Personal Gardening | House Plants

Keeping House Plants

For those of us that live in apartments, or condos, but like to have the lush green of plants around us, house plants can be a great additive to any environment. Studies have shown improvement in air quality in homes with plants, as well as healthier individuals. Keeping houseplants can be easier than most people think, but also more complicated. Perfect Blend fertilizers add the fulvic and humic structure to your houseplant soil that is lost by being in small containers along with the 15 essential nutrients required by plants to grown healthy. Feel free to browse around, and learn more about house plants, and how to care for them.

General Care of House Plants

Where do I Begin?

You want to have plants in your house, but you don't know where to begin. You have probably gone down to your local nursery, or your home and garden store, (heck, even grocery stores have them these days) and bought the prettiest plant you saw, but that plant ended up dying, no matter how much you watered it. Or it ended up taking over your house in long vines, and you had no idea how to stop it.

It's always good to some research before purchasing a plant.
Ask yourself a few questions:
What kind of space do I have?
Where do I see a plant looking best in a room?
What kind of light will the plant be getting?
How much time do I have to devote to my plant?
Once you have a good idea of where the plant will go, how much light it will be getting, and how much time you have to spend on your plant, you should have a pretty good idea of what kind of plant will be best for you. The space your plant will be going in is just as important as how much light, and how much time you have. If you see a big corner where a large fig tree can fit, or a small table for an african violet, it's good to keep that in mind before purchasing a plant. Once you have established your space, how much light will the plant be getting in that space? While indirect lighting from the lights in your home may be helpful, not all of them have a full spectrum. Halide bulbs can have a full spectrum of light that plants require, as well as some of the precious UV that plants need more than anything, but may still not be enough for some plants. Even windows can filter out UV light so that plants still do not get all that they require to grow. That is why some plants have been established as house plants. They require a low level of light, and not as much UV as their outdoor counterparts. So, keep this in mind while choosing your plant. If it is a plant that requires a lot of light, then you can purchase full spectrum bulbs at your local home and garden store. You can even find full spectrum bulbs at pet shops (usually designed for reef tanks, but are excellent for house plants), or online. Don't be fooled by incandescent bulbs, they may say they are full spectrum, and while they have a wide range, they are incapable of providing proper UV lighting.

Now that you know your space, and lighting requirements, how much time are you going to be able to spend with your plant? Usually a question for someone considering a pet, and you probably are buying a plant because you don't have the time for a pet, but the truth is, some plants require more time than others. So, really think about how much time you will be spending with your plant. A good general rule is dedicating 10-20 minutes once a week to water, and prune your plant. If you plan on having more plants, then figure 10-20 minutes for each plant once a week. Some plants require more maintenance. First consider where your plant comes from. Most house plants are naturally from tropical regions. Some grow in rainforests, while some are in a less humid environment (such as a desert, or a less tropical region). If you consider the environment of a rainforest, for example ,the high trees of the rainforest catch all of the rain, and the plants located on the floor bed of a rainforest never see a drop of rain. Rather they have adapted to having a damp (not moist) soil, and will rely on the moisture in the air to supply them with the adequate water they need. When you take that plant out of it's environment, and place it in a dry house, they need that extra moisture that they would normally pull out of the air. If you spray your plant 2-3 times a week with a fine mist sprayer, this should help duplicate the plants natural environment as closely as possible. Most plants come with care instructions. A little tab inserted in the plant's soil should have all the information needed to help you understand it's requirements.

Now that you have decided on your plant, have fun with it. Studies have shown that a home with greenery can have an effect on reduction of stress, as well as an effect on the home's air quality.

How Do I Care for My House Plant?

Now that you have your plant, how do you take care of it? For the easy care plants, set aside one day a week to water, and prune. The common misconception is that plants require a lot of watering, when in fact too much watering can be harmful. Watering once week, is a good general rule to maintaining healthy plants. Especially for those of us who don't have a green thumb. Most plants will also become adaptive to the watering conditions, and eventually thrive on being watered once a week. Be sure to get to know the plants you have chosen. Some require more moisture than others, and some (such as cacti) require less. Also get to know the seasons. Cacti need watering more frequently during the fall, and winter months, while tropical plants need watering all year round. When purchasing a plant, there should be a tab in the soil that explains that plants particular needs. It is always a good idea to keep the tab in the soil, even if replanting. You can keep it in the back, so as not to be seen, but you still have it there as a reference when needed. While some plants such as cacti, or some fig trees, etc, require little to no pruning, however, climbing plants, such as Philodendrons, or ivy's, need to be "managed". They will crawl across your table, desk, etc. if you allow them to. Simply pluck the new growth back at the base of a leaf, or branch, to keep them from trailing. They will eventually fill out in the middle, allowing them to look fuller.

How and When do I Fertilize my House Plant?

Indoor plants are generally kept in a small container. In their natural environment, there would be plenty of space for them to grab nutrients where needed. In a pot, however, the soil needs extra help in producing the nutrients a plant needs. Pumping a plant full of synthetic fertilizers only boosts your plant with "candy" a good organic fertilizer such as Perfect Blend's 4-4-4, will help fertilize your plant with the 15 essential nutrients it requires to continue growing healthy, and continues to replenish the soil slowly, helping to maintain a healthy soil with such a small container. It is recommended to fertilize your plant with Perfect Blend's Organic 4-4-4 Fertilizer once every 2-3 months, refraining from fertilization during the winter months. Due to the shorter days, and longer nights, your plant will begin to go into a dormant state. This slows the growth of the plant, and thus the intake of nutrients it requires.

When fertilizing with Perfect Blend's Organic 4-4-4 fertilizer, poke a hole with a pencil (or similar small device) along the edges of the pot. Pour in Perfect Blend's Organic 4-4-4 fertilizer into the hole you have just created until roughly 1/4 inch from the surface. Generally 1 Tbs for every 6 feet or 1/2 tsp for a 6 inch pot. Cover the hole, and water well. Be sure to water a few more times once a day for 2-3 days. This will encourage the mycorrhizae to begin forming, and start the slow release of the 15 essential nutrients your plant requires.