Indoor Gardening 101: Grow a Gorgeous Garden in the Comfort of Your Home

Introduction

What is Indoor Gardening

Gardening is the practice of growing and cultivating plants as part of horticulture (it is technically the science, technology and business involved in intensive plant cultivation for human use. It is very diverse in its activities, incorporating plants for food and non food crops such as flowers, trees and shrubs). Most of the time or the most common style of gardening is usually outdoors, but it can also be indoors.
Indoor gardening had its primary heyday in Victorian time. Plants such as abutilons, palms and hibiscus were discovered by botanists (a scientist who specializes in studying plants) in distant parts of the world, those who could afford to do so fill their parlours and conservatories with these exotic beauties. During 1970’s there was another revival of indoor plants though it was largely confined to foliage plants such as spider plants, Swedish ivy and ferns.
In indoor gardening it is concerned with growing plants or houseplants within a residence or a building due to lack of natural space. It is beneficial to those who live in the city and it is mostly recommended to the people who lived in apartments, condominiums and little houses which have no space for gardening. It is also perfect for the winter season. It also purifies the air that we breathe.

Always remember that you should know more about your indoor plants and where they come from when you are contriving to create an indoor garden to make sure that they will grow healthy. Understanding a plant’s native habitat can help you decide which potting soil to use, how often you should water and the amount of sunlight needed.

Benefits of Indoor Gardening

Indoor gardening has many benefits like it is good in our health, beautification of home, and many more.
Houseplants produce a healthier environment by absorbing chemicals from building materials, hydrocarbons from furniture and detergents as well as filtering allergens from the air. They can get rid of eighty-seven percent of air toxins in twenty-four hours through absorbing them and giving off oxygen. It helps us to relax our mind, eyes and ease fatigue from the busy days because of its cooling effect. It constitutes a productivity gain in the workplace because of the raise in the humidity levels cause by the houseplant or indoor plants. Indoor gardening is also a form of exercise; it can reduce stress, weight and depression.
Indoor plants have been adding the finishing touch and that accent color to homes since the seventeenth century. They get the warmth that can tie the bridge from “house” to “Home”. There are flowering plants, textured plants, climbing plants, plants to perfume a room, plants for bright areas and for nearly dark corners. It can make our house more organize and clean and it can decorate some bare walls of the house. It brings life into your living room, bedroom and other parts of the house.
Since indoor gardening was done by most people who live in the city you can induce an extra income in it by selling the flower, fruit or the flora itself. It can also supply food and fresh foods for the family.
Indoor gardening helps us to form our character or personality because it helps us to show or improve our creativeness, increase our patience, organize our time, and we become more aware about our environment.

