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Knowing the mistakes to avoid when growing plants indoors is an important first step in your plant care journey.
Growing plants indoors is not simply about proper lighting and regular watering, but also requires proper care. Careful but incorrect care can cause you to accidentally kill your plants.
If you are a plant lover, you will want to keep your plants looking fresh and beautiful. Knowing the mistakes to avoid when growing plants indoors is an important first step in your plant care journey.
Over watering
Overwatering is one of the mistakes to avoid when growing plants indoors.
Many people have the misconception that all plants need regular watering. In fact, many houseplants only need to be watered once a week, and some need even less water than that.
“Make sure you research your plant and understand its specific watering requirements,” advises Kaylyn Hewitt, a renowned floral designer in the US. “Plants need different watering schedules and there is no one-size-fits-all schedule.”
Checking the soil in the pot every three days is a good rule of thumb to make sure you’re not overwatering your plant. If it feels dry and hard, it’s time to grab your watering can; if it’s still moist, adding water could cause root rot, especially in the winter when temperatures drop.
Also, if your plant lives in a humid environment, instead of overwatering, you should try using some misting tools.
Choose the wrong soil
Many people underestimate the importance of soil when it comes to caring for houseplants. Some soils lack the nutrients, texture, and composition to help plants thrive.
When it comes to growing plants indoors, you can’t just use any soil. You should research the specific plants you plan to grow to determine the type of soil. You must make sure that the soil you mix or buy is suitable for the requirements of each type of plant. Some plants like sandy soil, some like loam, some like humus mixed soil...
Some plants need soil that retains moisture well, while others, such as cacti, do best with fast-draining soil (high in sand and peat) to prevent root rot.
Additionally, you should purchase organic plant food and add 1 drop each week to enrich the soil.
Providing too much or too little light
Too much or too little light can be the “kiss of death” for your houseplants. Plants need light, but most houseplants are soft-bodied and only need low or diffused sunlight. If you put them in direct sunlight, especially on summer days, they will easily wilt.
Not providing enough light can also cause the plant to die due to lack of photosynthesis.
Therefore, before placing plants anywhere in the house, you should learn about their light needs.
Change the position of the tree regularly
Each type of bonsai needs different lighting conditions, humidity... When placed in the right corner, it will quickly adapt to the environmental conditions there. But if you constantly "turn around" the bonsai, they will be "shocked by the environment", unable to adapt and will easily wither and die. This is a mistake to avoid when growing plants indoors that you must remember.
Temperature is too hot or too cold
Houseplants generally thrive in moderate, consistent temperatures. Only a few plants prefer temperatures cooler or warmer than their indoor environment. A safe daytime temperature for houseplants is 18-24 degrees Celsius.
A stable and moderate temperature will help the plant grow healthily. If you place the plant on a balcony or window with strong drafts, in winter, move it indoors.
Do not clean the leaves
Not cleaning leaves is a mistake in caring for indoor plants.
Many people are surprised to learn that leaf cleaning is an essential part of indoor plant care. Regular leaf cleaning keeps your plants looking shiny and green, while also keeping them healthy.
Houseplants often struggle with a lack of sunlight, especially if they are kept in a dark room. Dust and dirt buildup on the foliage prevents the plant from absorbing light, reducing its ability to photosynthesize. As a result, the plant cannot convert water, carbon dioxide, and sunlight into usable oxygen and sugar. As a result, the plant becomes weak and fails to thrive.
In addition, clean leaves help purify the air, absorb fine dust and toxins, giving you a cleaner living environment.
Pot size is not suitable
A pot that is too small will not have enough space for the roots, causing the plant to be stunted and unable to grow. A pot that is too large will easily cause water to accumulate, causing root rot. Therefore, you should choose the right pot size, so that water can drain easily and the roots have enough space to grow.
If your plant seems to have outgrown its current pot, you should repot it. While repotting, you should loosen the soil and add some nutrients to help the plant grow healthily.
No care, no root cleaning
You need to take care and prune, clean up rotten roots to keep the tree healthy.
Most people are so caught up in the shape of the leaves, stems and flowers of their plants that they forget to take care of the roots.
Roots are the nutritional vessels of the plant, helping to provide nutrients and moisture for the plant to grow, so they need to be kept healthy.
When observing your plant, you may notice that the roots are trying to break free from the pot. This is when you need to repot it, and it is also a good time to check the roots to see how healthy they are. If the roots are white or cream-colored after being washed, they are healthy. Unhealthy roots are dark brown or black, or even mushy.
To prevent root rot, you should prune the plants and clean up their roots. Any tangled roots, rotten roots, and wilted branches and leaves should be neatly trimmed.
According to VTC News