What Do Indoor Plants Need to Live?

There are many reasons why we add plants to our indoor living space; they add texture, provide different colors, and help to bring the wonders of nature into our home. 

Not only that, introducing plants indoors improves the air quality of the room, and provides an excuse to do some gardening without leaving the comforts of home. 

Whilst a home can provide ideal conditions for a plant to thrive, they do need particular attention and care in order for them to survive.

There is no doubt that your plant started its life inside a greenhouse, so taking it home and letting it adjust to the different environment is a must. 

To really care for the plant, you must know what its individual needs are. This varies from plant to plant, and some of the needs cannot be met, especially if you have a plethora of plants scattered around a room. 

Whilst you cannot make every plant feel like it is living in its ideal environment, whether hot and dry or humid and warm, you can take steps to make sure most of their needs are met.

In this article we shall look at the general steps to take care of an indoor plant, so they can thrive for many years to come. 

Enough Light

Even though it sounds pretty obvious, a plant needs enough light to help it to grow and be happy. Having said that, different plants need either direct sunlight or indirect sunlight, so it is always best to know which it is your plant prefers to avoid it becoming ‘unwell’.

If your plant prefers direct sunlight, then this can be a little more difficult when it comes to an indoor plant.

When it is outside, it can sit in its pot or patch of grass and soak up the sun’s rays. When it is an indoor plant, the walls, furniture, and the windows can block out the natural sunlight.

When this is the case, it is always best to place them in a window, so they can make the most of the sunlight that is available to them. You may need to supplement the natural light with an indoor growing light too. 

If your plant needs indirect sunlight, then it is always best to keep them away from windows and anywhere harsh light can shine through – though this does not mean that they want complete darkness either.

Just make sure they are not sitting in the direct line of the sun’s light. 

Hydration

Just like with the light, a plant’s watering needs are different depending on the type. Whilst a succulent can make do with dry soil between watering times, other plants may need their soil to be kept moist. 

The difficult thing when it comes to watering a plant is that if they are kept too dry or too wet, especially for long periods of time, this can damage the roots, and they will start to die.

If not treated, this can cause the plant to stop growing, or even die.

If you are unsure whether your plants need watering, then there are a number of methods to help you find out. Bigger plants can be tested by using a moisture meter. This will easily let you know whether it is time to water the plant or not.

For smaller plants, you can put your finger into the soil a few inches deep and feel if it is moist or dry. If it is moist it means that it is not time to water, but if it is dry, then it is time to water. 

The condition of the soil can also indicate whether the plant needs to be hydrated. If it is cracked and looks really light in color, then you will need to water the plant.

Once you become familiar with the weight of the plant once it has been watered, you might even be able to tell if it needs watering just by picking it up. But if in doubt, try the methods above, so you avoid overwatering the plant. 

Signs Of Dehydration

Even though it is always best to know the signs of a dehydrated plant, it is never a good idea to let your plant get to this stage intentionally. If you are away, and you do not have anybody to water the plants, then there is a chance they can become dehydrated.

If the soil is moving away from the inside wall of the pot, or the plant itself is wilting, then there could be a chance that the roots are already damaged and the plant itself is rather stressed.

Other signs of dehydration include dropping of the leaves prematurely, leaves becoming translucent or not growing, flowers dropping prematurely, or the leaves turning brown, yellow and curled. 

Too Much Water

Whilst a dehydrated plant is never a good sign, you also do not want your plant to be overwatered. This can cause the air flow in the soil to disappear, and bacteria to become introduced instead due to the moist conditions. 

This bacteria can kill the roots, as well as allow fungus to make a home within the soil. Some of the signs of overwatering include mold on the surface of the plant, brown and perhaps stinky roots, both old and young leaves falling, and rotten brown patches on the leaves.

If the soil is dark and moist, then it is not ready to be watered. Whilst it is tempting to do a watering schedule alongside cleaning the home, it is best to not do this. Plants will need to be individually checked, as some will need watering when others will not. 

The Right Drainage

Alongside not watering too much or too little comes having the correct drainage. If the plant cannot drain the water properly, then it is likely that they will become overwatered and the roots may begin to rot. 

If you want a happy and healthy houseplant, then drainage should be a key factor in making sure they are watered properly.

The container that they are in should include drainage holes which need to be checked for blockages on a regular basis.

If the container has no holes, then place some pebbles at the bottom to absorb water. 

The Correct Temperature

Most plant parents do not think about the temperature when it comes to bringing them back from the local store. They are made for the home, so why would you?

However, just like with everything else in this article, different plants need different temperatures to thrive.

You will find, though, that houseplants can withstand a general temperature between 65 and 75 Fahrenheit during the day, and 55 to 60 Fahrenheit during the night.

A tropical plant will always want a hotter temperature of course, but you may need to readjust the thermostat accordingly. 

Humidity Of The Room

It is natural for us to want to remove the humidity from a room, especially when mold can become an issue because of it, but did you know that around 80% of plants love humid conditions? 

If your plant specifically needs to live in a humid environment, then you may want to make a few changes, so it can live peacefully.

An easy option is to buy a humidifier, especially if it is during the winter and the heating is making the home extra dry.

Another way is to fill a small tray with pebbles and water to put near a plant to help boost the moisture content in the air, as well as putting a few plants together if you want an even simpler option. 

Repotting 

Over time, a healthy plant will become bigger and soon outgrow its original pot, or will need new potting mix. If you feel like it is starting to grow, but has not outgrown its pot just yet, then it may be time to move it to a new container.

Whilst the roots grow quickly, it can adjust to a bigger pot size.

When choosing a new pot size, do not go too big. You will want it to be bigger than its current pot, but more like a step-up, rather than you have missed a few sizes in between.

If the pot is too big, it can attract a lot of problems for the plant such as root rot. This is because there will be too much soil for the plant, and it will remain wet for days, if not weeks. 

You can buy potting mix which is readily available from various places, or you can even make your own with a bit of research. There are also plant specific potting mixes, just make sure you buy the correct one, so it can give the plant all the benefits it needs.

Final Words

Unlike a pet or child, a plant does not need a lot in order for it to live. What it does need however, is the right conditions, as well as water and light.

Even though they do need regular checks to make sure they are doing fine, generally, all they need is basic care and attention to make sure that they are thriving.

Most plants will let you know if they need some extra care by the way they present themselves physically. From wilting and brown leaves, to dry cracked soil and rotting roots, you will know if what you are doing is not enough or too much.