Content

• Steps
• Tips
• Warnings

Houseplants brighten up your surroundings, purify the air in your home and create a part of the natural environment in austere office spaces. Because plants grow and change, some people even consider them part of their social circle. They are fairly easy to care for if you know a few tricks on how to keep them healthy.

Steps

1. 1 Plants need a lot of light. This is almost the most important thing! Determine how much natural light the plant is receiving (and how much is needed) and, if possible, install a daylight fixture near the plant. The ideal place for the plant is a window, and remember to place a saucer under the pot to collect water after watering or drops of condensation that often appear on the leaves at night.
2. 2 Water them as needed. Plants need water, not too much and not too little. Water the plant until water starts flowing out of the pot. Never plant plants in a pot that does not have at least one drain hole! Realistically estimate the time you can spend on your plants and plan accordingly. Large plants in large pots need less watering than plants in small pots, which will dry out every couple of days. Cactus and succulents need much less water than thin-leaved or flowering plants (although when a cactus blooms, it will need a little more water than usual). Go to a proven greenhouse and learn about the different types of plants, how much light they need, how much space they need, at what temperature they should grow, and choose the plant that you like and that suits your home and the time you can spend on it. ...
3. 3 Watch out for pests. Sometimes plants attract various pests - insects that eat the plant, causing it to lose energy. Some plants are less susceptible to insects than others. In thin-leaved plants, spider mites and whiteflies can often be found, in others - worms. Learn to recognize this or that insect and know the methods of dealing with them (usually insecticides of the soil-pouring method of action work well with them, but not always, so it is very important to know what to do in each case). Plants can also be susceptible to mold and various viruses, although these are quite rare. There are many articles on the internet that you can read and learn how to treat these diseases.
4. 4 Use a good pot. A decorative pot or planter that matches your furniture can greatly enhance the look of your plant. The plant will be even better if the pot is in a saucer with about 1 cm of gravel. When watering the plant, the water will enter the saucer and evaporate near it, making the surrounding air slightly more humid. This is especially useful in winter. Make sure the water does not touch the bottom of the pot, as if the pot is in the water, the roots of the plant will start to rot and it will disappear. To prevent the saucer of the pot from touching a wooden or painted surface, place it on a stand. Moisture in the saucer will cause condensation underneath, which can damage wood or painted surfaces. When watering the plant, wipe up any spills very quickly.
5. 5 Water the plant when the pot is noticeably lighter than the last time you watered. Again, each plant needs a different amount of water. Some plants can go without water for several days, while others, especially flowering plants, need shorter watering intervals.Very few plants, with the exception of aquarium plants and papyrus, enjoy being in the water for more than a day! Your job is to find the perfect balance of moisture and dryness to keep your plants in good health.
6. 6 Find out what suits you best. Some examples of good indoor plants: Floor plants: Dracaena bordered (dragon tree), ficus (both wide and small-leafed), sansevieria (mother-in-law's tongue), spathiphyllum (peace lily), plants of the umbrella family. Avoid plant species such as birds of paradise, bamboo, palm trees, and ferns unless you can provide them with very good light and high humidity throughout the year. Different plants do well in different climates. Do your research and don't always trust florists, who are more interested in selling you a plant rather than finding a suitable home for it.
   • Window plants and plants on the table: Kalanchoe, reed begonia, saintpaulia, orchid (most orchids are quite easy to care for, but they only bloom once or twice a year, put beautiful deciduous plants next to them). Philodendron (tree of the beloved), arrowroot (prayer tree), syngonium (pointed tree), jade tree (jade tree), zamiokulkas and bokarnea bent (nolina). Don't tempt yourself with the thought of bringing in a plant that usually grows outside for a whole year, like fuchsia, begonias, or even coleus. After spending the whole summer outside, they will not feel very good inside the house. They can also be a source of insects that can infest other houseplants. There are many different types of plants and some people become avid collectors. If you want to be on the safe side, don't buy wild or endangered plant species, only those that have been grown in a greenhouse.

Tips

• Rotate the plant from time to time so that all parts of it get enough light. If a very hot light comes from the window (put your hand on the window in the summer, if your hand heats up very quickly, the plant will probably have a hard time, the same goes for the cold in winter), place the plant about 20 cm from the window. You can use curtains at night to keep the room warm, but remember to open them in the morning to give your plants their daily sunshine!
• Once you're successful with a couple of easy plants, move on to harder plants like Saintpaulia or orchids. They are worth growing. There are also many special interest groups, in your city or on the internet, that can provide advice on how to grow them.
• Buy only healthy looking plants! If a plant looks sick, most likely it can no longer be saved, unless, of course, you have great experience in this matter, or if it is not a very rare and valuable plant, and you know someone who knows a lot about them and can help you tips on how to get out of it.
• Rinse the leaves of larger plants once or twice a year to keep them looking their best. Never apply plant varnish to the top leaves. Thus, you close the pores and prevent it from breathing freely. NEVER apply plant varnish to the underside of the leaves, this is where the plant breathes the most, you can kill it if you close these breathing pores. If you want to give the leaves a little shine, a little 2% milk and a soft cloth will give the leaves a slight sheen without clogging the pores. It's also a lot cheaper than a bottle of leaf glitter.

Warnings

• The leaves of some plants, such as Dieffenbachia or Milkweed, contain toxins that can harm pets or children if they eat them. Be sure to find out as much as possible about a particular plant if it makes you worried about your pet or child.