User:Aeong/Indoor Gardening: Difference between revisions

Indoor Gardening refers to the act of raising and nurturing plants indoors, regardless of whether they bare food. It is a great first step for beginners who want to learn gardening but do not have the time or resources to garden outdoors. Unfortunately, learning indoor gardening 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. The information in it has been compiled to the best of our knowledge, and will improve over time.  

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 Spidermite 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 often a sign that the plant will need to be repotted very soon. 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 a Cycad, 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.

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, and are most commonly used to grow seedlings indoors during colder months to eventually plant outdoors when they are in season.

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, and 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.

|Sharp pointed spines  

|Despite lower cold tolerance, it does not handle frost very well. It stores so much water in it's leaves that overwatering can greatly harm it. Aloe Vera pieces can be rubbed on skin to heal burns.

|Providing this plant with the necessary light and humidity levels can be challenging due to its size. A large grow light can benefit this plant. A humidifier is recommended to prevent its leaves from browning, as well as to repel spider mite pests. This plant can be challenging to diagnose because it often kills off its lower parts to support new growth; therefore, it requires frequent trimming for aesthetic purposes.

|Ferns are very finicky plants that require specific lighting and humidity conditions; without them, they may die. They often shed their dead leaves over your floor.

|Lightly sharp edges at top

|Calatheas come in many varieties, often in shades of green or dark purple. They are very picky plants. They need their soil to be consistently moist (but not waterlogged), they need high humidity, specific levels and durations of brightness, and they re happiest when watered with distilled water. They move around a lot each day to signal when they are ready for sunlight, which may help the plant owner set a timer for a grow light to point at the plant.

If you bought the plant from a store, The first thing you will want to know before you water your plant is what type of pot it's in. A good majority of these plants are sold in pots with no drainage, but contain a secondary container inside (often called a net) that contains the plant and its soil, and 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. Others will already be in a pot that has drainage holes and can be watered with no extra steps. 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.

Keep in mind that different plants need different types of soil. Using the soil you dug up 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. Some of the most 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.  

Aphids are sap sucking insects that come in a variety of bright colors. They prefer to target the most tender parts of a plant, which is usually new growth. You will usually find them hiding underneath your plants leaves. They usually do not lay eggs indoors, and can be killed with an insecticidal soap, Neem oil, or unleashing ladybugs onto your plant.