How To Keep Your Indoor Plants Alive
Experts say there isn't anything like a black thumb or a green thumb when it comes to plants; it’s always about the way you pay attention to them. Every plant lover can thrive on healthy plants; it's only about learning the basics of growing and caring for indoor plants. Also, it's about listening to what your plants are trying to tell or showing you when they need something.
Below are some tips to help you keep your houseplants alive for much longer!
Light
Sunlight is good food for your plants. Plants can eat the light, so for them to thrive, they need sufficient sunlight. Different plants have different origins and come with different sunlight requirements. Plants like cacti, succulents, or begonias come from lighter regions in their native environment, and they want a bit of direct light indoors. So, it is necessary to spot them near the sunniest window in your home. On the other hand, plants that belong to shaded areas such as Boston fern, Kimberley Queen fern or a Birds nest fern prefer to receive indirect light. Also, as the plant tends to grow big, it needs more and more light, so it's better to move your plants towards a sunny window as they grow.
Water
When it's about watering your plants, there are many things that every gardener or plant lover might have heard. Some people say spritzing your plants, especially succulents, is great; some say it is not. While others use icecubes on their houseplants, never do that. If you don't want to listen to different options, follow the true rule of thumb, water your plant when its topsoil completely dries out.
You can also follow the below-outlined tips to avoid under or over watering your indoor plants:
- Never count between watering days of your plant, water when soil seems dry.
- The soil will show you when it is thirsty by drying out.
- Thoroughly water your plants to ensure even growth.
- To spritz your plants or not to spritz, it all depends on your plant watering needs, so it's better to research your plant's native habitat.
Signs Of Trouble
To find the exact cause behind your plant's poor health holistic diagnosis is necessary. What's happening with your entire plant, leaves, or roots? Everything should have a reason, and here are a few warning signs that you must look out for in your plants.
Root rot: The main signs of overwatering and root rot are soft and mushy soil and the roots climbing out of the container.
Edges turn black—it is not always humidity. Sometimes a fungus eating your plant leaves can turn its edges black.
Yellow leaves. Yellow leaves are a warning sign for different conditions such as too hot, too cold, too wet, or too dry; that’s why you search for secondary symptoms. A yellow leaf isn’t always a shout for help. If your entire plant looks perfect, it’s an old leaf that's dying off, and that's natural.
Wrinkled leaves: Your plants are thirsty, and you are under-watering.
Yellow Lower leaves: A classic sign of over-watering.
Gnats: If you find gnats, you’re overwatering and not letting it dry out between waterings.