Heighten Your Indoor Gardening Success Through These Tips!

Indoor gardening has developed so much as we face the 21st century. Indoor plants are an integral part of any home design scheme, and that green color brightens up interior spaces and is proven to improve mood. Aside from that, it must also be considered that indoor plants are relatively easier to grow, they provide health benefits, and are great to have especially when you do not have much space in your house.

Some plants for indoor gardening

To start, let us enumerate some indoor plants you can grow! The spider plant, pothos, snake plant, aloe, English ivy, and philodendron are among the simplest indoor plants to cultivate, according to experts. These beginner-friendly indoor plants grow quickly and readily with little skill or effort. But if you are concerned about the skills, worry no more! Here are some essential tips that can guide you towards a successful indoor gardening journey.

You need the right containers

This tip is somehow common in gardening, in general. You need to make sure that your container is big enough to let the roots of the plants grow. For instance, greens like lettuce, spinach, and kale, for example, require at least 5 inches of soil depth for root growth. A soil depth of at least 7 inches is required for peas, beans, cucumbers, peppers, and other small bush or vine plants. Root crops like beets, carrots, turnips, and potatoes require more space to grow, so choose a container that can hold a soil depth of 12 inches.

For ornamental plants, this must also be considered. So always remember that when you choose your plants, you will also research its root growth to get it a container that will be suitable for it.

Choose the right medium

Perhaps, you are wondering if the soil from your outdoor garden can be used indoors. Well, it is not advisable to do. Why? Because it carries a lot of microorganisms, including pests and diseases that can affect your plants in the long run. Furthermore, this can also pose health risks for you and your family! Now, what should you use? You can check online for lightweight sterile potting mix. Because the potting mix is not compact, plant roots may develop deep and robust.

Pick plants wisely

We need to acknowledge that not all plants are fit for indoor gardening. Let us say for example, corn. It will be difficult to grow corn inside the house since it will grow really tall and requires a lot of sunlight! Considering this, what should be the characteristics of an indoor plant?

It must have a strong root system. This is critical when selecting a plant. Pulling a plant out of its container to inspect its roots is impractical, but if it is a tiny plant, it can be done. Thick, light-colored roots indicate healthy roots.

It must have thick foliage. A decent rule of thumb for plant foliage is that if you cannot see through it, the foliage is thick enough. Lastly, always check for illness! White spots, sticky residue on the leaves, and a foul odor are all indicators of a plant with pests or disease.

It is also important to note that because you will be growing inside, it is critical to think about the circumstances of your gardening space. You should consider how much light the plants will receive, the temperature of the space, how big the plants will grow, and how long it will take for them to mature.

Use the right light

Generally, fruits and vegetable crops need at least 6 hours direct sunlight daily. If you have a window where sufficient sunlight can pass through, it will be good for your indoor plants to be located near there. But, if you do not have that, using an alternative source of light is required—thus, you can use LED grow lights! These are commercially-available lights that emit the right spectrum for your crops!

Have you ever wondered why most of the LED grow lights for crops are reddish to violet in color? You can observe this if you are growing indoor plants. Here is the reason why. In crop production, we consider red and far-red lights as the essential ones. Far-red lights inhibit seed germination while the red light is the one which promotes the germination. Considering this, it is important to note that white fluorescent lamps are rich in red light, thus it promotes. Whereas, incandescent bulbs are rich in far red light thus inhibiting germination of your seeds.

Try out different plant structures

For indoor gardening, using a trellis would help! Trellis are structures that guide you plants, most especially vine plants, and provide them with a structure to grow further. Another notable type of structure is vertical gardening. You can also explore this, since it uses less space. Vertical gardening involves the usage of pots that can be hung on a wall. Through this structure, you can have a wall full of herbs and crops that can be accessible inside your own home!

Water consistently

Overwatering and underwatering is a no-no for indoor crop production. You must always take note that the water required for a plant is specific to its species. For example, the water requirement of a tomato plant is different to the water requirement of cactus plants.

However in a general view, most gardening professionals recommend that you water houseplants once a week. Even desert plants, such as cactus, require weekly watering, though they can certainly go longer without water than broadleaf plants.

Some plants, especially those that are more fragile, may prefer to be “watered from the bottom.” This implies that you may put water in a dish and then set their pot (with holes on the bottom) in the dish to allow the water to be absorbed upwards. Most houseplants thrive in temperatures ranging from 65o to 75o F, although they can still flourish inside if the temperature is higher or lower.

Use nutrients

Since you will be using other mediums than soil, using nutrients is advised. In general, it is preferable to under-fertilize your plants rather than over-fertilize them, so don’t do it too frequently. Fertilizers are now available in three forms: liquid, pellet, and slow-release. It is essential to conduct some study to determine what would work best for your plants and your lifestyle.

Watch your temperature and humidity

Longevity of seeds increases as temperature decreases. It is important to take note of this rule of thumb: For every 5.6 degree Celsius decrease in temperature, longevity doubles. Regarding relative humidity, we need to remember that viability quickly loses if seeds are stored at 80% relative humidity and temperature of 25 to 30 degree Celsius. Whereas, viability is retained at 50% relative humidity and temperature of 5 degree Celsius.

Watch out for pests

Pests that can affect the seed germination are mostly diseases and insects. As I have mentioned above, molds can conquer your seeds. Aside from this pathogen, damping off can also occur. This is caused by several microorganisms and reddish to brown soft portions in your seedlings start to appear, which attack the lower portion of the stem—affecting the anchorage of your seedlings.Insects such as weevils and ants can also cause physical and mechanical destruction for your seeds.

Onto Gardening!

The best tip I can give you is to enjoy this gardening journey. Truly, taking care of plants can also be therapeutic and can really release stress. So why not start that indoor garden and let that stress out! I assure you that this will be a worthwhile journey. Enjoy your gardening journey.