Having plants in your personal space is like a dream come true for many. Bringing that green element in your indoors is like borrowing nature’s wild element and decorating your space with it is pure bliss. Many of the interior designing dignitaries make it a point to allocate a specific amount only to be spent on planters and plants. The importance of having plants in your personal space cannot be stressed enough. There are multiple important reasons why one must have plants in their interiors, one of the biggest reason being the increasing pollution levels.
Plants substantially reduce noise, purify the air quality, controls humidity, doubles your interior aesthetics and blends seamlessly in every ambience. You must have seen plants in every hotel. It is a must for hotels to have plants in their interiors and exteriors. Same goes for homes as well. If you want to amplify your living style then go for planters without a doubt. Wisely choose plants that go with your interiors and place them in the right locations to enjoy their beauty to the fullest.
Plants are important and so is their maintenance especially when they are placed indoors. A lot of things are supposed to be considered when you decide to have to have your own teeny-tiny garden indoors. Many times due to space restrictions, people have a small garden right in their balcony or near the front porch, irrespective of how small your garden is, there are certain things that you must always follow.
The winter season is heavy on us and it is same for plants. Thought they are subjected to short days, low light levels, they somehow jell-in with the environment and live on. But few plants demand attention. Here we have listed some of the most important tips that you can follow this winter season. Basically, these tips can get you out of the plant maintenance puddle throughout the year but come handy when winter hits in.
Choose Plants Wisely
One of the most important factors in maintaining a good and healthy garden is to have healthy plants. When you finalize on having any plant, just do a little research of your own to understand the habitat of the plant. Not every plant can survive in direct sunlight, and there are so many plants that don’t even require sunlight for days. Understand the type of plant that you are having like the amount of space they require to grow and how much watering they would require. When you have zeroed-in on these things you can actually place them in the right direction. You would not want a bushy plant in your library, rather you can place them at your porch or near your balcony etcetera.
Choosing the right plant and placing them in the right location is very important. When you have a garden to maintain, it becomes even more important to know which plant would survive in direct sunlight, which needs only indirect sunlight, the type of soil and more. Further, you must always choose healthy plants. When you are selecting the plants, just see the size of the plant, the normal growth, the budding and blooming aspects. Check whether the plant has excessive long stems, brown leaves or yellow turning leaves. Look at signs like overly wet soil, wilted or droopy leaves, and visible pests.
Watering Timetable and Optimum Lighting
One of the major reasons why plants don’t survive and get easily damaged is when they don’t get watered properly. Less watering or excessive watering, both can cause some serious damage to the plants when placed indoors. Less watering leads to plants shedding their leaves whereas overwatering invites fungal growth and leaf darkening. Thus, having a proper watering schedule will help you a long way.
Like we mentioned before, it is always best to do some research from your own end to understand the type of plant you are dealing with. The watering varies on various factors like the house temperature, the weather, the pot type, the type of plant etcetera. In case of houseplants, when the top two inches of the plant is dry, water the plant with a little lukewarm water.
The importance of sunlight goes without saying. It is one of the most basic element they require to complete their cycle. They would not be able to survive without the right amount of light. While buying plants, always make it a point to get the light related information from the seller. If they require direct sunlight then place then unobstructed in your balcony or outdoors, if indoors, then near a window. Your research is going to help you big time as we said before. The more you know the better you can keep them healthy. Knowing the amount of light they require will help you in freezing the location of your plant.
The Right Use Of Fertilizers
Apart from providing your plants with optimum water and lights, what helps them grow is the right use of fertilizers, compost and manure. You can either get the required fertilizer from the seller at the point of purchase because they would be able to guide you in terms of organic and inorganic fertilizers. The plants that are grown in excessive shade and poorly drained soil will not respond to the fertilizer properly.
African Violets are one such plants that will bloom with the right amount of usage. When you are setting up your garden, it’s better to fertilize them right away. A plant can take the fertilizer in two ways, one being the root system and other being the foliage dressing. It’s better if you slow-release the fertilizer in the initial planting only. The sooner they get absorbed the better they would grow. Plus, the growth would be naturally green without your required to do much of the work as the fertilizer will loosen the soil and provide it with required nutrients.
Lookout for pests
Housepets and insects can unleash havoc on your green beauty. We recommend you check twice for pets when buying a plant. Some pests lay dormant at the beginning and create a whole load of problems when they appear later. Thus a thorough check is a must.
One of the other ways to avoid the pest issue to consistently remove the dead foliage and spent flowers. Regular grooming and pruning will not just keep the pests at bay but also make your plants look attractive and fresh.
In many cases, plants get affected by pests in the later stage. You must spare time weekly and check your plants properly. Check for leaves with holes, extremely distorted soil with holes. When you discover a plant that has pests, immediately separate it from the rest of your plant set. Keep it aside alone start treating with proper ant-pest sprays and powders. You better buy at least one or two such sprays from the market while getting your gardening tool kit. You never know when you might need them.
Winter Must-dos
During the winter season, plants usually go dormant. Their dependency on sunlight and food i.e., water also reduces. Winter is also the season when many of plants are unable to survive due to lack of care and knowledge. There are a couple of simple things that you do to avoid your plants from going weary. Do not keep them near the windows as they may decay and shed leaves due to excess wind. They should be kept away from direct hard cold winds. Though you are placing them away from windows dosen’t mean you should completely shadow them. They need sunlight, in fact, it is a must. Keep them in places where they can easily get sunlight.
Reduce the usage fertilizers during the winter. Fertilizing them once in 15 days is more than enough for them to stay green. Also, since their water dependency reduces, you better don’t overwater them. Constantly remove the extra debris and foliage that comes down to ensure their cleanliness.
Observe and Repot
Keep a look-out on the plants for the potential pests and their growth as well. Once a plant starts to grow properly it would require constant soil change and repotting. Considering the amount of growth your plants are undergoing, you can choose the size of the planter they would need.
Repotting and changing soils is one of the most crucial steps towards a healthy garden that often gets neglected. As the plants grow their roots needs extra space to expand and absorb nutrients from the soil, thus repotting becomes crucial. You don’t want your plant roots expanding through the drainage hole. Keep in mind that when you repot you need to water the plants properly as the soil needs to settle in.
Ne it a tiny garden or a big one, plants in every space require certain attention. If you wish to have a flourishing and happy green aura around you then you must not stay ignorant of the obvious signs. After all, we are talking about life and ignorance can be fatal for them.
Looking for the perfect planters?
Having ideal planters is as important as having a beautiful plant itself. Bonasila manufactures and supplies FRP planters in different sizes, shapes, colours an finishes. Our planters are the ideal choice of interior designers and architects when it comes to decor. Be it home, office, hotels, gardens or any exteriors, our thoughtfully designed planters fit the design scheme of every space.
Contact Bonasila today and our team of professionals will help you find the best planter that fits your garden design scheme. Bonasila is India’s Fiber Planter Specialist and our aesthetically pleasing planters are the ideal decor elements that you need to embellish your green space.