Things required for your Indoor Garden

Most of the plant species thrive indoors when grown under proper conditions. In indoor gardening you will require plants or seeds, soil, gardening pot, fertilizer, moisture, temperature, water, pest control and amount of light.
Plants or seeds
Although most of the plants were acquired already potted, they can also grow from seeds or from cuttings from another plant. The seed that some plants produce is alive and can grow into plants if they have water and proper temperature. Many plants when cut through the stem and placed in water, soil or sand will grow roots.
Soil
Soil should be customized to a particular plant type. For instance cactus needs fast drainage so the soil should be composed of plenty of coarse sand, grit or perlite. It determines whether the plants die or flourish. Soil is important because it holds the plant’s roots, contains nutrients and minerals.
Gardening Pot
Gardening pot is a container for plants that grows indoors instead of planting them to the ground because of lack of space or for ornamental purposes. It is also useful in areas where the soil or climate is not suitable for the plant to grow. It is usually constructed of plastic and window boxes (also known as flower box that is usually placed outdoors) but the custom is terracotta. The smaller ones are called flower pots. The advantage of using gardening pots is nearly eliminated weeds, less risk of soil-borne diseases and it gives more control of temperature, moisture and sunlight.
Fertilizer
Plants supply their own food by means of photosynthesis, but grow better when fertilized. Fertilizer is a chemical or natural substance that is added to the soil to boost its fertility. In potted plants, the soil nutrients can be diminished. You can artificially add nutrients by using fertilizer. However, do not add too much fertilizer to the plant because it can be harmful to the plant. Also, do not add fertilizer to a weak plant or plant that was suffering from an insect or disease. You have to wait to until new healthy leaves appear or signs of recovery before you add fertilizer.
Moisture
Moisture refers to the presence of liquid especially water, often in trace amounts. The best way to determine if the plant needs to be watered is to check its moisture. Proper soil moisture can be range from slightly moist on the surface, but dry on the bottom.
Temperature
Temperature is the numerical measure of hot and cold. Temperature control for other plants with contrary requirements needs attention to heating or cooling. Too many fluctuations in temperature will probably mean that the area you chosen are not ideal.
Water
Water is very important in life because all living things need water to survive. Plants absorb or take in water from the soil with their roots. Soils which are good have chemicals called minerals, which help the plants grow. When plant roots absorb water, they also absorb minerals which may be dissolved in the water. If a plant does need to be watered, you should slowly pour the water over the surface of the soil until it begins to drain out the bottom of the pot, making sure of complete saturation. Plants need frequent watering when the weather is sunny and warm, but they may not need it during cool and cloudy days.
Pest control
Pest control refers to the regulation of a species called a pest. Although indoor plants do not suffer much from indoor insects as do outdoor plants because pests can be carried into the house on a newly acquired plant. Insects that damage indoor plants include aphids, spider mites, mealybugs, whiteflies and scales. You should remove dead plants; leaves and other debris that often harbors injurious insects.
Amount of light
In order for the plants to grow, they need sunlight. Sunlight or some artificial light gives the energy needed to make food for the plant, and it is called photosynthesis. Different plants require different light intensities. Windows are the most common source of light for indoor gardens. Artificial light sources can provide an alternative of window lighting. Most indoor plants do poorly in the constant sunlight of a window because the temperature often rises, so high that the plant faces dehydration and burning of the leaves. Indoor plants prefer middle ranges of light.

Designing your Indoor Garden

There are several ways in designing your indoor garden. These are some of the designs: potted, hanging pot or basket, terrarium and many more.
A terrarium is a simulating a dry habitat. It can be formed to create a temperate woodland habitat and even jungle-like habitat. It can be created with pebbles, leaf litter and soil. You should also consider the variety of plant that will grow slowly or remain small. Plants kept in a terrarium have to be tolerant of low levels of light because the glass can magnify the light so better chose plants that prefer shade. Humidity levels in terrariums rise quickly so go with plants tolerant of high humidity. Also choose your container; it should be deep enough for your plant’s roots.
You can also choose a simple garden pot. You should still consider the light and ventilation for them to grow. You can put them near the window which is the most common sources of light for indoor gardens. In the northern hemisphere, south-facing windows have the most sun exposure, while western, eastern and north-facing windows have less exposure but seasonal change can also affect. You can have an alternative light source like fluorescent lighting. Fluorescent lighting provides excellent quality while incandescent bulbs do little in plant growth. Blue fluorescent lights provide the light needed for green foliage plants while the red fluorescent lights are needed for blooming flowers and fruit production. There are several types of lighting, which can sustain the indoor plants; these are fluorescent, halide or diode. Always monitor the temperature.
You can also choose a simple hanging pot or hanging basket, it is a nice decor to your house because now a day it comes with different shapes. Just like the garden pot and the terrarium always check if there are pest.

Soil Preparation

Selecting plants for your Indoor Garden

There are lots of plants that you can select for your indoor garden. The most common indoor plants are Boston fern, Peace lily, Spider plant, Snake plant and Weeping fig. Boston fern is the most classic common plant for indoors and it is also the most popular fern species that originated in Central America and become a favourite in parlors and porches in North America during the Victorian era. It is often grown in hanging baskets or related conditions. It is also the most tolerant to drought. Boston fern likes damp but not soggy soil that is rich in nutrients. This plant is safe for cats to eat because it is known to be non-toxic.
Peace Lily is a flowering indoor plant and it is probably the easiest plant to grow. It cleans indoor air of many environmental contaminants. It lives best in shade and needs a little sunlight to thrive. It should be watered approximately once a week.
Spider plant is a flowering perennial herb. A perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years .It can also reduce indoor air pollution. It can grow in any good potting mix. Keep the plant in direct sunlight because it can scorch the leaves.

