User:Aeong/Indoor Gardening: Difference between revisions
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== Where to Buy Plants == | == Where to Buy Plants == | ||
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, 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. | 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. | ||
== Determining Plant Health == | == Determining Plant Health == | ||
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!Other Information | !Other Information | ||
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|[[File: | |[[File:Sansevieria_trifasciata_Colombia.jpg|frameless|150x150px]] | ||
|Snake Plant | |Snake Plant | ||
|Moderately toxic when ingested. | |Moderately toxic when ingested. | ||
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|Leaf damage is often permanent; handle with care. Plant is capable of breaking pots it's inside of if root maintenance is not done several times a year. | |Leaf damage is often permanent; handle with care. Plant is capable of breaking pots it's inside of if root maintenance is not done several times a year. | ||
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|[[File: | |[[File:An_Echinocactus_grusonii.jpg|frameless|150x150px]] | ||
|Golden Barrel Cactus | |Golden Barrel Cactus | ||
|Sharp pointed spines | |Sharp pointed spines | ||
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|Its spines and shape might make it a small challenge to re-pot. Use a lifting utensil to remove it from it's pot. | |Its spines and shape might make it a small challenge to re-pot. Use a lifting utensil to remove it from it's pot. | ||
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|[[File: | |[[File:Starr_011104-0040_Aloe_vera.jpg|frameless|150x150px]] | ||
|Aloe Vera | |Aloe Vera | ||
|Moderately toxic when ingested. | |Moderately toxic when ingested. | ||
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|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. | |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. | ||
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|[[File: | |[[File:Aspidistra_02_(fcm).jpg|frameless|150x150px]] | ||
|Cast-iron Plant | |Cast-iron Plant | ||
|Moderately toxic when ingested, its roots are more toxic than the leaves. | |Moderately toxic when ingested, its roots are more toxic than the leaves. | ||
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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. | 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. | ||
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 | 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"> | ||
File:Epipremnum aureum (Marble Queen) houseplant (2).png|A Terracotta Pot | File:Epipremnum aureum (Marble Queen) houseplant (2).png|A Terracotta Pot | ||
File:PXL 20251005 145007585.RAW-01.COVER.jpg|A Ceramic Pot | File:PXL 20251005 145007585.RAW-01.COVER.jpg|A Ceramic Pot | ||
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=== Proper Watering === | === Proper Watering === | ||
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. | 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. | ||
=== Water Purity === | === Water Purity === | ||
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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. | 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 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. | |||
== Fertilization == | |||
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. | |||
== Humidity Levels == | == Humidity Levels == | ||
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 | 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> | ||
File:Ultrasonic humidifier.jpg|An Ultrasonic Humidifier | File:Ultrasonic humidifier.jpg|An Ultrasonic Humidifier | ||
File:Spruehflasche 02 (fcm).jpg|A Spray Bottle for Misting Plants | File:Spruehflasche 02 (fcm).jpg|A Spray Bottle for Misting Plants | ||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
== Pests == | == Pests == | ||