Buying a new plant for your home feels so close to the feeling of brining home a puppy!A houseplant isn’t just something you buy to amp up your space, it needs care and love to thrive in your household. So even though browsing through plant websites is tempting… don’t do an impulse buy when picking a houseplant.
Here’s a few things to keep in mind when you do wish to bring home some plant babies…
Space
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When choosing a houseplant this one is probably one of the things we often don’t factor in. But it’s important to access where in your house would the plant be seated. Would it have enough space? The idea is to make sure the plant isn’t in a cramped up space. It’s okay even if its sharing space with another place.
You might want to think about the room temperature too, certain plants work best in warm conditions. Does your house have central heating and air purifiers? These don’t agree well with some plants… so it’s best to keep your plants at a distance from heaters or even AC’s for that matter.
Light
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It’s something we’ve all learnt in school, plants need light. Will the plant receive enough sunlight where you’ve planned to keep it? Are there enough windows? This one though would differ from plant to plant. Not all plants require the same amount of direct light. See if it needs bright sunlight or grows best in indirect light. Some plants are most suited for indirect light. So if you’re planning to keep a plant indoors, choose accordingly. For indoors, a Pothos or a snake plant would be a good fit as they do well in indirect sunlight too.
Water
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Yes, all plants need to be watered. But watering too is something that would be very different for each plant. Something I like to do to make sure I’m watering when the plant needs water is to check how to wet the soil is. I’ve put in little sticks in all the pots, so each time I feel I’m ready to water them I check the base of the stick… if the soil is too wet on it, I dont water it that day, it’s dry then clearly the plant needs water. You would be able to find a plant care guide for each plant on the internet.
But a basic rule of thumb to make sure you don’t kill those plants outright would be to water less. Reviving a plant when under watered is easier versus when it’s over watered. If you happen to be someone who is away a lot, getting a succulent might be a good way to begin as they don’t need to be watered that frequently.
Location
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The location where you keep it also decides the aesthetic and design of your house. So these make for one of the things to consider when buying a houseplant. If you have a huge living space a big rubber plant or a fiddle fig might add up to it. On the other hand if you’re looking to buy plants for a tinier space you could even think of getting hanging plants and ferns. If you happen to have a nice window sill in the kitchen or space for a kitchen garden then growing some herbs would be a great idea too.
Having a houseplant is surely a great idea. And, yes it would require you to take time out to make sure they’re doing well. But I’m sure it’s nothing you cannot handle. You would need to make sure you water them, wipe dust off their leaves, till the soil regularly.
Apart from that you might have to see if theres pest attack in the soil. But, you’ll get the hang of it and you’ll notice how much joy these green things can bring into your lives. The joy of watching the leaves dance as you water them, the joy of a new leaf growth… oh it’s a beautiful feeling and one that is addictive. It’s almost as if in no time these plants become an extension of you and you begin caring for them like you do for you.
Also read: How To Take Care Of Your Succulents: 5 Important Tips