Indoor Plants: Difference between revisions

Indoor plants refer to any plant that is in an indoor setting, regardless of their type or light requirements. Raising and nurturing indoor plants is a great first step for those interested in gardening. Unfortunately, learning about indoor plant care is like learning about healthy eating: it is filled with contradicting opinions and "facts", along with beginner traps and scams. Many people buy a plant, and get discouraged when it quickly dies. This article is intended to help the average person navigate many of these pitfalls. This article is packed with information which may be a bit intimidating to a new plant owner, but it will list many easy plants that a first time plant owner can buy and gradually take in information in this article over time as they run into new challenges. The information in it has been compiled to the best of our knowledge, and will improve over time.  

A common myth is that houseplants can purify the air in a home. This is based on a [[w:NASA_Clean_Air_Study|1989 NASA study]] that has never been successfully replicated. While it is true that plants take a part in purifying the air around us, they do so in great numbers. The effectiveness of air purification would vary from plant to plant, and noticeable air purification may require an unreasonably large concentration of plants in each room, if successful at all. There have however have been attempts to [https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.est.8b04811 genetically modify plants to excel at purifying air]. A company known as [https://neoplants.com/product/neo-px Neoplants] sells microbial powder to put in the soil of plants that they claim makes the plant "30 times better at purifying air", but these packets have a proprietary design and are only sold through the companies subscription service.  

But the positive effect indoor plants have on mental health should not be understated. Plants have been shown to drastically improve the effects of people with mental illnesses. They can make a room much more inviting. Certain houseplants like the Aloe Vera also have healing properties. For the food benefits of indoor plants, check out our article on [[Indoor Gardening]].  

There are many places to buy indoor plants, the most common places in the west are big box stores. But the plants sold in them are often poorly maintained by underpaid employees who usually do not prioritize the health and well-being of these plants. Often these plants can go a very long time with no water, and are stuck in places that receive inadequate lighting. Buying plants from these stores encourages the unethical conditions these stores provide their plants and employees. Buying plants online is a better option, as you are given access to plants that have received a higher quality of care, but the online plant market is full of scams that are easy to fall for, especially with seeds. The time it can take to transport these plants can also have a negative impact on their health. You are also trusting overworked delivery drivers (who are expected to be fast) to handle your plants with care. The safest and most ethical option is buy locally from reputable Mom and Pop stores and community markets, and to check online communities for advice on what online stores you can trust.

When you see a plant for sale in a physical space, observe it. How healthy do it's leaves look? Are they turning yellow or brown? If the tips of it's leaves are brown, or its leaves have holes, this may indicate problems, but can be normal on some types of plant. Sagging plants are problematic, but depending on the species they may just bounce back after being watered. Look very closely at the plant to observe for pests, some like the Spider Mite may be as small as a speck of dust. Finally check the soil. How dry does it feel? Unless it's a cactus or succulent, most plants wont be happy with dry soil and can indicate the level of care the plant has received. If it's roots are popping out of the soil the soil that is a sign that the plant may need to be transferred to a larger pot once it's adjusted to your home. It's a great idea to consult the seller or search the internet when you see things like this<gallery>

Plants sold in any store can vary in levels of toxicity and are often not advertised as such. This toxicity usually involves oral contact with the plant, which often makes them a hazard for pets and young children. Always search the internet to find the toxicity of any plant you buy. Don't assume anything based on the species of plant, because some plants of the same type can vary in levels of toxicity. Other plants are misclassified with deceptive names. For example: Most palm trees are non-toxic, but the "Sago Palm" is not a real palm tree, and it can cause liver failure in adult humans if any part of it is ingested. Some plants like the Pothos are only mildly toxic, and will most likely cause discomfort long before enough of it is ingested to cause serious issues. It's important to use your own personal judgement.

Different types of houseplants need different levels of light. If a plant doesn't require much light, you may be able to keep it several feet away from a window, but some plants marked as "low light tolerant" may grow better with more light than advertised, so always check each individual plant. Some plants can have different colored leaves, or parts of them that are not green. This is known as "variegation", and it's a general rule of thumb that the less green a plant is, the more light it will need, as the green parts of a plant are the only parts that can perform photosynthesis.  

