Adding plants to your home is the perfect way to level up your interior design. Indoor plants can improve productivity, reduce stress, and boost your mood. Don’t know how to take care of your plants properly? No worries! Here’s the ultimate beginner’s guide to taking care of your indoor plants. Keep reading to discover how you can make your indoor plants last a lifetime.
Find the Best Plant for Your Home
Before buying your indoor plant, it’s best to decide which plant is best for you and your environment. Consider where you want to place the plant and the source of lighting; you don’t want to put your plant in a low light area if it requires a lot of sunlight to survive. You also want to think about how much space you’ll have for the plant if it grows large.
Plants we recommend for beginners are:
- Chinese evergreen
- Snake plant
- Rubber tree
- Heartleaf philodendron
- Succulents
Pro-Tip
Once you become accustomed to your indoor plants, try planting herbs like sage, basil, or rosemary indoors, too!
Water Your House Plants Appropriately
All indoor plants react to water intake differently, depending on how they’ve grown and the changing of seasons. Plants thrive best in well-drained soil in a suitable pot or container. To know if you watered your plant correctly, reach down and touch the first inch of your soil; it should feel dry. It’s best to water your plants appropriately because overwatering them can cause root rot and houseplant death.
Fertilize Your Houseplants Occasionally
Fertilizing your plant can be a slippery slope. How to fertilize your plant depends on its growth rate, age, and time of year. You should use fertilizer during the spring and summer months because that’s when houseplants usually thrive. During the colder and shorter days of fall and winter, it would be best not to use a fertilizer. Follow the instructions on your selected indoor plant food to know the appropriate amount to use.
Dust Off Your Plants
Your plants can collect dust over time. If your plant has hairy leaves, dust your plants with a soft brush or carefully shower your plants with room-temperature water to clean off the collected dust. However, gently use a cloth to wipe away the accumulated dust if your plant has smooth leaves. By periodically cleaning and dusting your plant, you’ll promote growth and allow your plant to soak more sunlight.
Watch for Plant Disease and Insects
When taking care of your indoor plants, it’s best to watch out for insects and plant disease. Separate your plant from the others and remove any diseased and affected leaves or stems to prevent the disease from spreading. Common signs of diseased plants include:
- Fungal leaf spots (brown, yellow, or black spots on leaves)
- Root rot
- Powdery mildew (white spots on leaves)
It’s common for insects to attack indoor plants. Luckily, there are many easy and effective ways to get rid of these pests. The key is to be consistent so that the population of insects doesn’t grow. Treat your plants once a week for the best results. To control and get rid of insects, you can:
- Forcefully spray your plant to knock down the population of pests
- Use insecticidal soap to get rid of pests like spider mites
- Rub rubbing alcohol with a cotton ball (for waxy plants)
As stated above, having indoor plants has many benefits and can enhance your living space. It may be overwhelming at first, but by following this beginner’s guide to taking care of your indoor plants, you’ll be well equipped and knowledgeable on how to make your plants last.
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