To help those who have or want to have indoor plants, we have compiled the basic care instructions needed to keep them healthy for long periods of time without any major worries. Obviously, choosing hardy plants makes this task even easier, but the main factors to take into account when caring for plants are the natural light of the space, watering and fertilization.
Natural ambient light for plants
To survive and develop healthily, indoor plants need sunlight, through which they obtain some nutrients and the energy necessary for their growth.
There are some that easily tolerate environments with reduced light and others that cannot do without a good amount of sunlight. The secret is to know the plants you have and the places they are intended for. Making an informed plant purchase is the basis for success. It is not advisable to place a plant that does not tolerate direct sunlight in a window, or one that needs direct sunlight in a shady place, for example.
In general, indoor plants do not like direct sunlight. With the exception of cacti and succulents, indoor plants, when exposed to too much direct sunlight, develop brownish spots on their leaves.
The direction of plant growth is also guided by the light source, so you should rotate the pots to ensure even and compact growth.
Watering my indoor plants
Overwatering is the easiest and most common way to kill an indoor plant!
There are plants that need to be watered more frequently than others, however, only aquatic plants like to be soaked. To water your plants in a healthy way, you should take these points into consideration:
- Before watering any plant, check whether it really needs water. Some plants need to be watered as soon as the soil starts to dry out on the surface, while others need to be allowed to dry out completely before watering again. To make this assessment, stick your finger in the soil near one of the edges of the pot and draw your own conclusions based on the plant's characteristics;
- To water, use water at room temperature. Apply the water directly to the surface of the soil until it comes out through the drainage hole. If the pot does not have a drainage hole, the amount of water should be reduced to prevent it from accumulating at the bottom of the pot. In both cases, it is always preferable to water more frequently, but with a small amount of water;
- Never establish a routine for watering indoor plants. The frequency of watering varies according to several factors, such as the room temperature, the plant itself, the material of the pot or the substrate. The best thing to do is to give them a little attention, at least once a week, and use the finger technique to check whether watering is necessary. Time will bring experience and this process will become second nature.
Fertilizing indoor plants
A plant has several sources of nutrients. Water, sunlight and the substrate (or soil) are the main ones. However, the prosperity of a plant often depends on the application of a fertilizer, ideally specifically for indoor plants. Often, the substrates used to repot indoor plants already include controlled-release fertilizer. However, it may be necessary to supplement it.
Fertilizers for indoor plants must contain at least 3 basic mineral substances: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). Hence the acronym NPK that appears on the packaging of all fertilizers, most often in numerical format (e.g. 10-10-10).
For less demanding plants, simply adding new soil when changing pots is enough to provide them with the necessary nutrients. For plants that are more demanding in terms of nutrition or those with a weaker substrate, it is advisable to apply fertilizer at the beginning of the active growing season.
If you still have questions about the care your plants need, you can contact us !
