First of all, Indoor plants are one of the best ways to enhance the beauty of your lovely house, improve air quality and reduce stress. Moreover, houseplants can provide you plenty of relaxation, calmed and instinctive as research has shown.
Two years ago, I went to my friend’s house for an invitation and was honestly shocked to see the houseplants made by his mother in his lovely house. Because green is one of my charming colors within the nature color palette, I started my plant journey without any knowledge and experience.
A week later, the plants started dying one by one which was very sad for me to accept. When I shared with an expert about my plant journey, he explained to me that excessive watering causes rotting of the roots and death of the plant. In this article, I will share my own experience about how to choose and care indoor plants for beginners.
What is the best benefit of indoor plants ?
Because plants are of immense importance for the survival of the animal kingdom on earth, it is not worth ending by describing the benefits of houseplants in our daily lives.Let us discuss some special aspects of indoor plants below.
Indoor plants improved our health :
Most of the people don’t know that plants not only enhance the beauty of our home but also improve our health benefits. Some beneficial plants like snake plant, peace lily and aloe vera help to pollute toxic indoor air which spreads from the things used in our daily work like xylene, formaldehyde and benzene. Basically, Snake Plants are more helpful for our deeper sleep because in the dark of night they release oxygen which helps our sleep to be more healthy.
Plants enhance the beauty of our house :
Although initially I lived in a small one room flat with ample natural light and air due to the surrounding open space, decorating the indoors with plants was very painful for me. At first the design looked very laughable but with time when the trees started to grow, I started to fall in love with them. As plants beautify our entire world, we can turn our exhausting home into a lovely home by proper selection and care of plants. Occasionally, I hear many people say that they feel bored, untidy and helpless but one of the reasons may be the lack of green baby in their home.
Increase our work focus and efficiency :
While I work from home and spend a lot of time indoors, I sometimes lose my focus and efficiency. As I try to find solutions to any of my problems online, I searched on YouTube and tried to find out how I can overcome my anxiety and focus for a long time. By reading some unique facts and research, I found out that the plant helps to calm the mind and stay focused at work for overlong time. I decorated my desk with some spider plants as well as some of my favorite plants. When I feel too anxious and careless, looking at the green makes me feel so refreshed.
Provide a humidity environment :
Indoor plants not only increase the beauty of our house but also maintain indoor humidity through some processes like Air purification, Transpiration process, Moisture Absorption and Natural cooling. With the change of seasons we face various diseases such as respiratory, dry skin problems and Unbearable headaches, most of which spread due to air humidity. But some indoor plants with large leaves can absorb humidity and release you from a lot of trouble. If you want to know more details please visit NASA’s Clean Air Study.
How to choose the right plants ?
As a beginner, you must know what types of plants are suitable for you and how much experience you have in caring for them. Since I made the biggest mistake at the starting journey, want to share with you which plants are right for you.
Best Plants for low- maintenance .
- Snake plants : This plant is perfect for a beginner who doesn’t have enough time to maintain. Snake plants need very low light and little water support for their living.
- ZZ Plants : If you have a habit of forgetting, the zz plant is adjustable for you. They require low light and minimal water, Adding too much water can cause root rot and kill the plant. Water can be added when the soil at the base of the plant is dry or at monthly intervals.
- Spider plants : They need low maintenance experience, occasionally little light focus and little watering.
- Peace Lily : This plan of care is very easy and pleasant. If you are available just on your holiday, this day is enough for this plant maintenance.
- Pothos plants : If you are a complete newbie then this plant is for you because they can thrive in mild conditions and even with neglect.
Select the appropriate place :
First of all, when we think about indoor plants, we mostly focus on the beauty aspect of plants which is one of the major reasons for our failure. With choosing the right plants, you need to consider the required natural light, understand your home’s humidity, measure daily temperature and select the obligatory place where you are available. If you select appropriate plants Which suit your environment, You will be successful in your indoor plants journey.
Try to avoid pet toxic plants :
Many of us have pets at home that roam free throughout the house. Some plants are beneficial for your pets such as Spider Plant, holiday cactus and ponytail palms and some plants are toxic. So when you choose your indoor plants, you consider non toxic plants which are good for your dream pets health.
Understanding the Plants’ Maintenance .
Light :
As plants produce food through the process of photosynthesis and earn their living in these cases the role of light is immense. Light is basically divided into the following three phases.
- Direct light : There are some plants such as jade plants, snake plants and cyperus papyrus that need direct sunlight to survive. Especially , If your window is south facing, you don’t have to worry about sunlight.
