How to create the perfect indoor garden space
Flowers bring nature to your home. Freshly cut or growing in pots by the window sill, brought in from the garden or bought at the florist, flowers can lift your spirits and make your surrounding alive and bright. For homes that have yards for rose gardens or even an eclectic ones, the joy of working in the garden cannot be bought. Devoting a part of the garden for growing flowers that could be cut for the house's supply of fresh blooms is easier than thought of. There are flowers that are easy to care for and are almost in constant bloom except in the winter months. It might be too tasking at times to take care of a garden but the pleasure that you'll get is definitely worth the effort.
There are homeowners who are opting to have indoor gardens too. As lifestyle becomes more hectic more homeowners just do not have the time (and space in the case of apartment dwellers) to have a time-consuming outdoor garden. As most households are two-income families, there are now very few weekend gardeners as the two-day break is mostly spent doing "quality" family time. Slaving long hours in the garden is not usually part of the weekend.
An indoor garden is less stressful. There is no need to haul in soil and mulch by the truckload as plants in an indoor garden are usually potted. The elements and conditions like weeds and pests are not in the equation. You are not obliged to install automatic sprinklers for the plants.
Creating an indoor garden has possibilities. You can grow bulbs in pots to enjoy year-round flowers like hyacinths and daffodils. Though you have an outdoor garden, there will be days that are too cold for you to curl up in your niche by the deck. In times like these, your indoor garden will come in handy.
Flowers and plants are cheering. They could also help purify the air inside your house. Plants like Gerbera, tulips, orchids, chrysanthemums and cacti are thought to remove harmful chemicals in the air. An indoor garden can definitely make great improvements in your home.
Choose the Right Garden Spot
Pick a spot that gets a fairly decent amount of sunlight. The area should be big enough to accommodate a variety of potted plants and flowers. You can opt to put the plants by the window sill or window trims can be gracefully adorned by hanging plants. You can group plants together on shelves or staging to display their variations in height and colours. You can use chipped and dented metal racks and bookshelves to display your pots of indoor plants.
The amount of light that comes in the house is important as all plants need sunlight. Take into consideration the humidity of the area for the indoor garden as plants have different humidity requirements. The kitchen is a good place to start an indoor herb garden. You can start with some potted basil, sage, rosemary and oregano. The scent of an herb garden inside the house will definitely be a wholesome addition.
Choose the Right Garden Plants
You have to be selective in choosing the right plants for your indoor garden. You cannot expect that a plant that needs intense sunlight survives indoors. Not all plants can strive well indoors so you better know what plants and flowers can grow indoors. There are some plants that are not for indoors but you can bring them in anyway and after two to three days, take them out for a strong dose of sunlight. Some of the more popular indoor plants are:
- Bromeliads - These indoor plants are exotic and elegant. They do not need too much water as too much will rot the roots. Water these plants only once a week. Bromeliads absorb nutrients through their leaves so it's best to keep a small amount of water in their cup-like leaves. Do not put a Bromeliad plant directly under the sun.
- Philodendrons - This is the most adaptable of all houseplants. You can basically tuck this indoor plant inside or outside the house and forget about it. They are so low-maintenance that almost every garden has this plant. You only have to wipe the dust off their leaves and water them to keep the soil wet but not soggy. Indirect sunlight is best for these plants. However philodendrons can also survive in the shade.
- Golden Pothos - This plant is versatile as you can pot it, hang it, let it trail or let it climb. This plant grows quickly and does not need tender-loving -care to thrive. Keep the soil somewhat dry before watering. Gently wipe leaves with wet cloth as its wide leaves have the tendency to accumulate dust.
- Snake Plant - This plant has been known to detoxify its surrounding air at night and convert carbon dioxide to oxygen. The plant can endure no water, no sunlight, sunlight, dust, heat, dry air, humid and total neglect! This is one plant that is would do well for a busy person
- Calathea - These plants will burn in direct sunlight. It is best to keep its soil wet but not too wet as to make the potting soil soggy.
Some flowering plants that you can consider are kalanchoe, chrysanthemums and cyclamen as these plants have blooms all year round. Make sure that you feed or fertilize the indoor plants at the time of their growth. As not all indoor plants are alike in terms of watering and sunlight needs, it would be a better idea to label each plant or make a list of the plants and their requirements at first.
Keeping an indoor garden would definitely be an inspiring and worthy project.
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