Quarantine might have you doing things you’ve never done before. Maybe you never had the time to think about keeping or maintaining an indoor plant. But now, stuck indoors with not much to do, you are out looking for a beginner’s guide to help you bloom as a plant parent. Time to learn how to take care of your indoor plants!
From adding a touch of greenery and purifying the air of your home, plants have many benefits. Additionally, indoor plants offer stress relief and teach you patience. They are easily the best investment you can make for your home decor.
Your indoor plants have an array of benefits to offer. However, it is important how to properly look after them to keep them alive and thriving.
Here are some tips to better understand and care for your indoor plants:
1. Understand what you need from your indoor plant
Most indoor plants release oxygen into the air to benefit us. Similarly, some might even release CO2 at the end of photosynthesis. Therefore, it is good to understand your purpose behind keeping a plant. Next, choose an indoor plant that suits your needs the best.
Do you need a plant that is prickle-free and pet friendly? Or is one that purifies the air in your apartment with minimal care better suited?
On the whole, you must understand the qualities your choice plant brings to your environment.
2. Understand what your indoor plant needs from you
Once you set your heart on which indoor plant you want as a Roomi, get to know it better. Specifically, understand the amount of sunlight it prefers and the amount of water required. Accordingly, it may need extra humidity or be unable to survive in your air conditioning.
See also: A Simple Guide To Taking Care Of Houseplants In The Fall
3. Make sure your existing Roomis are okay with you getting an indoor plant
You might be thinking – who doesn’t like indoor plants? While humans are mostly allergic to only the pollen of flowers, your pets might feel otherwise. If you have cats, talk to your garden center to find out if your indoor plants could cause allergies to your feline Roomi.
In case you have a dog, good luck to you and your plant! Of course, dogs consider themselves detectives, digging up dirt to get to the – literal – root of things. Oops!
4. How much water is too much water for your indoor plant babies?
If plants had a warning sign, it would be – ‘overwatering kills!’
To sum up, when the plant pot holds excess water for too long, the roots will rot. Consequently, your plants will face an inevitable demise.
To avoid that, do the soil finger test: Press your finger into the soil. If it is damp, your plant does not need more water.
Nonetheless, ask your plant retailer about how much and how often you need to be watering your indoor plants. Also, make sure there’s a drainage hole in the pot that houses your plant for the excess water to find its way out.
5. Give your plants the space to grow
Caring for your indoor plants involves choosing the right pot for your plant. Make sure it has enough space to grow if it’s a plant that likes to branch out. For instance, if your plant roots seem to be outgrowing the drainage hole, it’s time to replace the pot. But you should not change the pot or your plant’s position too often since plants are slow to adapt.
If you have multiple plants, make sure that they are not in the way of each other’s growth. Additionally, try to keep a distance between them to give them ample amounts of space to branch out without having to compete or restrict each other’s growth.
6. Sing or talk to your plants
There’s speculation as to whether a plant benefits from you talking nicely or singing to it. But we reckon, what’s the harm? You can tell them your innermost thoughts, talk about your deepest feelings, and they can be the ultimate therapist without you having to answer ‘how do you feel about that?’ during every conversation. Not to mention, it’s absolutely free of charge!
On the other hand, If you’d like to sing to them, they’re an audience that will leave you feeling good about yourself after every performance!
Especially during quarantine, if you live all by yourself, consider your indoor plants as your best friends and take good care of them, because they are willing to take good care of you!
D’you know what else Roomi does outside of helping its readers take care of plants? With our ever-increasing lists of rooms and roommates across the world, we help you find your perfect match! Download the app here and hop on the easiest ride home, ever!
