You have just moved into your first home or apartment and want to get some houseplants to enhance your decorating scheme. There are two main types of indoor plants to consider: foliage plants and flowering plants. Foliage plants are much easier to grow and they are tough. They can tolerate weak lighting, irregular watering. extreme temperatures and neglect. Foliage plants don't only have the basic green leaves. They come in many different shades of green from very light green to very dark blackish green. The leaves also come in a wide variety of colors from white, pink, red, purple, silver and brown, and have stripes and swirls of color in them.
Though some flowering plants are as easy to grow as foliage plants, most do need more care and expertise to flourish. They are not as tough as foliage plants and most of their resources are aimed at flowering. If they don't receive the care they need they will not bloom. Most flowering plants only bloom at certain times of the year and only bloom for two weeks to two months of the year. Very few plants bloom throughout the year. Some can, but only under near perfect conditions.
The most basic need of all houseplants is good lighting at all times. Low lighting can actually harm your plants. Using the natural light available in your home is the most economic course to take. Southern window exposure provides the brightest light while northern window exposure provides the lowest light. East windows have most light in the morning and west windows have most light in the afternoon. Bay windows increase light because it enters the room from many angles. Plants that need bright light can be close to the window while those requiring less can be moved further into the room. If windows don't provide enough light, especially in the winter, artificial lighting can be used. Two choices used specifically for plants are fluorescent and high-density discharge lamps. Both work well and provide the extra light necessary for healthy plants. Watering plants is another basic need to grow healthy plants. A little effort is required so they won't have too much or too little. Touch the soil in the pot to see if it has dried. Then dig into the soil about an inch with your finger to see if it is moist. If it is, then don't water yet. If it is dry, water now. You can test a plant to see if it needs water by its weight. If it's heavy, it doesn't need watering yet. If it's light, it probably does. Check this action out a few times till you get the feel for the correct time to water. There are probes, meters and other gadgets you can use that let you know when to water. Inserting your finger into the soil or lifting the pot to check weight are the easiest and most economical way to go.
Fertilizing is another must. Always remember that less is more for houseplants. Only feed when plants are in their growing season. In the winter they slow down and don't need feeding then. There are many products on the market now, from basic fertilizers to the specialized ones for certain needs. Most economical products are concentrated in liquid, powder or crystal forms which are mixed with water. Slow release fertilizers are great, but you should note the date on the calendar.
Plants also require air circulation and humidity. Circulation is not a problem. Any movement in the house causes air movement. Just walking through a room for instance. To help plants suffering from low humidity, there are easy fixes. Placing plants in humid rooms, such as bathrooms and laundry rooms, setting them on the floor or investing in a humidifier can help solve the problem quickly.
By following these basic instructions, you can get a start on growing healthy plants. Further study is needed to delve into specialized or exotic varieties. Remember you can do anything you want to do!
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