Indoor HousePlants

Which Plants are Suitable For Indoors

Is a plant a candidate for your indoor climate. Houseplants receive much less sunlight than outdoor plants, so plants that thrive in full or partial shade are good candidates. Obviously, very large and spready plants with extended root systems, would not be good candidates for transfer indoors. Indoor conditions are usually cooler and drier. Observe the plant you are considering and determine if it is doing well in similar conditions outside.

Look for Disease and Bugs on the prospective Plants

Selecting healthy plants is a key to success.. A good sign of a healthy plant is vigorous growth. Ensure there are no insects on the plant or in the soil. Do you see holes in the leaves that suggest insects chewing on the plant? Maladies and disease will promote slow growth. Look for wilting leaves and visible signs like powdery mildew.

If your plant is shows some of these signs, then it is likely a poor choice to move indoors. If insects are present, but have not yet done serious harm eliminate them, or find another plant.

Selecting Pots:

Select containers that are large enough for the root system and allow for some growth over the winter months. Choose pots with drainage holes in the bottom of the pot or container. Some pots do not provide drainage holes. Many plants are drowned by too much watering when there is no place for excess water to go. Place a small dish underneath to capture any excess water that drains out.

Transplanting and Pruning:

Once you have selected your plant, give it a pruning into the shape you want. It’s alright to be fairly aggressive here. This aggressive pruning will help direct the plant’s resources to the root system. Once a good root system re-establishes, additional resources from the roots are then sent to establish new leaf and flower systems.

Transplant to quality, sterile potting soil and center your plant in the pot.

Arrange and cover the roots with soil. Firm down the soil.

Water thoroughly, using a diluted solution of liquid fertilizer. Add more soil if that appears to be necessary.

Conditioning:

During the growing season outdoors, your plant received lots of sunshine. Through the fall and winter months, available sunlight diminishes. When moving a plant indoors, condition it by slowly reducing the available light it receives. Initially, give it as much sunlight as possible by placing it in the sunniest window. Gradually move it away from the light. After several days, move it to it’s final location.

A Few Tips

With indoor heating during the winter months, warm air circulating through the heating system reduces the moisture content and humidity even more than outdoors.

Locate plants to provide correct light and temperature exposures. Humidity can be maintained by adding a power humidifier to your furnace or placing a portable humidifier near the houseplants.

Keep in mind that if you place plants on a very cold windowsill that the cold will be transmitted into the plant’s soil and will inhibit growth. A bench or small table with warmer materials (wood construction) will allow the plant potting soil to stay warmer.

The intensity of sunlight coming through glass can be extremely high. This will require caution and observation on your part to maintain required water and humidity conditions.

Some plants such as split leaf philodendron, monstera, wandering Jew and dumbcane, do best under indirect sunlight. Place these plants next to a light colored wall that will reflect ambient sunlight onto them.

 Warmer, south and even western exposures are best for cacti, succulents and some flowering plants, such as geranium. These plants thrive in the sun and will tolerate hotter, brighter exposures.

Some flowering begonias will do well in west windows because they tolerate brighter light but could be lightly screened from direct sun with lace curtains.

To do well, flowering plants should receive the stronger light of a southern exposure.

Good choices for houseplants include figs, rubber plants and fiddle-leaf fig, English Ivy, spider plant, Jade will tolerate relatively low light, but seems to thrive in most locations. It might, however, sunburn in an extreme south exposure.

African violets are best in an east exposure. During the winter, they may need supplemental light. They may not flower without longer days.

Watering

Water houseplants thoroughly so soil is saturated. Discard water that accumulates in the overflow tray as it will accumulate an excess of water soluble salts.

With the exception of ferns, coleus and a few others that require frequent watering, it is best to let the plants become a bit dry before watering again. This slows plant growth during winter months, reduces plants' needs and compensates for lower humidity.

Houseplant and gardens