This text is part of the special book Plaisirs
Living with plants is good for physical and mental health. What’s more, they help each other: the more plants you have, the better they grow! That said, they will still need your help to thrive. Here are some basic rules to follow to properly maintain your indoor green plants.
Rule 1: exposure to light
Plants need light, and to take good care of your houseplants, you need to provide them with enough of it. Even “shade-tolerant” plants prefer a bright location where they receive at least two or three hours of direct sunlight. They must be near the windows, at least during our long winter. If the light is insufficient (this would be the case in a north-facing room or if the plant was placed in front of a window obscured by branches), an LED or fluorescent accent light, providing 14 to 16 hours of illumination a day changes everything.
Rule 2: know when to water your plants
Properly watering indoor plants involves knowing when to water them and doing it at the right time. The rule of thumb is to water thoroughly, enough to moisten the entire root ball, then wait until the soil is a little dry to the touch (green plants) or very dry (succulents) before watering again. Do not forget that the needs of the same plant change according to the conditions: we water more when it is growing, in flower, in a small pot, etc., and less when it grows little (or not at all) or it lacks light.
Rule 3: maintain adequate humidity
It is difficult to give indoor plants enough humidity, especially during the “heating season”, because the air becomes terribly dry. A relative humidity of 60% is ideal for humans and acceptable for plants. Alas, many houses hardly reach 40%! Having multiple plants helps solve this problem, as each plant releases moisture through transpiration. On the other hand, spraying the plants to moisten them is useless. A few minutes after the last pschittthe humidity level will have already fallen back to its original level.
Rule 4: fertilize your indoor plants
To properly maintain your indoor green plants, also remember to provide them with the minerals necessary for them to flourish! Fertilizer requirements for indoor plants are quite low, as they rarely receive lighting equivalent to what they would have in the wild. That said, it’s still wise, between March and October, to fertilize your houseplants according to the manufacturer’s recommended frequency. However, give them a quarter of the suggested dose.
Rule 5: take care of your plants
You might be wondering why your plant leaves turn yellow and what to do when it happens? Be aware that it is normal for older leaves to turn yellow or brown as they age. Sometimes they won’t let go and you have to pull them out or cut them off. If only the tip turns brown (often an indication that the air is too dry), you can re-cut the tip leaf with pruning shears. You can also take care of your green plant’s leaves by giving them a little cleaning with soap and water.
Rule 6: Know when to repot your houseplants
To take good care of your indoor green plants, it is advisable to repot them regularly. In the case of a young plant, it will have to be repotted every year and, for a mature plant, every two or three years.
This special content was produced by the Special Publications team of the To have to, relating to marketing. The drafting of To have to did not take part.