Having a nice-looking indoor garden adds a certain dash of life and natural flavor to any home. Looking at them, indoor gardens look easy enough to do, and it is. But it’s not easy as picking up a few flower pots from the outside and bringing them inside. Take your cue from the following tips.

Lighting is the first consideration or, more specifically, the quantity of light needed to properly nurture an indoor plant. Look at around your house and identify the areas which afford the brightest light possible, ideally, sunlight and not merely artificial light. The best thing may be to opt for indoor plants that require the least amount of light. Perhaps the most ideal of this breed to serve as indoor plants are Philodendrons and Boston ferns.

On the other hand, the most beautiful plants and flowers are those that require a lot of sunlight. These are the ones that bring great cheer into the home. Hence, if you are not setting up that many indoor plants either, one possibility is to bring them out at least once a day to give them a taste of the sun’s nourishing rays before bringing them back in the house again. Experienced gardeners say that we should regard our plants as batteries. The more we expose them to sunlight, the longer we can keep them indoors.

Keep an eye out for those signs that indicate that your plant is not getting enough light. Do the leaves of the plant seem smaller and are the stems getting thinner? Does the overall color of the plant of flower look a bit paler? If so, the plant may need more light.

There is a way to condition the plants to make them used to the level of lights that you have in your house. The way to do this is gradually, especially if the plants are coming from a place where it is bright all day. The first step is to position the plants in the area of the house where they are exposed to the brightest possible light. After prolonged exposure to such light, move the plants around in such a way that you lessen the amount of light they get. Gradually lessen the amount of light they are exposed to until you reach that point where they will be getting their regular amounts of light.

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Even if you’re not an avid gardener or flower lover, the sight of a well-maintained indoor garden is impressive. However, if you’ve tried your hand at indoor gardening, it’s not as easy as bringing the plants indoors. Here are some tips to start you off on the right foot.

The first crucial decision has to do with lighting. Ask yourself, exactly how light should I give the plants? Your house may not have enough light for your plants to exist, so this is a prime consideration. Are you prepared to supply your plant with light through artificial means? It could be expensive. If possible, try to select plants that require minimal lighting such as Philodendrons and Boston ferns.

If there are not that many indoor plants, you may consider bringing them out into the sun during the day before bringing them back inside. Think of your plants as batteries. If you expose them to enough sunlight outdoors, they can store this as a reserve source of energy indoors. This is especially effective during summer.

It’s also important that you know how to spot the signs that will tell you whether your plants are getting the right amount of light. One sign is in the leaves. If the plant has small leaves and thin stems, it needs more light. The same is true if the color of the plant turns paler than usual.

You may even have to condition your plants, which is a way of making them used to the lights in your house gradually, especially if they came from a place that has brighter lights than your home. You start by exposing the plants to the brightest possible light in your house. Move them around daily while lessening the amount of light they get, until they reach that point where they are exposed to their regular amounts of light.

When it comes to watering, the rules are fairly simple. Make sure to water the soil thoroughly and to have the water drained at the bottom of the pot. The quantity of water depends on the plant. The biggest mistakes here are not watering them enough or watering them too much, so avoid both. Also, use water that has the same room temperature.

Try to keep the room temperature at an even level, ideally in the 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit range.

Other items such as fertilizers and humidity levels depend a great deal on the type of plants you choose.

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Indoor gardening, or gardening that is done indoors as in offices and residences, has become a popular hobby. Other than its aesthetic appeal, it also provides health benefits such as purification of air. Generally houseplants are grown in indoor gardening. The more popular methods of indoor gardening include organic gardening and container gardening where the use of chemicals is avoided.

Thousands of houseplants are grown in indoor gardening. Typical houseplants include ferns, cactus, bonsai plants, daffodils, hyacinths, rose plants, rubber, Chinese evergreen, money plant, weeping fig, zebra plant, prayer plant, philodendrons, orchids, jade plant, African violets, English ivy, begonias etc.

Indoor gardening requires patience and continuous care to yield good results. The important factors in successful indoor gardening are light, watering, soil, plant pots, fertilisers and pesticides.

Light: Light is very important for indoor plants as plants prepare food by photosynthesis. Two factors of light are intensity and duration. Different plants need different intensities. Duration of 8 to10 hours of sunlight is more than sufficient for the plants.

Watering: Improper watering is the leading cause of death of plants in indoor gardening. Watering once a week is sufficient. Feel for dampness about an inch under the soil; if the soil is damp do not water.

Soil:Water drainage through soil is very important. Usually coir and peat are added in soil to improve drainage. Plants like cactus need very high drainage.

Humidity: Plants roughly need a humidity of 80% RH. This can be achieved by placing a tray filled with pebbles and the water level just below the pebbles, adjacent to the plant.

Fertilisers: Fertilisers contain phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium. Changing the soil is better than adding feriliser.

Pesticides: If the houseplants become affected by pests, use a garlic and chilly juice to spray on the plants, rather than using chemical pesticides.

Pots: Pots of clay are preferred as they help in water drainage and aeration of soil better than glazed or plastic pots. Use correct sized pots as plants in pots that are too large are prone to root disease due to moisture retention. A small pot restricts the growth of plants. The pots need to be changed around once in two years.

Tools: Investing in good tools is better in the long run, as the tools are used for tough jobs. Clean the tools thoroughly after use.

Indoor gardening is one of the most popular hobbies in the world. It gives great satisfaction to see the plants growing, as well as improving the aesthic appeal and atmosphere of the interior.

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