The flora of our planet is rich in amazing plants: bright and fragrant, miniature and gigantic, prickly and sometimes even dangerous. The ability to enjoy species diversity in natural conditions is not always present. That is why many of us strive to get not only traditional, but also exotic indoor plants. Home care (photos of some interesting "pets" - in our article) for them directly depends on the species, the natural conditions of growth. We will talk about the main aspects of the selection and features of growing indoor plants.
Selection and purchase
Plants that can easily be grown in a city apartment or country house, a huge number. In recent years, the shelves of specialized stores have noticeably replenished, in addition to the familiar species (violets, gloxinia, etc.) exotic ones. The latter resemble a foreigner who has arrived in a completely new country. What to do with them and how to care for them is not always clear. In order to make the right choice, at the preparatory stage you should answer a number of questions and decide for what purpose you are acquiring the plant. This is the only way indoor flowers and caring for them will bring you pleasure. So, make an assessment on several parameters:
- the size of the plant in accordance with the needs: for a window, hanging planter, open space in the lobby, greenhouse, on the table, etc .;
- flowering: periodic or single;
- exotic: traditional or unusual species.
After you decide on the type, be sure to compare the necessary conditions for its cultivation with those that you can offer. Namely: illumination, room area, air temperature during the day and year as a whole, humidity. For help, you can turn to botanical guides, books on floriculture.
Home care for indoor plants involves the creation of comfortable conditions for growth and flowering. We suggest you pay attention to the main factors that are important for any species in one way or another.
Light and air temperature
Plants always strive for light, and the sun's rays are much preferable to an artificial lamp. The need can be expressed in varying degrees, but it is always there. All plants of the planet are divided into three groups depending on their attitude to light. The first are heliophytes, they are able to tolerate only weak shading. For example, the well-known cacti and succulents. The second is sciophytes, a small amount of sun is enough for them, and development in the shade is sometimes even better than in illuminated areas (conifers, ferns). The third group occupies an intermediate position - these are optional heliophytes, that is, shade-tolerant plants. They develop best in normal lighting, but can withstand slight shading.
Air humidity
Home plants care at home is associated with providing a microclimate as close as possible to the natural environment of growth, and one of the main factors is humidity. The main problem in apartments with central heating may be too dry air. For some species, this is an ideal option (cacti), and for tropical plants the situation will have to be corrected. Regular spraying should be carried out with settled or rain water in the evening. Never leave the leaves wet at night, as this contributes to the active spread and development of fungal diseases. For a small moisture-loving plant, as an alternative to a cache-pot, you can offer a small aquarium in which it is easy to create a special microclimate.
Watering plants
Our houses and apartments have long become a haven for plants of tropical rain forests, hot deserts, swamps, zones with moderate moisture, respectively, and watering should differ depending on the species. So, succulents and cacti will tolerate a forced drought quite well, and for an azalea or anthurium, for example, drying out a lump of earth is fatal. In this regard, home care for indoor plants should be based on basic knowledge of their physiology and characteristics. In the natural environment, the source of moisture can be different. In most cases, plants receive it in the form of rain. Therefore, for watering, spraying, ideally, soft water (rain, melt) is required, if not, use tap water, but only standing.
Fertilizer fertilizer
In most cases, home care for indoor plants involves the periodic application of complex mineral and / or organic fertilizers. Now there is no need to “reinvent the wheel” and suffer with dosages. Flower shops offer a large assortment of preparations with a balanced content of trace elements, mineral salts, which are necessary for the normal growth and flowering of plants. The most popular organic fertilizer is Ideal, which is based on biohumus. It contains natural growth stimulants and serves as the basis for the creation of liquid top dressing for certain groups of plants: Begonia, Rose, Cactus, etc. Watering with such fertilizer should be carried out with a certain periodicity. Meanwhile, home care for indoor plants may be rarer. So, the Pokon preparation in granules has a long-lasting effect. It is enough to make 1 tsp. into the soil (a pot with a diameter of 15 cm) - and fertilizing can be forgotten for six months. The granules will dissolve gradually, supplying the plant with all the necessary elements.
Pots, planters, containers
It is the three listed species that it is customary to divide all containers for growing plants in room conditions. Pots are distinguished by the presence of a drainage hole (one or more) at the bottom, so it is necessary to select a pallet in the kit for them. To create them use plastic or ceramic. Each species has its advantages and disadvantages. Clay has been used by man for a long time and has excellent aesthetic qualities. Pots from it are stable, well evaporating excess moisture and absorbing mineral salts from the soil. Plastic counterparts are more affordable, lightweight plants grown in them can be watered less often. However, overheating of the roots in such dishes affects all indoor plants. Orchid, home care which has its own characteristics, for example, prefers transparent pots. In this case, plastic is indispensable.
Only by comparing all the factors in the aggregate, you can choose the perfect indoor plant that will please the eye and require minimal care.