Grow lights are devices that emit a spectrum of light similar to the sun, and in some cases can be an imperfect solution to a plant for inadequate lighting. Grow lights come in all shapes, sizes, and levels of brightness. Some are merely bulbs that can fit into your existing lights. Grow lights are often overlooked because they may feel unnatural to the plant owner, but the health of your plant is much more important, and plants that require bright indirect light (like indoor palm trees and cactus's) will be much happier with them if your house cannot provide the bright indirect light they need. Grow lights with dimming options are great for beginners, as they can make more difficult plants easier to care for. Not all plants will appreciate a strong grow light however. A Peace Lilly for example may receive burned leaves and discolored flowers when receiving too much light. Grow lights may also help you during winter during the many days your plants don't receive much might. Grows light can even allow outdoor plants to grow inside your home with varying levels of success. '''Just remember that you should never leave your plants exposed to grow lights for more than 12 hours. For ease of use, get a grow light with a timer, or a timed outlet to plug it into.'''  

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Some plants will want to expand out and climb on objects in search of light (and in some cases nutrients), but not every plant does so the same way, and some have special needs. Some plants are only seeking light and will wrap themselves on to just about any safe object you give them. Other plants such as the Pothos and Monstera will have roots on their stems, and are looking for moist places to grow those roots in to. While not required, they will be in better health if allowed so. There are 3 solutions to this: Trimming the plant from getting too long (if possible), or providing the plant a moss pole or wood plank to climb on. Wood planks take advantage of these plants desire to cling to trees are the cheapest and lowest maintenance solution. But since they provide no solution for your plant to expand it's roots, they do not promote optimal health for your plant. Moss poles come in many types but the right ones are designed to be filled with sphagnum moss and have holes for your plant to root into as it climbs up them. They provide optimal health, but must be watered frequently, and certain pests love them.

There is a lot of confusion as to how to water a plant, and how much water it needs, and often the instructions provided with plant purchase are inadequate if not detrimental instructions on how to water them. Many large corporations that sell these plants are more interested in making the plant appear as easy to maintain as possible, rather than the longevity of the plant. It's important before you water your plant that you know a bit about pots, so we will start there.

A good majority of plants are sold in pots with no outer drainage, but contain a secondary container inside (often called a net) that contains the plant and its soil. This net has drainage holes at the bottom. This allows the plant to be pulled out of the pot and watered. Some plants are sold in a nursery pot, and are intended to be put in a proper pot after purchase. '''The best pots for beginners have easy to remove covers for their drainage holes.''' Finally, some plants will be in a "self watering" pot that has no drainage at all and is intended to keep the plant constantly hydrated. They will often have a water gauge near the bottom of the pot. While some plants may benefit from these, self watering pots are often harmful to many of the plants they are sold with, as they tend to rot the plants roots and attract pests that love moist soil.

One last thing to keep in mind is that the type of material the pot is made of can impact how long it retains water. The most common pot types are Plastic, Ceramic, and Terracotta. The main thing you want to know here is that Terracotta pots don't retain water as long as other pots due to their porous material, and are often recommended for Cactus's and other plants that don't want wet roots for very long, but terrible for plants like Calatheas that need consistently moist soil. <gallery widths="150" heights="150">

Now that you know the pot, it's time to water. The following information is generalist advice for many beginner friendly plants, and may not apply to all: When it comes to watering most plants, it's not how much water you provide the plant, but it's how well the water drains from the soil after each watering. Most of these plants don't want soggy soil, and their roots need oxygen, but they also don't want to be under watered. The solution here is to water your plant until water pours out from the drainage holes in it's pot or net (after pulling out). Let the water excessively drain until infrequent drips are left. Many plants will want water again when the the first few inches of top soil are dry, which is often in the span of a week (or less). Other plants like Cactuses will want their soil to completely dry out, and thus watering them every 2 weeks is usually a safe bet. When checking soil moisture, try to feel the soil gently to keep it from compacting over time. Prolonged exposure to excessive watering can cause the plants roots to rot which will kill your plant and attract pests. Some companies may tell you that you can water your plant with a few ice cubes a week, but this is usually a terrible idea, as most houseplants are from tropical places and may be shocked from the rapid increase in temperature.

