where almost every plant thrives well. Normally, East facing window and West facing window is also considered best for houseplants.
- Water
Proper watering is crucial; both overwatering and underwatering can be detrimental to our houseplants. From my experience, there is no set frequency for watering your houseplants. As a plant parent, you need to check the soil’s moisture, ensuring it’s neither too dry nor too wet. Consistent watering without allowing the soil to dry can lead to issues like root rot and fungus growth. None of our houseplants, including aroids, ferns, cacti, succulents, palms, and Ficus trees, like to be drowned in water.
What our plants need is moisture for root growth. Develop a habit of maintaining soil moisture instead of making it soggy and wet. Water houseplants by checking the soil moisture level. Watering plants like cacti and succulents is a bit different. As succulents are species that store water in their leaves, they don’t need to be watered too frequently compared to leafy houseplants. They won’t die quickly even if you forget to water them. So, in general if you assure to maintain the moisture in the soil rather than watering it frequently and making it soggy, then you won’t be killing your any houseplants for sure.
- Soil
Soil serves as the medium for plant growth, and its proper composition is vital for plant health. Different plants thrive in different soil types, necessitating soil selection based on the plant’s nature. In general, most indoor houseplants, often tropical in nature, benefit from soil with good drainage, aeration, and essential nutrients.
From my experience, I typically use a mix of brick chips, perlite, cocopeat, and vermicompost for each plant. The ratio may vary depending on whether I want the soil to be more porous (adding more perlite /brick chip) or less porous (adding cocopeat). If you make a potting mix in this manner it will contribute to overall happiness of your plants.
- Nutrients
Fertilization plays a crucial role in replenishing these nutrients in the soil, promoting robust growth. Fertilizing indoor houseplants is particularly crucial during their growing season. I’ve observed instances where plants fail to grow if we neglect to fertilize them, especially for potted indoor plants as opposed to those planted directly in the ground.
In this context, the growing season corresponds to summer, irrespective of your global location. Throughout the summer, it’s essential to fertilize on a monthly basis for higher dosage fertilizers such as NPK, DPA, in general and potentially twice a month for lower dosage.
Additionally, incorporating organic fertilizers like vermicompost is a viable option as they release nutrients slowly without harming the roots. You can use organic compost irrespective of time.
I have learned from experience, having unfortunately lost a plant due to excessive use of a high-NPK fertilizer !
- Temperature and Humidity
While talking about indoor house plant most of them are native to tropical rainforest so we are required to mimic the environment to them for their healthier growth. Most of the houseplant requires warm and humid environment. Most indoor plants thrive in temperatures between 65-75°F (18-24°C) during the day and slightly cooler at night. Its better to have a humidifier, if your room has AC because AC make air dry and plant requires humidity.
Exceptions arise with succulents and cacti, as they thrive in arid environments and prefer lower humidity levels. In contrast, most houseplants generally prefer a moderate humidity level, ideally ranging between 40 and 50 percent, as recommended by experts. It’s better to have a humidifier if your room has AC.
In summary, I’ve aimed to provide concise and straightforward tips. I recommend putting these tips into practice immediately and sharing your feedback afterward. I hope you find the tips helpful. If there’s anything I may have overlooked, please let me know in the comments. Feel free to email me for any plant-related problems or questions.
Thank you.