Here are the major factors and some general guidelines that should be considered when caring for houseplants.
Moisture: Both under-watering and over-watering can be detrimental to a houseplant. The best way to determine whether a plant needs water is to check the soil moisture. Most potted plants must be allowed to reach an appropriate level of dryness in between waterings. Water should be slowly poured over the surface of the soil until it begins to drain out the bottom of the pot, ensuring complete saturation.
Light: The two important factors for providing light to a house plant are intensity and duration. Quality exposure of 8 to 16 hours is ideal for most plants. Windows are the most common sources of light for houseplants. In the Northern Hemisphere, south-facing windows have the most sun exposure, while western, eastern, and north-facing windows have progressively less exposure. Artificial light sources can provide an alternative or supplement to window lighting. Fluorescent lighting provides excellent light quality whereas standard incandescent bulbs do little to promote plant growth. "Cool", or "blue", fluorescent lights at 6500k provide the light needed for lush green foliage plants, while "warm", or "red", fluorescent lights at 3000k provide the light needed for blooming flowers and fruit production. Incandescents, no matter how cheap, should not be used.
Soil: Houseplants are generally grown in specialized soils called potting compost or potting soil, not in local natural soil. A good potting compost mixture includes soil conditioners to provide the plant with nutrients, support, adequate drainage, and proper aeration. A nutrient rich compost can usually be bought wherever potted plants are sold. A good all purpose soil mixture is 2 parts coir and 1 part perlite or vermiculite. A so-called "heavy soil mix" will contain sterilised soil, milled sphagnum moss or coir, and perlite in equal proportions. It is also possible to make a soil mixture that actually contains no soil by mixing equal parts peat moss and perlite (or vermiculite). The soiless mixture will retain more moisture.
Temperature: Most houseplants are tropical species selected for their adaptation to growth in a climate which ranges from 15 °C to 25 °C, similar to the temperature in most homes. Temperature control for other plants with differing requirements needs attention to heating and/or cooling.
Humidity: Humidity is slightly more difficult to control than temperature. The more commonly used houseplants have established that they can survive in low humidity environments as long as their roots are kept properly irrigated. The most popular methods used to raise the ambient humidity are misting and pebble trays, which are shallow trays covered with pebbles and filled with water that evaporates to increase humidity. Other methods of raising humidity include grouping plants closely together and not placing plants in drafty areas.
Fertilizers: Soil nutrients can eventually deplete in potted plants an you may require to add a fertilizer. However, adding unnecessary fertilizer can be harmful to the plant. If a plant has been in the same potting mix for a year or more and is no longer thriving, then it may need fertilizer at half the recommended label dilution rate. Fertilizers are usually marked with a number such as 20–20–20 indicating the percentages of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium respectively. Nitrogen is essential for green, leafy growth. Phosphorus is essential for flowering or fruiting plants. Potassium is essential for strong roots and increased nutrient uptake. A 4–2–2 ratio of these elements is usually good for green foliage plants, while a 2–6–4 ratio is usually better for flowering plants. While variation may occur between brands, a general rule is to mix 1 tablespoon fertilizer to every gallon of water. In all cases, it is better to under-fertilize than over-fertilize. The diluted mixture is then used to water the plants. The growth of the plants should be monitored to determine if the fertilizer is helping or harming, and how often (if at all) it should be used.
Potting: A very large pot can cause root disease because of the excess moisture retained in the soil, while too small a pot will restrict a plant's growth. Generally, a plant can stay in the same pot for two or so years. Pots usually can be broken down into two groups: porous and non-porous. Porous pots are usually clay and are highly recommended because they provide better aeration as air passes laterally through the sides of the pot. Non-porous pots such as glazed or plastic pots tend to hold moisture longer and restrict airflow. Another needed feature is drainage holes. Usually pots come with holes in the bottom to allow excess water to flow out of the soil which helps to prevent root rot. Soak old pots thoroughly in a solution of 1 part bleach to 10 parts water to kill any bacteria that may remain.
Also See: How2 Grow a Herb Garden indoors
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