A common thing first time plant adopters don't realize is the periodic maintenance that comes with their plants ever-growing roots. Most plants want to grow, and to support their growth, they need more roots. As their roots continue to grow, the more space they need. With this, a plant owner will either want to prune the plants roots to eventually stunt growth, or rehome them in a 1-2 inch larger pot to promote growth.

There are 2 main methods of root management when it comes to repotting: Clean cutting 20% of the roots on the bottom half of your plant with a knife and then de-tangling them, or leaving the roots alone. When detangling, be gentle, but don't stress yourself out over a few broken roots. The difficulty in separating roots from the soil can differ from plant to plant. Some plants tend to have large, easy to separate roots. Cactuses and Succulents tend to have many more small roots that can be a pain to separate (don't try too hard, it's better to leave more soil on these than destroy too many them). Most plants are somewhere in the middle.

Keep in mind that different plants need different types of soil. Using the soil you dug up straight from your lawn is a terrible idea and should never be attempted as it alone usually does not contain all the nutrients your plant needs. Beginners should stick with common soil mixtures you can buy are standard mixes, arrid mixes for palm trees and succulents, and tropical mixes for tropical plants like the Pothos. While some plants wont mind pots with only those soil mixtures, other plants will do better when this soil is mixed with other stuff like perlite and orchid bark to help keep the soil more loose. Each plant has different soil needs, and there are plenty of guides online for each individual plant.  

If you repot your plants several times a year using common brands of premixed packages of soil like miracle gro, fertilizing your plant is often unnecessary, as the new soil plants receive from repotting is filled with half a year's worth of new nutrients. However, if your plant is slow growing, or does not have much soil in it's potting mix, your plant may require fertilizer every other month depending on the plants specific needs. Different plants often need different types of fertilizer.

Most houseplants sold in stores come from tropical climates, as those kind of plants are typically built to live for years. The drawback to this is that they prefer humidity, and depending on the plant, will be less healthy in dry rooms. The brown tips you often see on plants can come from their struggle to absorb moisture from the air around them. Other plants from arid climates like deserts hate humidity, and prefer dry rooms. People have come up with many solutions for providing humidity to plants with various success, such as putting rocks on the plants soil, frequently misting their plants, and placing their plants in a bathroom. The most effective beginner method to keep a high humidity plant happy is to get an ultrasonic humidifier for the room the plant is in.<gallery>

Despite being in more controlled environments, indoor plants are not free from insects who want to feed on them. These insects not only find their way into your house the same way the other disinterested bugs do, but they can also come from compromised plants you bring in to your home, and in some cases may even come from the soil you buy. Here are some of the most common pests a North American will have to deal with. Hopefully in the future this will updated with a template that can show pests in different regions.

The most common pests a plant owner will inevitably deal with are Fungus Gnats. They resemble fruit flies, but they are attracted to the moisture in your plants soil (or your moss poles wet moss). They will lay eggs in the soil, and the offspring of those eggs will feed on your plants roots. The adults can be killed with sticky paper and apple cider vinegar traps. The young can be killed by with Neem seed meal that comes from Neem trees. Mix it with the water you feed your plants, and keep in mind that neem also acts as a fertilizer for the plant, and thus should be used in moderation. Certain species of small Nematode worms such as ''Steinernema Feltiae'' can also eat the offspring of these gnats without harming the plant, and are also distributed by water. Neither of these solutions will fully kill off the Fungus Gnats, but they will greatly reduce their populations, and are safer alternatives to other commonly recommended solutions, such as pesticides, hydrogen peroxide, and letting the plants soil fully dry out.

 

Ways to detect them are sooty mold, honeydew, and white waxy surfaces known as scale wax. These insects are very small, and may only be spotted with a magnifying glass or hand lens. Even with that, they do not look like typical bugs due to the hardening liquid they cover themselves with. They come in two main families.