Snake plant is also called mother-in-law’s tongue or Saint George’s sword in Brazil. It is a flowering plant species. Due to the shape of its leaves, they called it snake plant and also because of its sharpness it is called mother-in-law’s tongue. It adapts in direct sunlight or bright light, but it can also tolerate low light. Keep soil lightly moist in the growing season, but enough water in winter to prevent the soil from drying out.
Weeping Fig is a species of flowering plant in the Moraceae family (family of flowering plants that are widespread in tropical and subtropical regions). It adapts best when placed in direct sunlight. It is best in soil less plotting mix or any that can drain well.It has glossy leaves and oval with an acuminate tip. It has tolerance of poor growing conditions. It can grow too large and it may need drastic pruning or replacing.
Here are some other plants that are great in your indoor garden:
Cacti or cactus occurs in a wide range of habitats and are grown in many countries. Mealybugs are one of those pests that attack the cactus. These mealybugs live on both stems and roots. Whiteflies also attack the cactus but infrequently. When the cacti are over-watered there is a high chance that it will be attacked by fungi, bacteria and viruses.
Jade plant has thick branches and thick, shiny, smooth leaves that grow in opposing pairs along the branches. It is a succulent plant (are plants having thickened and fleshy parts) with pink or white flowers. It requires little water in summer and less in winter. In winter time particularly during cooler days, you can see the flower.
Umbrella plant is a flowering plant. It has a tolerance of neglect and poor growing conditions. This plant prefers higher light, but can also adapt to different varieties of light level. Since it is a tropical plant it likes moisture but you should avoid letting the plant sit in water after you water it. It likes moist but not wet.
Strawberry begonia is native to Asia, but introduced to other continents. They require warm temperatures. The foliage is occasionally used in Japanese cuisine.
Rubber tree can grow into a large tree, but you can easily keep it shorter by pruning the back long stems. It needs to have medium to bright light and it should keep the temperature between 60 – 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Allow the soil surface to dry between watering.
Photos are a low maintenance vine that has a heart shape leaves that can be grown as a mounding tabletop plant or hanging basket. It can tolerate both low and bright light. Just keep it at temperature between 60 – 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
Peperomia it is usually propagated by seeds but it can also be propagated by cutting. It favors the temperature about 60 – 70 degrees Fahrenheit. It requires medium or low light levels.
English ivy is a flowering plant that is most native in Europe and western Asia. It is perfect to be placed in the table. It likes moist soil and cooler temperature.
Aloe Vera is a succulent plant species. It is a medicinal plant and has interesting flowers. It should be completely dry prior to rewatering. The potted aloes become crowded with pups growing from the side if this problem arises, it should be re-potted to allow space for further growth and help prevent pest infestations. It likes a lot of sunlight and prefers frequent watering.
African violet comes in an array of radiant flower colors but usually in alluring color of purple, pinks, red and whites as well in an abundance of different shapes and textures. It is perfect for showcasing as lively decor for a little pop of color and form. It is easy to take care of it but proper maintenance is crucial in order to make it healthy. It should be grown in a pot with drainage holes; you can cover the holes with pebbles to keep soil from falling through. As the plant grows, you should transfer it into a larger pot so that the plant can grow. It thrives in well-drained, loose soil rich with organic matter. There is probably an issue with light if the plant isn’t blooming. It needs direct sunlight but not too much because it can damage the plant, if it receives too much light it will have darker and thinner foliage, but if it receives too little light it will be pale yellow leaves. Room temperature water is preferred.
Gerbera daisy is a flowering plant that is effective at removing trichloroethylene, which you may bring home with your dry cleaning. It is also good for filtering out the benzene that comes with inks. Add it to your laundry room or bedroom, but be sure that you can give it lots of light. The flowers may be red, yellow, orange and pink.
Chrysanthemum morifolium it is also known as hardy garden mum. The plant is 1-3 feet high and wide. It has a cleaning quality and removing benzene (can cause cancer for both human and animal), formaldehyde, ammonia and other chemicals from the air. The plant is best fertilized once a month and watered two to three times a week depending on climate. It loves bright light and to encourage the buds to open you need to find a spot near an open window with direct sunlight.
Red-edged Dracaena (Dracaena marginata) commonly called Song of India, which is a tropical tree native from Madagascar and other nearby islands of the Indian Ocean. It is valued for its richly coloured, evergreen leaves and thick, irregular stems. It prefers bright filtered light, without direct sun exposure and it has average water needs and should be fertilized weekly when actively growing. Even though it can survive in moderately low light levels, the plant may grow spindly if given insufficient light. It can grow at temperatures of 18 to 25 degrees Celsius or 64 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit. This plant is best for removing xylene, trichloroethylene and formaldehyde which can introduce to indoor air through lacquers, varnishes and gasoline.
Azalea (rhododendron simsii) it combats formaldehyde from sources such as plywood or foam insulation. It does best in cool areas around to 6o to 65 degrees Celsius. They are good for improving indoor air in your basement if you can find a bright spot. Flowers may range from white- to dark red and with leaves that are ovate, elliptic-ovate or obovate to oblanceolate.
Chinee evergreen also known as Aglaonema is a flowering plant that is native to tropical and subtropical regions of Asia. It is grown as luck-bringing ornamental plants in Asia for centuries. It is easy-to-care for plant that can help filter out a variety of air pollutants and start to remove more toxins as time and exposure continues. It can even grow in low light and it will produce blooms and red berries.

