Indoor gardens are a great way to beautify your home. Not only that, but many plants also offer air purifying properties, along with fresh fruits and vegetables, meaning that your humble indoor garden could end up improving your health in multiple ways.
Of course, there are a few key differences when gardening indoors compared to outdoors. Here’s everything you need to know to get started:
Choose a Bright Location
It goes without saying that the spot in your home you pick for your indoor garden needs to receive plenty of light. And yes, we’re talking sunlight, rather than light from light bulbs. Unfortunately, unless you invest in a set of grow lights, standard light bulbs don’t emit the wavelengths that plants need to photosynthesise.
Ideally, choose a location that’ll give your plants between 10-14 hours of light a day. Of course, light requirements will vary depending on the plants that you decide to grow…
Pick the Right Plants
Many outdoor plants do extremely well when grown inside, giving you plenty of options when it comes to filling your indoor garden with lush greenery.
The plants you choose will depend on how much space you have. If you’re working with a tiny windowsill, then small plants will be your focus. However, if you have a little more space to play with, then you can go bigger – you could even consider a couple of small indoor trees, such as an olive tree or a golden barrel cactus.
Try to opt for a variety. Look for evergreen plants, along with flowering plants, and possibly scented plants too.
Keep an Eye on Temperature and Humidity
This is where many people struggle when it comes to indoor gardens; temperature and humidity. Many homes are simply too warm and too dry for certain plants. However, other plants, perhaps the more exotic types, thrive in the heat.
That said, the temperature of your home is something that you likely have control over, as opposed to humidity. This isn’t so easy to manipulate, which is why many indoor gardeners swear by regularly misting their plants with water. This helps to increase humidity around the plants, as does positioning your plants so that they’re grouped close together.
Establish a Watering Schedule
It’s vital that you fully understand exactly how much water your indoor plants need. As mentioned, the air inside most homes is pretty dry. As a result, plants dry out much faster, especially since they’re grown in pots rather than in the ground.
So, an indoor garden will need to be watered more frequently than an outdoor garden. That said, over-watering can be a killer too, so keep a close eye on how your plants are doing in order to establish a suitable watering schedule.
Summary
There’s no denying that there’s a fair bit of work involved when it comes to setting up and maintaining an indoor garden. However, that little patch of greenery in your home will bring you so much joy over the years, making it worth dedicating some time and attention too!