4 Things To Consider When Creating An Indoor Garden

~ If you do not have a garden outside, or if you simply want to adopt green living plants, it makes sense to create your very own indoor garden. 

To get you started, here are a few useful ideas.

1. Consider Plant Varieties

What is your final goal when you envision home plants? Do you want home trees that will produce more fruit and vegetables, or are you thinking about your home’s aesthetic appeal? Many plants can be grown indoors, but assuming you only have the space for a few pots and baskets, narrow down your selection accordingly. Perhaps looking at your house orchids makes you smile daily, or taking care of your little velvety violets creates a beautiful exchange of energy. Are you the person who likes to feed the family with the fruits of your labor? Then think about what your family enjoys to eat when purchasing fruit-bearing plants, such as lemons and tangerines, and consider the rest of your home design, construction, and available space when opting for those flowering plants that make an “Aha” statement.

2. Evaluate Your Indoor Lighting

While some houseplants do not require sunlight at all, such as spider plants, peace lilies, and snake plants,  other flowers do need more than 6 hours of warm sun rays. Do you have a humid or dry environment?  What about house pets? Do they clime on windowsills? Cats bring lots of smiles, and maybe some raised eyebrows when the potted plants end up dropped and spilled on the floor. 

On the other hand, there are those plants that need at least four hours of light a day in order to grow and flourish. Generally, most flowering plants, geraniums, cactus plants, and fruiting plants will need all available light sources for most of the day. Of course, natural light is best, thus placing your plants in areas near sun-filled windows will gently guide your babies to thrive. Alternatively, consider using a plant grow light, especially if your home does attract a lot of sun, or if you are planting during the winter months. 

3. Plan on Using the Right Containers

Usually, most people use standard, store-bought plant pots for their indoor gardens, as these purpose-built items have sufficient surface space for the soil and compost needed for the plants to grow. However, you can also be creative, as you can also use certain household objects if you have any lying around. Glass jars, plastic bottles, tin cans, antique vases, and even an old pair of shoes can be used as containers. Still, no matter what container you choose, please research the potential size of the desired plant and plan accordingly for the future. Typically, when your plant matures, repotting to a bigger pot is a good idea, to give it more space and place it in fresh dirt. I change the potting soil yearly to feed my plants of choice. Also, there is basic information written on the tags that come with the plants you buy, and your local garden center will be able to help.

4. Internal Temperature of Your Home

Most plants love the ideal temperature range of between 65-75 degrees to survive. While 10 degrees here and there probably won’t make much of a difference, please be mindful of temperatures that rise far above or fall far below. Of course, it depends on the plants you intend to grow, but it is wise to research before buying. Some plants will thrive in colder temperatures, such as jade plant, succulents or cypress, thus a lack of heat should be a problem, whereas others would not stand a chance. People at your local garden center will be happy to offer advice or master gardeners at your local state Extention center. We do love plants and all the natural growing things on earth, so do not be shy-call any time when questions arise. Google search online is very helpful as well, but sometimes it’s best to talk to an expert, when in doubt. Conflicting information can steer you sideways. My two cents is to call your local master gardener to obtain local scientific data. Or better yet, email me! Ha! I love anything Earthy and will be happy to guide you, guys to a good source of information based on my experience.

Make it a very green day, my friends.

Luda@PlantsandBeyond.com🌿

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