Maintaining your Indoor Garden

In maintaining your indoor garden, you should know the type of your plant. You should do a little research for your houseplant to understand their individual needs. The second factor is the amount of light because various plants need various degrees of light. Those in the northern hemisphere the south-facing windows have the most sun exposure. The duration of light is also important. In places which the sunlight can’t be reached you can use some artificial light. Plants should never be placed between a curtain and the window if the nights are cold, even if they are sun lovers. It is better to have a sheer curtain that will admit the light and have the plant in the heated area.
Another factor is plants need water, the right amount of water. As what we mention earlier plants absorb or take in water from the soil with their roots. Whether the plants need to be watered always check the moisture of the soil. There are no hard and fast rules to watering because every situation is different due to temperature variations, humidity and soil types and many more.
Soil is also one of the factors needed in maintaining your indoor garden. As mentioned earlier various plants thrive only in certain types of soil. Fertilizer is also needed in maintaining your indoor garden. The nutrition depletes in a potted environment.
If you are growing veggies indoors, you also need to consider the water, light and nutrients. Just like your potted plants your vegetable plants can grow well if provided extra light. Most vegetable plants will do well in a sunny window. The best spot for growing vegetables is where you can get 5 to 6 hours of bright light and good air circulation. 45 to 70 degree temperature fluctuation is the best. You can also use artificial lights such as fluorescent lights. The lights can be hung over the vegetable garden area. Avoid over watering because it can cause death to the plant. Actively growing plants will need to have fertilizer every 2 to 4 weeks. Do not use garden soil for your vegetable garden because the soil is too heavy and compacts when you use it in containers. Choose varieties that have shorter days to harvest. Winter veggies are great because of the short days to harvest like lettuce.

