6 HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR PLANTS TIPS

Many men and women agonize a lot when it comes to caring for their plants. When talking about household plants, there is no reason to worry. There are just a few things you need to contemplate.

1. Watering
Over watering kills most houseplants. Looks can be misleading, so to see if your soil is dry enough to water, try the finger test. Insert your index finger up to the first joint into the soil. If the soil is moist, don't water it.

2. Feeding
Foliage plants most often have high nitrogen needs, while flowering plants, K2O is needed. Slow release fertilizers can be mixed with the compost. However, certain plants like cacti and orchids need special fertilizer. Feed plants during their most active growth period.

3. Lighting
Plants like Sanseveria and Aspidistra require no sun. They can be placed away from a window. Spider plants need semi-shade. You can put plants like these near a window that does or does not get sunlight. Check the label to see what your plant needs.

4. Temperature
Houseplants can endure in cool or warm temperatures, but extreme fluctuations of temperature may not be good for them. One thing that most plants cannot endure is gas heating. If you have a plant that likes warm conditions, don't put it close to your air conditioner in the summer.

5. Humidity
Some houseplants require damp surroundings. One tip to increase humidity is to put the pot inside a larger pot and fill in the gaps with rocks or compost to keep in the moisture. Putting plants together often creates a microclimate that they will benefit from. If you want, you can sprinkle them with water once or twice a day depending on the temperature.

6. Re-potting
Some plants require re-potting for best growth but there are others that resent having their roots upset. Or their roots system may be small enough that they don't require re-potting. One way to check if your plant needs re-potting is to turn it upside down. Tap the pot to release the plant and check its roots. If roots are all you see, then re-pot. Sometimes the roots will come out of the pot. You should either cut them off or re-pot the plant.

You just need to have a little care for your plants and in turn, you'll reap the benefits. Indoor plants not only add to the beauty of your home, but also give much enjoyment to the indoor gardener.