Plants

Plants

Why Grow Plants Indoors?

Plants are important companions to human and animal existence. The balance of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the atmosphere depends on the oxygen uptake by the animal population and the carbon dioxide uptake by plants, which release oxygen though respiration. This balance of nature is achieved outside by natural interaction. This same balance of nature can be achieved indoors by carefully choosing plants which will thrive indoors in your particular environment, or the environment you create.

Plants can transform the indoors into a tropical paradise or merely add interest and coziness to various indoor settings. Plants need care, but they don’t have to be exercised, fed daily, or taken for a daily walk.

Lighting

Lighting is an important consideration when selecting indoor plants. There are indoor green foliage plants which do not require much light, variegated foliage plants which require more light, and flowering plants which have various light requirements. Suitable natural light is best. Natural light supplemented with artificial grow lights is next best, but plants can be grown quite satisfactorily using artificial lighting exclusively. Cacti can even be grown indoors with proper lighting. You can choose your plants to suit the light intensity available at the location where you wish to display your plants, or you can select the plants you wish to grow and then find a suitable location where the light is right. Artificial lighting can always be added.

Humidity

Maintaining proper moisture during the winter months is also important for the health of the plants. Misting is often used for this purpose, but wetness on plants leaves can cause disease and pest infestations. The best solution is to use a humidifier in the room where the plants are located. Plants can be set outdoors during late spring, summer, and early fall so that they will rejuvenate themselves and be ready to spend another winter indoors.

Soil and Fertilizer

Unless you know what you are doing, stick to using a sterile commercial potting soil, preferably with sphagnum peat moss in the mix for good drainage. Also, use potting soil prepared especially for the type plants you wish to grow, since the pH and other requirements will be properly balanced.

Plants need food just like animals. Use any commercially available fertilizer for use in house plants. Either organic or non-organic will do. Slow release fertilizers are the best. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Disease and Pest Control

Plants should be checked often for disease and/or pest infestation which is just beginning, because these problems are much easier to control with early detection. A good practice is to take the plant, or an infected leaf, to a nursery and have them diagnose the problem and recommend a remedy.

Plants for Indoor Gardening

There is a wide variety of plants available for use indoors. You can choose a variety of plants grouped in one location having similar light requirements, as discussed above. Remember, more indirect light than required will not harm plants. Never put indoor foliage plants in indirect sunlight for any length of time.

You may wish to specialize in one group of flowering plants, such as African Violets, which basically have the same lighting requirement. The variety of shapes and colors of the flowers and shape and texture of the leaves is almost endless; and collecting African Violets can be an interesting hobby.

With a little planning, using plants indoors can be a successful and satisfying endeavor, as small or as large as you choose it to be. It will also be healthy for the indoor environment.

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