An indoor garden can be your refuge from the outside
world, and for many people it is a source of great joy .
Whether you live in a small apartment, or a large house, by introducing
certain plants into your home, you will start to notice
improvements to your health, and overall happiness. As
well as enhancing your mood and creating a living space that is soothing
to be in, plants can also help with loneliness and depression:
caring for a living thing gives us a purpose and is rewarding
— especially when you see that living thing bloom and thrive.
To create your perfect green haven, it’s worthwhile spending a little bit
of time researching the plants are best suited for each room and what kind
of environment. Don't Have a Green Thumb? Start With These Plants:
Start with an easy plant such as a cactus or succulent.
Many people think succulents and cacti are the same thing, as most cacti
are classed as succulents. However, although the majority of cacti are
also succulents, there are many other succulent plants that are not
cacti. The main difference is that cacti always have bumps called
areoles from which hair or spikes grow, whereas other kinds of
succulents do not.
Cacti can surprise you. One of the wonderful things
about cacti is that they will tolerate your terrible behavior for years
and years, and then they will surprise you with flowers when they get
growing again. It is a myth that cacti only flower once in a blue moon:
nearly half of all healthy cacti will produce flowers by their third
year if cared for correctly. Cacti flower on new growth, which is
promoted by caring for them throughout the summer and neglecting them in
the winter. Also, flowering is often stimulated when the plant is
pot-bound (where the roots completely fill the pot). For people new to
keeping house plants, this is a great plant group to get started on, as
they only require a light misting of water every so often.
Succulents are perfect first plants. They're low
maintenance, easy to propagate and suited to most homes. They are best
placed on the windowsill where they can get the most sunlight.
Identifying a succulent is pretty straightforward, as they have thick,
fleshy leaves or stems. Many types are a rosette shape and have tightly
packed leaves, which help to conserve water in their natural habitat.
You could simply start with an Echeveria and Sempervivum (houseleek)
collection as they can provide an interesting group without any other
plants and there are lots of varieties to collect.
Never overwater. Most people kill their houseplants
by pouring water down the center of the plant, giving the plant much
more water than it needs, and then the water has nowhere to go so it
then sits in the plant. Excess stagnant water then causes root rot,
which causes the plant to die. Either water from the bottom using a
saucer if the plant pot has drainage or mist regularly with an
atomizer, which helps to increase the humidity around your plant and
keeps your plant happy!
