If you're new to indoor gardening and you want to grow a few varieties of indoor plants, both edible and ornamental, keep reading for some useful tips. Here is some simple, practical and home-style advice for growing an indoor garden that's easy to maintain and provides food for both body and soul.
Some people are fortunate enough to have lots of room outdoors to plant a vegetable garden. Others, such as those living in apartments, a small lot or where their garage takes up the whole backyard, can still indulge in gardening as a hobby. All they have to do is grow their vegetables, herbs, and flowers inside, in pots.
When it comes to flowers, a good choice of flowering plants that do well even in limited areas of growth, like planter boxes and pots that have been prepped with potting soil, are compact nasturtiums varieties such as Whirlybird and Copper Sunset. Marigolds, Iceland poppies and smaller varieties of sunflowers are other options that are sure to liven up your indoor garden. These are short, easy to care for and not likely to take over your home like trailing plants are prone to doing.
If you decide on herbs for your indoor garden, small tin-pot containers work well as long as you ensure they get at least four hours of sunlight each day. They also need regular watering and the right nutrients in their soil. Ask at your local nursery for potting soil that is pre-mixed for indoor plants, as these contain the right balance of nutrients for a successful indoor garden.
Be sure to check the bottom of your plant containers for proper drainage. If they don't have holes, punch some in. It's important that the excess moisture escapes and your plants get the required warmth as well.
If planting herb seeds, try this old home gardener's trick of pre-soaking them for a couple hours before planting them in pots filled with potting soil. Cover them with a quarter inch more of soil after randomly scattering the seeds over the base soil. Before you know it, rosemary and thyme will be adding their fragrant scent to your kitchen, and your food!
Showing posts with label Indoor Gardening. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Indoor Gardening. Show all posts
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Tips for Tending Your Indoor Plants
Keeping your indoor plants healthy requires time, effort and knowledge. It's important that you choose plants that will easily adapt to your particular indoor environment. You need to keep in mind the amount of natural daylight they will receive, and how much time you are willing to invest in them. Some plants are much hardier than others and can handle a little neglect, while others will wither away very quickly without the proper attention.
It's not uncommon for plants to grow much more slowly indoors than they would outdoors. You can really see this in action if you take one of your houseplants outside for the summer. They just go crazy. Most indoor plants will go dormant starting in the fall and continuing through the winter.
One of the things to be attentive to is the temperature of your home. Houseplants require a certain amount of heat in order to thrive. Generally, it's recommended that you maintain the temperature between 60 degrees to 70 degrees F during the day and 55 to 65 degrees overnight. If the change between nighttime and daytime temperatures is too drastic, you can end up damaging your plants.
You also want to place your plants in an area that won't get a lot of drafts. This will cause the soil to dry out much more quickly. Also, most indoor plants don't prefer a lot of direct sunlight throughout the day. It's best to find a spot where they get a few hours of direct sun, and indirect sun the rest of the day. Of course, this will depend on the particular type of plant you have, so you'll need to research the needs of your individual species.
In the wintertime, your indoor environment is much drier than it is in the summer. This can cause your plants to suffer from a lack of humidity. That's why it's important that you mist them regularly to create a more humid environment for them. This should be done at least once a week, preferably twice.
Watering your plants also takes a little extra effort. You don't want to use water directly from the tap, because it's high in chlorine. Fill a container with water and let it sit for a day or two before you use it to water your plants. During that time the chlorine will dissipate and the water will be perfectly healthy for your plant.
It's not uncommon for plants to grow much more slowly indoors than they would outdoors. You can really see this in action if you take one of your houseplants outside for the summer. They just go crazy. Most indoor plants will go dormant starting in the fall and continuing through the winter.
One of the things to be attentive to is the temperature of your home. Houseplants require a certain amount of heat in order to thrive. Generally, it's recommended that you maintain the temperature between 60 degrees to 70 degrees F during the day and 55 to 65 degrees overnight. If the change between nighttime and daytime temperatures is too drastic, you can end up damaging your plants.
