Before selecting houseplants, various factors need to be taken into account. The first step should be assessing your environment.
If you have small children or travel frequently for work, choosing plants requiring minimal care could be ideal. Furthermore, if there is poor airflow in your home then selecting plants which can adapt accordingly may also be the answer.
Light
Plants add beauty and charm to a home while simultaneously purifying its air. However, not all types of indoor living plants are ideal – especially ones not used to colder temperatures or shorter daylight hours.
Consider your lighting conditions before selecting houseplants – this will provide insight into what kind of care is necessary for each plant.
Light is essential for all plants’ growth and success. While you might be able to cultivate some plants under less-than-ideal conditions, most will thrive best in areas where there is plenty of indirect sunlight coming through (like eastern or western sides of your windows). Southern exposures can provide adequate light levels but should not be considered direct light as it may burn or scorch succulents such as aloe plants.
Supplemental lighting (such as fluorescents) in your home might provide adequate illumination for certain plants, but this approach usually isn’t the most energy efficient way of providing enough illumination. Most plants need at least 12 hours of ‘Good Growth’ light daily for maximum productivity.
Numerous factors can influence how much light a plant requires, including season and temperature fluctuations as well as room where they’re placed. But perhaps the most influential element is how much time you can dedicate to caring for it – if your lifestyle is hectic then low maintenance plants like cacti and succulents may be better options; otherwise, avoid these plants and check if the ones you select are safe around pets who might try nibbling it!
Experience in caring for plants is another factor that often dictates a person’s ability to care for it properly. While some individuals enjoy gardening and the challenge of tending plants fully, others may lack these skills or simply don’t have as much time available for caring for their houseplants. Before purchasing houseplants it’s wise to be honest with yourself regarding both aspects.
Temperature
Houseplants add a natural, fresh feel to our homes and can serve as an elegant focal point. Not only can they purify the air, but they can also help provide a relaxing ambiance for our families and friends. It is vitally important that we understand how temperature affects houseplants in order to keep them healthy; photosynthesis occurs at its optimal conditions only.
Temperature changes can be taxing for plants, particularly during the winter. Constant fluctuations between warm daytime temperatures and freezing chills at night can deprive plants of necessary nutrients while damaging roots and stems of their plant, slowing its development.
Most indoor houseplants originate from tropical or subtropical climates and therefore cannot thrive at our cooler indoor temperatures. To be successful with houseplants, the ideal temperature range should be between 60-75 degrees Fahrenheit in order for most houseplants to flourish in your home environment.
Warmer temperatures accelerate photosynthesis, enabling plants to absorb more water while producing additional sugars that support new tissue development and maintenance. Conversely, lower temperatures impede metabolism, leading plants to save resources such as food and water for later use – often leading to stunted growth or even the death of their host plant.
Drafts can also have detrimental effects on plants, particularly during the winter. Before leaving them on their windowsills during this season and on colder nights, be mindful to inspect for cold drafts around doors and windows to avoid blasts of cold air – this is particularly important with succulents and African violets, which are more sensitive to temperatures.
Before moving a plant indoors, it’s advisable to wait until late summer as this will ensure temperatures between outdoor and indoor environments remain similar – helping the plant adjust more easily to its new home. Heat stress symptoms include browning leaves, wilting, or dryness in plants – should these appear, you should try cooling down the room and applying water directly onto its roots to soothe its distress.
Humidity
Many homeowners choose houseplants because they add aesthetic value and help keep the air in their home fresher. But it’s important to remember that all plants require some degree of care and attention for optimal growth – some being more demanding than others. If you prefer low-maintenance plants such as succulents or ferns, for instance. But if you enjoy being challenged, more finicky varieties might bring beautiful blooms as rewards!
Temperature and humidity should both be taken into consideration when selecting houseplants, since most indoor environments tend to have lower relative humidity levels than what most plants typically grow in naturally due to heaters and A/C units that dry out the air. This may present problems for orchids and aroids which require higher levels of humidity in order to produce flowers or leaf buds.
Low humidity levels will inhibit houseplants’ ability to replace water lost through their stomata – tiny openings on their leaves that allow gases to pass in and out, including water vapor – as they close. To protect houseplants in humid conditions from loss and wilting, ideal humidity levels must be maintained within your home environment.
If you’re uncertain whether your home’s humidity levels are optimal, there are several methods of testing it. One such way is looking out for water droplets on windows or wall tiles; if visible, this indicates high humidity conditions in your home. A less precise yet more straightforward way of measuring humidity would be checking plant leaves for fungus growth; since fungus grows more quickly under humid conditions and can quickly spread across entire plants if given enough moisture.
Remember, even though tropical plants can make beautiful additions to any home, if they’re unfamiliar with your climate they might not flourish as expected. If you decide on adding one that requires higher humidity levels be prepared to mist it regularly in order to ensure it receives sufficient amounts of moisture from within your environment.
Water
There are numerous factors that influence the health and well-being of houseplants, and water can play an essential part in their wellbeing. Selecting appropriate water can make an enormous difference in their development as it helps them reach their maximum growth potential while preventing issues like rotting and fungal diseases from developing.
Rainwater or distilled water may be the ideal option for houseplants, as both types are free from minerals and chemicals that could harm sensitive houseplants. Furthermore, both have higher oxygen content as well as being rich in calcium and magnesium for healthy plant growth. Bottled distilled water is widely available at grocery stores but must not contain added sodium which could harm your plants.
If you live in an area that receives heavy rainfall, harvesting rainwater for your plants is another viable solution. Rainwater contains low concentrations of magnesium and calcium and is usually free from chlorine or fluoride contamination – however this option can be difficult for urban dwellers due to space requirements for storing large barrels.
Even without access to rainwater sources, you can still provide your plants with high-quality water by installing a rainwater collection system or purchasing filtered tap water. Filtered tap water offers additional advantages over unfiltered versions due to removing contaminants such as fluoride, chlorine and heavy metals that could otherwise pose threats.
How often you should water houseplants depends heavily on both their species and environment. Certain houseplants are more forgiving than others and will survive even without regular watering, but most thrive with consistent but not excessively frequent irrigation. A simple way to tell if your plant needs watering is by sticking your finger into its soil to determine if it’s dry; an overwatered houseplant could result in root rot and attract fungus gnats!
