Bring Your Gardening Hobby Indoors

 

Just because the weather is getting cooler doesn’t mean your gardening hobby has to take a back seat. Luckily, there are many approaches you can take with a variety of different styles to make your indoor garden just as fabulous as outdoors. In this article, we’ll list some tips, tricks and ideas that could prove useful in the coming seasons.

 

First, choose a direction.

 

There are many directions you can take indoor gardening. 

 

• Consider a vegetable garden. It’s a fun way to help cook delicious meals with your own produce.

 

• Decorate your bathrooms with indoor plants, as it can freshen up the space. The moisture from hot showers and baths can also be healthy for them.

 

• Low-maintenance succulents are becoming very popular in a variety of rooms.

 

• Consider faux-plants if you live a busy lifestyle. You’d be amazed how life-like they’ve become.

 

• Vines and other crawling plants can create a nice atmosphere if your home permits.

 

• Putting plants in window-sills can help give them sunlight for their growth.

 

• If you’re planting flowers, try to match them to the colour palette of the room.

 

Next, prepare for your indoor plants.

 

A logical place to start is with a pot or planter. Many different materials can make for effective planting containers, including terracotta, glazed ceramic, plastic or hypertufa. Just be sure that your pot has drainage holes in the bottom so that excess water can escape and roots don’t become waterlogged. Also make sure that any excess water drains or collects somewhere, and doesn’t damage your floors or create a slipping hazard.

 

Buy a good potting mix. Commercial mixes are widely available and generally provide everything plants need in terms of drainage, aeration, nutrients and water retention. If you’re making your own mix, just be sure to use materials that will promote good drainage while still retaining some moisture for the plants to absorb. A combination of peat moss, perlite, compost and sand can be a good starting point. 

 

Water your plants strategically. When it comes to watering your plants, the general rule is to water deeply but less often. This encourages roots to grow deep into the potting mix in search of moisture, which results in a healthier plant. Water until it begins to drain out the bottom of the pot, then empty the drainage tray. Let the top few inches of potting mix dry out before watering again.

 

Fertilize your plants regularly. Fertilizing is important for keeping your plants healthy and strong. For potted plants, it’s best to use a water-soluble fertilizer that can be mixed with water and applied to the plants on a regular basis.

 

Prune as needed. Pruning helps to encourage new growth, remove dead or damaged leaves and stems, and promote air circulation. When pruning, be sure to use clean, sharp shears or scissors. Don’t forget to disinfect your pruning tools before and after you use them.

 

Next, do your research!

 

Now that you’ve got an idea of what’s involved in maintaining an indoor garden, the next step is to do your research and decide which plants you’ll be incorporating into your home this season. No matter what direction you take, the addition of plants will likely improve your air quality and freshen up your home.