- Indirect light : There are some houses that are not lit by direct sunlight but appear lit by reflected or corner sunlight. There are some plants like Aglaonema, Chlorophytum Comosum and Monstera Deliciosa that thrive in indirect light.
- Low light : No sunlight at all but little natural light and rooms with north facing windows are best suited for low light plants. Some plants like Staghorn Fern, English Ivy and Anthurium can subsist in low light.
Water :
Watering the right amount at the right time is another reason for the survival of plants. Otherwise, the chances of the plant dying due to root rot attack increases. Some of the common issues that occur due to water are discussed below.
- Extra Watering : If you give more water to the tree, then the tree will die due to various diseases such as root rot, yellowing of the leaves and so on. So you have to water according to the moisture content of the soil.
- Low Watering : Basically, drying leaves, falling leaves and drying branches are signs of water deficiency at the base of the pants. In this case, do not stop watering until the water reaches the base of the pot.
Soil :
Soil selection is one of the most important parts of a plant’s health. Soil should be selected that can provide proper balance to indoor plants during aeration and retain soil moisture.
- Making potting mix : If you want to make an ideal mix, you need to add perlite, vermiculite and peat moss in the right amount to make the mix light and airy.
- Maintain drainage system : It is very important to have a drainage system at the bottom of the pot to drain the excess water.We can also add some pebbles to the bottom of the pot if we want.
Fertilizing :
When you fertilize your indoor plants, they will stay healthy and strong. I was completely new to indoor plant fertilizing, but with the help of an expert, I was able to bring my near death plants back to life in no time. Basically, I suggest two types of fertilizer to apply on indoor plants.
- Water-melting fertilizer: These types of fertilizers usually begin to dissolve as soon as they come into contact with water. And must be applied according to the usage rules written on the packet. Do not try to apply excess fertilizer in any way.
- Liquid fertilizer: Most of the time, I mix some part of this kind of fertilizer with water and give it to the leaves and use the rest on the lower part of the plant. But you must apply according to the instructions written on the packet.
Daily Reporting :
Reporting your plant is only necessary when the tree is able to successfully grow into the pot. If at this stage you notice that the roots of the plant are spreading under the pot, you can plan to grow another plant from your plant if you want.
Take action on some Common Problems.
1. Yellowing of leaves :
Suddenly, yellowing of leaves is a well-known plant disease unless you are new to indoor planting. A variety of reasons can cause yellowing of leaves, three of which are over-watering, under-watering and regular nutrient deficiencies. If you notice yellowing leaves, quickly observe three previous problems and try to Solve as soon as possible.
2. Drooping of leaves :
Like all other diseases, leaf drooping is a very common disease for plants. Some common problems that can cause this disease in plants include lack of adequate light, water and inadequate watering. To get rid of this problem, check the moisture of the soil at the base of the plant at least once a week and provide sunlight to the plants as needed.
3. Sudden pest infestation :
Stopping regular growth of the plant, sudden yellowing of the leaves and drying of the leaves are caused by the attack of certain insects. Aphids, mealybugs and spider mites are some of the most dangerous pests that spread very quickly and cause serious damage to plants. To get rid of this, inspect the trees on a routine basis and take necessary measures as soon as any disease appears.
4. Detection of root rot :
In particular, poor drainage and overwatering can lead to root rot. If you notice that even after giving enough water, the plant is drying up and the base of the plant is smelling bad, then you should be sure that your plant is suffering from root rot disease.
Gain knowledge to prevent premature death of plants.
Gaining knowledge about indoor plants is an ongoing process. If you don’t want to make the same mistake I did, learn about indoor plants over time from various books, social media and online research.
- If you want to get a basic idea about indoor plants, books are the only basic way to get a practical idea of how to care for plants, how plants can be good friends and how to take care of diseased plants. Hello tiny world, the savage garden and wild at home are my very favorite books.
- There are some online communities like Reddit’s (r/houseplants), Facebook group (Indoor plant lover ) which are one of the most reliable means to share your success with others and achieve knowledge from unique success.
- You can follow some reliable YouTube channels who regularly share their indoor plants journey in video form. I have some favorite YouTube channels such as green plants, garden 4u and leafy life.
Briefly, Trees not only enhance the beauty of our homes but also play an immense role in our physical and mental well-being. To be honest, I feel very energetic and healthy almost all the time because I have all my favorite plants around my bedroom and work table. If you need any ideas for indoor plants, you can contact me if you want.
