Having plants in the house is a great idea, both for decorating purposes, as the oxygen they breathe into a room. The following are a few tips for keeping your indoor plants healthy and vibrant.
1. Lighting: The amount and intensity of light that your plants receive is one of the biggest factors affecting their growth. But It is also possible that your plant is getting too much light, so here are some warning signs telling you to move your plant out of direct sunlight:
- Brown patches on the leaves making the plant look “scorched”
- Leaves look faded or washed out
- Plant begins to wilt around mid-day
- Leaves become too dry and start to fall off.
2. Watering Your Plants: It’s hard to know exactly how much water your plant needs, especially when the amount changes depending on the species of plant, soil, light, temperature and the humidity in your home. Plants need more water if they have a lot of leaf surface and soft, lush foliage or if it’s their growing season. The only way to really know whether your plant it thirsty or not is to stick your finger into the soil up to your first knuckle. If the soil feels moist, the plant is fine. If the soil feels dry, it wants water.
3. Grooming Your Plant: When the flowers on your plant begin to wilt and die, you should remove them immediately for two reasons: the decaying material will attract insects and disease, and it will avoid the plant expending energy for making seeds. It is also good practice to wipe down leaves once in a while with a damp sponge to remove any accumulated dust, and remove any dead leaves or branches as you see them.
4. Raise the Humidity: If your plant looks droopy, burnt at the tips or has flowers that bloom half-heartedly and then die, it may need more humidity. Here are a few tips on how to give your plants the humidity they need:
- Spray them with a fine mister once a day.
- Place your plants on a tray filled with water and pebbles. The water will slowly evaporate and humidify the area immediately around it.
- Group all your plants together so that they all benefit from the moisture they are each emitting.
Read Original: agreenliving.org/How to Maintain Healthy Household Plants