Pests & Diseases

Overcoming Common Indoor Gardening Problems

Starting an indoor garden has its share of problems, but none are insoluble. The benefits of growing houseplants, vegetable and fruits far outweigh any shortcoming. Once we know the problems that can arise and how to avoid or deal with it you will grow a garden that you can be proud of.
Amount of light is less or too much - in order to grow, plants need enough light, which is a problem for those who are living in an apartment building or rental unit that doesn’t get enough sunlight. Houseplants grow fine under most indoor lights. On the other hand, if you want to grow some herbs, vegetables and some exotic plants you should put it near the windows where it can get a direct sunlight. Also, you can use artificial lighting such as LED grow light and other lights. If the leaves are gradually pale into yellow and brown particularly on the side nearest to the light it is because of direct sunlight. You should relocate the plant away from direct sunlight.
Humidity problems – some certain plants in your indoor garden need some level of moisture to stay alive. Some appliances in your apartment can dry out the air, though such as heaters. The technique to avoid this problem is to spray the plant leaves with water at least once a day. You can also group your plants together because moisture released by one plant can be picked up by another and you create a more humid microclimate in your growing area that is good for the plants. You can also put the plants in trays with pebbles to raise humidity immediately around your plants. Use hygienic trays and put at least an inch of pebbles in each tray. Fill the tray with water halfway up to the pebbles, but don’t let the pots sit directly in water because it will encourage root rot and plant collapse. Whenever you flush your plants make sure to clear and rinse the tray to ensure that the tray doesn’t become a breeding ground for insects. You can also switch into a terrarium (an enclosed environment with some soil and a few small plants). Given that it is sealed the plants take up moisture, exhale it through transpiration and only to have the moisture gather on the walls of terrarium much like the water cycle in the outdoors. It is also perfect for smaller plants that require higher humidity and temperatures.
Pest, bacteria and infections – No matter how well you look after them indoor gardens are still susceptible to disease, pest and infections that’s why your job is to know what to look for to treat or get rid of the issue right away. There are some fungicides and organic solution that you can use to keep your plants healthy if you suspect an infection. An indoor plant does not suffer as much from insects as do outdoor plants, but pest can be carried into a newly acquired plant. That’s why before you purchase a new plant you should check them for disease or insects. You can isolate them for a few weeks to make sure that there are no problems. When watering your plants you should always check the leaves if there are signs of pest. If you suspect that there are some pests you should isolate the plant from your other plant to prevent the spread of the pest to the other plants. It is also good to wash the leaves of your plant several times a year because the dust and grime on plant is bad for their health. It can block the pores of the plant leaves, making it hard to respirate and also the dust filter the sunlight before it reaches the plant; it makes the amount of photosynthesis decreases. Dust and grime also attract and harbor spider mites and other insects. Insects that damage indoor plants include aphids, spider mites, mealybugs, and whiteflies. There are possibilities that there are insects in the soil that can harm your plants, to solve this immerse the entire pot or container in water then leave it for an hour. After that removes it from the water and allows it to drain (it is important that the container has drainage or holes on the bottom). Re-potting may also work if you can remove all of the insects as you repot the plant.
Improper watering – indoor plants need just the right amount of water to do well. If the plant leaves are decaying, you are giving it too much water. Make sure the containers and pots have a proper drainage for the excess water to escape. If your plant leaves have brown spots and are wilting it is a sign of too much water and it can lead to rotting. When this occurs, you need to cut off all of the wilted and dead leaves and then cut back on watering.
Container size – if the plant growth is stunning, but it isn’t looking healthy it is an indicator of a plant being root bound. When the plants grow too big for the container that they are in there is a possibility that there isn’t enough soil to support them and the roots have nowhere to go. This makes the plant to unable to grow any longer but it is easy to fix this problem, you just need to transfer it to a larger pot.
Overuse of fertilizer - too much fertilizer is dangerous for your plant. First of all you must select the right fertilizer for your indoor garden. You can also make your own by using vegetable scraps and even used coffee grounds. If the leaves turn brown it means that you are using too much fertilizer and you should hold off adding fertilizer for three to four weeks.
Draft exposure – most indoor plants are happy at the same temperature as humans. But they can’t handle is exposure to cold drafts. You will most likely notice that the leaves are dropping and the plant may look like it needs water when actually it needs warmth. A prolonged exposure to cold temperatures will kill a houseplant.

Indoor Garden Inspiration & Motivation

Conclusion