You also want to place your plants in an area that won't get a lot of drafts. This will cause the soil to dry out much more quickly. Also, most indoor plants don't prefer a lot of direct sunlight throughout the day. It's best to find a spot where they get a few hours of direct sun, and indirect sun the rest of the day. Of course, this will depend on the particular type of plant you have, so you'll need to research the needs of your individual species.
In the wintertime, your indoor environment is much drier than it is in the summer. This can cause your plants to suffer from a lack of humidity. That's why it's important that you mist them regularly to create a more humid environment for them. This should be done at least once a week, preferably twice.
Watering your plants also takes a little extra effort. You don't want to use water directly from the tap, because it's high in chlorine. Fill a container with water and let it sit for a day or two before you use it to water your plants. During that time the chlorine will dissipate and the water will be perfectly healthy for your plant.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Tips for The Beginner Indoor Gardener
Some people are fortunate enough to have lots of room in their yard to plant a garden. But those who live in smaller spaces can still indulge in gardening as a hobby. It's not difficult at all to grow potted vegetables, herbs, flowers and indoor greens right in your home.
While most plants are able to thrive indoors, they do require similar conditions to what your outdoor plants experience. The necessities for growth are fresh air, the right amount of sunlight, water and nutrients (this is usually provided in the form of plant food or fertilizer).
Here are some few tips to help make your indoor plants grow healthier and add beauty to your surroundings. These are some simple and practical guidelines for growing an indoor garden that's easy to maintain, whether you're planting for food or for pleasure.
Ever notice how plants will face the source of sunlight? This is because the sun is the main source of their nutrition. Plant leaves change water and nutrition from the soil to food through a process called photosynthesis. A couple of hours of sunlight every day is a must for your indoor plants. If you do not have a place where you can provide adequate sunlight, and cannot move the plants, you should consider purchasing a couple of indoor gardening lights. Ordinary lights won't do. Indoor gardening lights provide enough ultraviolet light to nourish the plants.
Provide adequate water to your plants. Your indoor plants need room temperature water to survive. Don't over water the plants. More plants die due to a lack of water or a surplus of it than they do for any other reason. Follow a rule of thumb: just like you test a cake, you should pierce a knitting needle into your plant container. If the needle goes in with ease the soil is just the right dampness, if not increase the quantity of water a bit.
Check for proper drainage at the base of your plant containers or punch holes if there aren't any so that the excess moisture escapes and your plants get the necessary warmth as well.
Fertilizers are also important. Every two weeks add a scoop of indoor plant fertilizer to your plant pot. Used tea leaves are also a very good supply of nutrition for your plant.
Follow these simple tricks and you will see your indoor garden prospering very soon.
While most plants are able to thrive indoors, they do require similar conditions to what your outdoor plants experience. The necessities for growth are fresh air, the right amount of sunlight, water and nutrients (this is usually provided in the form of plant food or fertilizer).
Here are some few tips to help make your indoor plants grow healthier and add beauty to your surroundings. These are some simple and practical guidelines for growing an indoor garden that's easy to maintain, whether you're planting for food or for pleasure.
Ever notice how plants will face the source of sunlight? This is because the sun is the main source of their nutrition. Plant leaves change water and nutrition from the soil to food through a process called photosynthesis. A couple of hours of sunlight every day is a must for your indoor plants. If you do not have a place where you can provide adequate sunlight, and cannot move the plants, you should consider purchasing a couple of indoor gardening lights. Ordinary lights won't do. Indoor gardening lights provide enough ultraviolet light to nourish the plants.
Provide adequate water to your plants. Your indoor plants need room temperature water to survive. Don't over water the plants. More plants die due to a lack of water or a surplus of it than they do for any other reason. Follow a rule of thumb: just like you test a cake, you should pierce a knitting needle into your plant container. If the needle goes in with ease the soil is just the right dampness, if not increase the quantity of water a bit.
Check for proper drainage at the base of your plant containers or punch holes if there aren't any so that the excess moisture escapes and your plants get the necessary warmth as well.
Fertilizers are also important. Every two weeks add a scoop of indoor plant fertilizer to your plant pot. Used tea leaves are also a very good supply of nutrition for your plant.
Follow these simple tricks and you will see your indoor garden prospering very soon.
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