The population of gardeners is growing in the US. However, many experts believe that this is from the pandemic, forcing many people to stay behind their homes. In comparison, some explain that this particular hobby has always been on top of the list. Regardless of the reason, gardening is meant for everybody, even for those who don’t necessarily like to go outside.
There are now approximately 20 million novice gardeners in the US. Some of these novice gardeners have taken the mantle of taking care of plants inside their homes. This is fairly common for people who live inside the city and don’t really have room to grow their plants outside. However, as we all know, houseplants tend to die much faster than plants that live outside. This is because plants mainly evolve and grow from environmental stress. But there are simple ways you can help them grow healthily, just like any plant that has lived its life outside your home. Here are some of those ways.
Less is More
Let’s start with a general principle, and that less is more when it comes to taking care of our houseplants. Many people tend to pay close attention to these plants, almost checking on them and watering them every day. However, you should stop doing that.
House plants experience less stress than those who live outside, which means they don’t require much attention or care. However, don’t take that too literally and never take care of your indoor plants. We mean that paying too close attention to them and watering them constantly or feeding them fertilizers way too often will stress your houseplants, making them wilt.
When it comes to caring for them, less is more. So give them space to breathe and enjoy observing them a healthy distance away.
Take Advantage of the Season
If there is one thing you should do every springtime, let your houseplant and get some of that sweet spring air. Many plants enjoy spring because of its balanced climates. However, you need to get your houseplants out whenever you can.
Sunlight is a necessary resource for plants, and many plants tend to be deprived of this essential resource. Putting your plants out once in a while can save their lives. If you see some of your plants looking under the weather, make sure to bring them outside whenever you can. Speaking of which, if you see some of your indoor plants looking a bit dire inside your home after you gave it the outside treatment, maybe it’s time to get it the help it needs.
Get Help Before You Need it.
The most expensive ones can easily wilt and die without proper care. Sometimes, it’s unavoidable. Unfortunately, this is very common for those living outside their comfort zones. One example is authentic Japanese bonsai trees.
As we all know, Japanese bonsai trees can cause easily between $100 to $1,000, especially if they are big and have already survived many years. However, many Americans tend to forget that the Japanese climate is much different from the US climate. They would purchase these trees, ship them home, thinking that it’s going to be alright. That’s never the case.
If you’re a loving owner of a bonsai tree or any exotic plants, you should always get it the help it needs before it’s too late. In the case of bonsai trees, an experienced gardener can do the job. However, if they can’t help you, you might need an expert arborist to get to the root of the problem. In most situations, houseplants die because of infestations. However, in miniature trees like bonsai, some small critters might have made their way inside its bark and started to chew on its nutrients. A tree surgeon can easily fix this problem if you bring it to them during the early stages of the problem.
Always get your houseplant help before they truly need it. Remember that for expensive exotic ones, prevention is always better and much cheaper than cure.
Use Saucers for Water
As novice gardeners, it can be tough for us to go on trips because there will be no one to take care of our plants. However, there is a simple trick for your plants whenever you want to go on a vacation—this trick fills the saucers under your pots to give them sufficient water during your trip.
This simple tip should give them enough water for a couple of days. Just don’t leave them for too long because they will eventually consume all the water you’ve left them.
Being a novice gardener can be quite challenging, especially when taking care of your houseplants. A simple tip from us is that if you don’t think you’re ready to take care of them, don’t do it just yet. Instead, read up and research more efficient ways to take care of plants because your knowledge will sustain your plants in the future.
