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House Plants House Plants bring Beauty indoors.
House Plants are easy and bring the enjoyment of your flowers and plants indoors. House Plant gardening has advantages and is fun. There are many reasons and advantages to starting your own container garden (most of them are obvious):
Flexibility – You can grow whatever you want at different times of the year.
Control & Mobility – You can decide to move your flowers & plants on a whim. From the front porch to the sunroom or from outside to inside.
Decoration – Brighten up your home or office.
Pest Control – In your home flowers & plants are sheltered from the outside pest that normally want to eat and mess with them. House Plant Tools, Supplies & Conditions Needed:
Free Newsletter Please sign up and enjoy our Gardening Advisor Newsletter. In this you will read both fun and serious gardening information covering a wide range of topics.
We will gaurd your Email with great care and NEVER send spam or sell your information. Variety of House Plants: There are more than a 1,000 different varieties of house plants. Some of the more common houseplants include:
African Violets: They have blooms that can last for several weeks at a time. African Violets like temperatures of around 60-70 degrees, soils with high phosphorus & low nitrogen, with good drainage.
Amaryllis: They are easy to grow bulb with big trumpet shaped blooms that like sun & light fertilizing.
Begonia: This flower is popular indoors, outdoors and in hanging baskets. Begonias grow about 6-9 inches tall, like shade or sun, enjoy rich loose soil, and a general all purpose fertilizer.
Bonsai: These are really neat plants and is considered an art form to get going (usually you will buy these already started). The word “Bonsai” means “ tray planted” and usually means small as well. Bonsai can be an ongoing project with trimming, pruning, and shaping or jets left to grow as is.
Cactus: These are easy to care for and thrive well in dry conditions but do need some water. Cactus like more than just sand, so add compost or humus to the soil. Indoor variety that are common include: Christmas Cactus, Holly Cactus, and Mistletoe Cactus.
Geraniums: They are well suited for container gardens and can be mixed easily with other plants and flowers. Geraniums have big bright blooms and do well in pots.
Herbs: There are a large number of herbs that can be grown indoors in containers. Herbs are attractive, have nice flowers, and provide you with additions to your food.
Impatiens: They like shade so can be put anywhere in your house. Impatiens are compact flowers, come in a variety of bloom colors, and prefer rich well draining soil.
Ivy: Many varieties of ivy can be grown indoors in containers such as pots. Ivy is tolerant of various conditions in your home but will do better with sun and well draining soils.
Paper Whites: They have white trumpet shaped flowers with a heavy scent. Paper Whites can be forced to bloom in the winter.
Philodendrons: These are one of the easiest house plants to grow because they thrive in household type conditions and are very low maintenance.
Poinsettia: This of course is very popular during Christmas time. Poinsettias are originally native to Mexico and South America.
Rubber Plants: They are easy to grow & care for. This makes rubber plants great as house plants and good for beginners. This plant does require space because it can grow from 6-10 feet tall.
Spider Plants: They thrive in low maintenance conditions which makes them perfect as houseplants. Spider plants send out shoots and hang downward which also makes them great for hanging baskets.
Others: There are many other plants and flowers that make good houseplants. Other examples, listed by perennial & annual classification, are listed at the end of this page. ___________________________________________Growing Tips for House Plant Gardening: [1] Containers: It’s really up to you in the size and style of container, but your decision will affect how you care for your flowers & plants. For example, if you choose an extra small container you are limited to smaller plants because root systems will need growth room. Other things to consider:
Containers are closed system, so they need holes in them for proper draining. This is a catch 22… You need drainage but the container can also dry out very quickly. The larger the container the less you’ll need to worry about drainage or dry soil. Additional container tips:
* Holes should be approximately ˝ inch across. This is important if you are creating a container from scratch or are using a pot with no holes in the bottom. You can drill holes (carefully) if your pots do not already have them. It’s easier to just buy tem that way since they are common and inexpensive.
* Set your containers on a saucer designed to allow water drainage or put the container on top of blocks or bricks for proper drainage.
[2] Soil: You could just grab some soil from outside to start your container gardens. This is a tougher route to take but can be done. To do this you’ll need to choose hardier flowers and plants and you’ll need to baby sit the growth a lot more closely. For example, regular dirt can have a tendency to become packed and hard in a smaller container which creates severe drainage issues.
Better Solution: An easier and better way is to use a potting soil mix. You can either make or purchase these mixes and they basically consist of:
Note: Your outdoor compost pile is a great start as well. The idea is that you need a soil mix that can hold moisture, drain off excess water, and allow for the root systems to expand freely. There are various brands of good potting soil mixes you can purchase if you like.
[3] Fertilizing: In your closed container system, the flowers and plants need to be given nutrients more often because there is nothing to replenish the soil. Your options are to fertilize often (possibly at each watering) or to use a slow release fertilizer. Slow release fertilizers allow small amounts of nutrients to be released each time you water your flora.
[4] Flower & Plants: It’s up to you. Grow almost anything you want to. Some flora require extra care or special conditions but there are almost no limits. Matter of fact, your options are far greater than when planting in your outdoor garden because you can grow varieties of flora that would not normally survive the growth zone you live in. Flora Ideas:
* Grow permanent flowers or plants and combine them with single season flora.
* Move your flowers or plants outside in the spring and summer and back indoors win the colder months (a transportable garden).
[5] Tools: This is easy and up to your preference. You can use an official small gardening tool like a shovel or spade, or use items found around the house like spoons and forks. Garden supply tools are neat because they are specialized and make the job easier.
[6] Garden Décor: This is a personal taste thing but you can add little décor like garden gnomes to add interest. There are thousands of décor ideas available both for outdoor gardening as well as for container gardening.
[7] Water: Water enough but not too much. Some container plants need watered daily. You’ll have to be the judge because it depends on these factors: * Container size – Smaller container more water. * Heat & Dryness – The hotter & drier it is the more you water. * Type of Flower or Plant – Some flora require more water. * Growth rate of your flora – Heavy growth requires more water. * Other - Number of holes, how porous your pot is, etc.
Note: Feel your soil and judge whether it is too dry. It should be moist but not wet.
[8] Sunlight: Your container flowers and plants will generally need about 5 hours of sunlight each day (this will vary depending upon the type and variety of flora). You can also use artificial lighting if your container flora are in a place that gets little or no sun. Free Newsletter Please sign up and enjoy our Gardening Advisor Newsletter. In this you will read both fun and serious gardening information covering a wide range of topics.
We will gaurd your Email with great care and NEVER send spam or sell your information. Additional Examples of Plants & Flowers for House Plant Gardening.
Annual Flowers:
Perennial Flowers:
Bulbs:
House plant gardening is easy and fun. You can grow many varieties of plants & flowers as house plants and enjoy the beauty indoors. |