Growing a houseplant can be a very enjoyable hobby and a great way to improve a drab interiorscape if you know the basic steps of indoor cultivation.
Without some understanding of houseplant care basics, though, you may have felt confused and frustrated when trying to keep a plant alive. For a lot of people, this is what happens, and they give up.
Growing inside can be done well if you know the five steps for success.
Most people would guess overwatering a houseplant is the No. 1 cause of premature death. However, incorrect light exposure is the No. 1 reason most people fail. Before you purchase a houseplant, know if you have a proper location for the plant to thrive.
If the label says "full sun exposure," the plant should be placed several inches from a south-facing window with the blinds fully opened.
If your plant label says "filtered sunlight," place your plant in front of a west- or east-facing window. Plants can also be placed across the room from a south-facing window and still have a filtered-light growing environment.
Finally, if your label says "low light," use a north-facing window, or set the plant in the interior of your house. Low-light plants are the easiest to grow inside, and most houseplants fall into this category.
The second step is proper watering. Many people struggle to get this right, and it can be confusing to master for each plant. The easiest method to determine if your houseplant needs to be watered is to stick your index finger into the soil up to the second knuckle.
If your finger comes back wet and covered in black dirt, you don't need to water yet. If you have no soil or just a little bit stuck on your finger, then you need to water.
When you water, always make sure some comes out the bottom of the pot. Most plant roots are in the bottom two-thirds of the pot.
If you are unable to work your finger into the soil up to your second knuckle, that is a strong indicator your plant is root-bound - this is what happens when a plant outgrows its pot, and the roots, with nowhere to go, grow into a tight circle that slows or stops growth. In that case, the plant needs to be repotted.
Having the right temperature is the third step for successfully growing houseplants.
For houseplants that never or rarely flower, the correct temperature rage is 70 to 80 degrees during the day and about 60 to 68 degrees at night.
For a flowering houseplant, the daytime temperature can be the same as the non-flowering plants, but to get the most vibrant blooms, they need a nighttime temperature that is a bit cooler, 55 to 60 degrees to rest and grow properly.
This may be your biggest challenge when growing indoors. One tool that can help is a min/max thermometer. It reads the highs and lows of temperature and can help you know the best place in your house to set your new plant.
The fourth step is humidity and ventilation. Indoor humidity can be very difficult to control. Most houses have forced-air units that lower the humidity. This is never a good situation for houseplants or human skin.
If you notice leaves starting to elongate and narrow over the entire plant, then you have a low-humidity problem. Raise it by setting a humidifier or a shallow dish of water near the plant. Replace the water in the tray as it evaporates. Any time home-heating units are being used, low humidity will be a problem.
Ventilation typically is only a problem in a small, closed-off room with no circulating air. Opening the door will fix this.
The fifth step is proper fertilization. Most houseplants, including cacti and succulents, only need to be fertilized once a month, April through October. In the winter, just water. Make sure you use the right fertilizer for your houseplants. Cacti and succulents use a different formulation than other plants.
Many commercial plant food companies tell you to feed your plant every two weeks all year. However, they are selling fertilizer. The tell-tale sign of a dry white or yellow crust on top of your potting soil will show overfertilization. The crust is excess fertilizer salt deposits. If you notice this residue forming, flush your pot with clean water.
Flush houseplants with clean water every six months, regardless or whether fertilizer salts are present. Outside plants get lots of rain, so the soil is always getting flushed of excess nutrients.
In potted plants, especially houseplants, the excess salts stay in the potting media and can cause a toxic root environment and even plant death. To properly flush your pots, pour three times the regular amount of water you normally use. Let the pot dry, and continue watering and fertilizing per your regular schedule.
Chris Postalwait is the agricultural and environmental research station and greenhouse manager for West Virginia State University Research & Development Corporation. He is also the former owner of Orange Vine LLC., a wholesale commercial pumpkin and vegetable farm in Mason County. Contact Chris at postalcm@wvstateu.edu.