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During those long winter months one can bring a little bit of the outdoors in with with some indoor gardening. Having plants in the home can really add to your decor and helps off than the look of every room as well as add to your health. Indoor plants can help add moisture to the air as well as help filter the air by exchanging carbon dioxide for oxygen.

Indoor gardening is no more demanding than outdoor gardening and you don’t have to have a lot of plants to make a big difference in your home. Just like outdoor plants those that you keep indoors need some basic things such as lighting water and nutrients.

Different types of indoor plants require different amounts of lighting but most plants will grow better with good light. You can help provide this by placing plants near windows where they can get natural light but you may also want to buy a special plant grow light especially for those dark winter days. When choosing plants for your indoor garden, keep in mind that the darker leafed plants usually don’t need as much light as the other plants.

Many people tend to kill their indoor plants by overwatering them. While your indoor garden needs water just like your outdoor garden it’s important to remember that these plants are in containers and you can’t just load them up with a ton of water that will stand in the container and perhaps wrought the roots. Be sure that each container has a good drainage system, perhaps with rocks at the very bottom of the container, and a saucer for the water to drain out into. You should not let the soil get to dry but don’t overwater either. Check your in your garden at least once a week to to see if it needs watering.

With indoor gardening, humidity can be a problem particularly in the winter when it is very dry. To keep your plants moisturized you can spray them with a fine mist and if it is really dry dry wrapping the plant in a cone of newspaper or wax paper and missing the play and then. The cold will help keep the moisture into the plant.

Different plants require different kinds and amounts of fertilization. You should be aware of each planning your indoor garden and what its needs are. You can buy indoor fertilizer from any home goods or garden store and you can even buy fertilizer sticks that you stick in the container at the grocery store. Some exotic plants like orchids need special fertilizer of most regular houseplants just use the regular fertilizer you can find in any store.

Here’s a few plants you might want to add to your indoor garden:

African violets

These plants have pretty purple flowers and green glossy leaves. They are quite often grown indoors and can add colorful splash to your indoor garden. They like light but don’t put them right in the final get scorched. Avoid overwatering as this will kill them.

Philodendrons

These of the most popular and Hardy of all indoor garden plants. They are full of large green leaves and prefer a medium light. It’s best to let them dry out a bit between wanderings and you can keep the little dryer in the winter. If the leaves turn brown and you’re not watering them enough. They like high humidity but will do okay in most homes. Be sure to wash the leaves off often to remove dust.

Boston Ferns

The Boston fern is a popular indoor plant which produces a thick bundle of leaves. It requires diffused lighting and will need a grow light in rooms where there is not enough natural light. They can be sensitive to chlorine and tap water so watering regularly with distilled water is best. Boston ferns can be a bit difficult to grow as they like cool locations with a lot of humidity. Misting your Boston fern each day can help it be happy and healthy.

Jade Plant

They Jade Plant is a succulent and can tolerate very dry conditions. These plants are extremely tolerant and difficult to kill so few one start in indoor garden but don’t have a green calm you do well to consider one of these.

Article Source: http://www.gardenarticlesexchange.com

Lee Dobbins writes for www.backyard-garden-and-patio.com where you can learn more about plants and gardening.

For enthusiastic gardeners, their plants are like their family. They like spending time talking to them, trim them appropriately, and ensure proper care and treatment. Few plants are grown indoors for decorative and scientific purposes. People do spend a lot of time and money on maintaining their indoor garden. This article gives you some helpful tips.

Tackling Pests

You can easily get pesticides to kill the common insects found on your favorite plants. However, a few pesticides might harm the plant itself and would pollute the air inside the house. Moreover, these pesticides should be kept away from children, as they might be poisonous when consumed or inhaled in large quantities. You can use home remedies to get rid of these insects, instead. The following tips for indoor gardening would help you get rid of them without it affecting your health and home -

1. You can rub alcohol on the plant parts like juicy leaves, stems, joints of stem and branches that are usually affected by these insects.
2. You can use chili pepper or dish soap to get rid of the insects.
3. You may not like the smell of asafetida, neither do insects. You can even bury it in the soil to prevent the insects sitting on your plants.
4. You can also mix turmeric or limestone in water and can pour the mixture around the plant in the soil. Take care not to pour it on top of the plant.

Growing Plants Well

Besides pests, there are other enemies of the plants grown indoors. What are they? They are a few environmental conditions like -

- pH and the type of the soil
- Hardness of water
- Sunlight, heat, and humidity
- Fertilizers and other factors.

It is recommended to check if a plant can survive without natural light and heat before opting for indoor gardening, since a few plants tend to die out when you try transplanting them. Moreover, if the soil is too acidic or alkaline, it may harm the plant. Make sure you do not use water with a high chlorine content, as it may be harmful. Too much or too little water also would be detrimental to plant growth.

It is important to remove dead leaves, twigs from the plants to keep them healthy. You should also maintain the air and surroundings clean for healthy plants.

Suitable Plants For Your Home

There are a few plants that are quite attractive to look at, and can grow anywhere. However, they might be poisonous in nature. If you have children at home or visiting you, it is advised not to have such plants at home. These plants may not cause death but may be harmful if consumed. To be on the safe side, it is better to know about the plants you would like to grow indoors.

If you want to try indoor gardening, here are a few plants that are safe.
- Most types of ferns, a few ferns even have flowers that are consumable.
- Cactus
- Crotons that can be used as decorative pieces
- African Violet
- Rubber plant
- Swedish Ivy
- Peperomia
- Spider plant

Keep these tips in mind when you try your hand at indoor gardening and you will definitely be happy with the results.

Article Source: http://www.gardenarticlesexchange.com

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