| Indoor gardening originally consisted of only about | | | | plants should be made up of peat moss, perlite, |
| two or three different plants when it began during | | | | and vermiculite. These mixes are soilless mixes; |
| the Victorian Era. The people who started indoor | | | | they will absorb moisture very well but will also |
| gardening probably had the money to purchase | | | | dry out very quickly. They do not contain |
| hibiscus and palms and would place them in their | | | | nutrients, so supplementing with fertilizer on a |
| living rooms or sitting rooms, but mainly the | | | | consistent basis will be very helpful. Soilless mixes |
| rooms that were used for entertaining. Soon | | | | are considered to be sterile so you should not |
| after this era many people did not want to be | | | | have any problems with diseases or pests. |
| bothered with living indoor plants, so the tradition | | | | Humidity and temperature are also an important |
| was lost. | | | | factor. If the plants you have were in their own |
| In the 1970's indoor gardening was brought back | | | | natural environment the difference in temperature |
| into existence but the houseplants were usually | | | | between day and night is about 10 degrees F. You |
| foliage type such as spider plants, ferns, and ivies. | | | | should supply them the same type of |
| Today we have much more of a variety of | | | | environment inside your home. Indoor garden |
| plants to choose and many of them include some | | | | plants prefer the humidity to be about 50 percent |
| beautiful flowering houseplants. The African violet, | | | | or higher but if the indoor air is any dryer than 35 |
| begonia, bougainvillea, gardenia, geranium, and | | | | or 40 percent water will not be able to penetrate |
| orchid are some of the most popular plants we | | | | through their roots. The humidity in the winter is |
| use for indoor gardening. They not only bring in | | | | usually very low so misting your houseplants will |
| some color to the home but also some fragrant | | | | help them survive. |
| scents as well. | | | | When it comes time to watering your indoor |
| Most of your home and garden centers, garden | | | | garden be sure to soak the root ball until water |
| nurseries, and commercial greenhouses will let you | | | | seeps out the bottom. When this happens you |
| know what type of potting mix to use, what | | | | can be sure that the entire root system has |
| type of light exposure they need and how often | | | | gotten plenty of moisture. Over-watering will kill |
| you need to water them. Once you have that | | | | most indoor plants more than anything else; it is |
| information you will probably only need a few | | | | best to check the soil first before watering, if you |
| indoor gardening tips to keep everything going | | | | check down 1/2 inch to 1 inch deep and it is dry |
| smoothly. | | | | they will need watering. |
| The common houseplants have a lifespan just as | | | | Most of your flowering plants and some foliage |
| we do. If some of your plants seem to be | | | | plants need to be placed about three feet from a |
| struggling a little and they have been around a | | | | south facing window. During the winter months |
| long time, it is probably time to replace them with | | | | you want to move your plants closer to the |
| new ones. You do need to be careful if you have | | | | window. Most of your houseplants do better with |
| unhealthy indoor plants because they will attract | | | | 12 to 16 hours of light every day, during the |
| insects and disease and pass them on to all your | | | | winter you may need to use grow lights to |
| healthy plants. | | | | substitute for the lack of sunlight. |
| The potting mix you want to use for your indoor | | | | |