Growing Potted Plants
Growing plants indoors, while rewarding, requires time and commitment as well as knowledge about the proper temperature, lighting and soil for the plant you want to grow. Additionally, there are several methods of growing plants in pots.
Inspect the area in which you plan to grow your plants before you do anything else. You must place the potted plant in an area where it will get several hours of natural sunlight every day. If your budget allows, you can also employ artificial light. Special indoor lights and lamps are available that you can use to replace natural sunlight. The easiest factor to control is temperature, so ensure your home’s temperature is ideal for the plant.
Match your potted plant with an appropriate container. If a plant is large or will grow large, your container should be able to accommodate it. A big plant in a small pot can become unhealthy. Its roots won’t be able to breathe properly and this can stunt its growth. A small plant in a large pot will usually not look good, but it might grow to fit its pot. Alternately, you could grow your plant in a smaller pot and then transplant it to a larger one when it grows to large for the smaller one. You also have the option of selecting various sizes and styles of pots. The diameter of the container should ideally be half the plant’s height. To prevent the roots from drowning, ensure the pot has draining holes in the bottom.
Look for the proper soil or growing medium next. Because it doesn’t properly drain, garden soil is usually unsuitable. It might also contain insects or fungi that can be harmful to your plant. There are packaged potting soils available on the market, which can hold moisture and at the same time aerate the roots of your plant.
There are a few key factors that can affect the timing of when the plant should be watered. These are sun, rain, wind, heat, and the type of plant you are growing.
You should regularly water most plant, although not to the point of drowning. But some desert plants, such as aloe vera, may do better when their soil is allowed to dry out, and is then flooded with large amounts of water. This makes some desert varieties ideal for people who have a hard time remembering to water their plants regularly. The amount of water any plant needs can vary each day.
Potted plants dry up more quickly than their counterparts that grow in the ground. By sticking your finger into the soil, you can determine if the plant needs water. If it is dry, then it needs to be watered.
In general, you should fertilize potted plants every two weeks. Watering a plant flushes the nutrients from the growing medium. Use organic fertilizers if you are growing edible plants or those for medicinal or personal purposes, or if you have children or pets in the house.
As a note, some plants are poisonous to animals or humans. If you have pets or children in your home, ensure you do proper research on a plant before you bring it into an environment where they can access it. (See Pets and Plant Poisoning for more information on this.)
Protect plants from harmful pests when you grown themin or around your home. Even if it’s inside the house, insects can get in and destroy your plant. There are several organic pesticides you can use to combat this problem.
Growing pot plants – whether inside the home, in a window box, on a patio or balcony, or in an outdoor garden, is a rewarding and worthwhile endeavor. In addition to their beauty, potted plans can be used to make natural remedies or teas, provide fruits and vegetables, emit fragrance, or as decoration.
Although study and application of standard practices and proper growing techniques are necessary when growing plants indoors, the process will become easier and is worth the trouble.
About the author: Megan Barlow helps others learn how to live greener and more eco-friendly lives. Learn more about green living at her blog on Living Green.
This article was originally posted at Growing Potted Plants.