The New Year—it’s the perfect time to take a deep breath and focus on ways to freshen your home and enhance your physical and mental well-being. You can go with a houseplants galore scene, or just add a few on center stage.
The mere presence of houseplants helps bring life to your indoor living spaces. Their natural form, color and fragrance calms nerves, reduces stress, and keeps us connected to the outdoor world when winter has us cooped up inside.
Not only are indoor plants attractive, they’re hard workers, too. During the winter months when windows and doors are sealed tight, indoor plants act as Mother Nature’s air purifiers, leaving us with safer, cleaner air to breathe.
Indoor plants improve our well-being in so many ways. So what can we do to keep our houseplants as healthy and happy as they keep us? Here is a list of tips:
Watering
The greater the light and the more pot-bound a plant is, the more rapidly the plant uses water. To determine if your plant needs water, place your finger in the soil. When the soil feels slightly dry or does not cling to your finger, it is time to water. Add water until it flows out the drain holes. Discard the extra water that drains out.
Temp +Humidity
Because they are tropical, indoor plants enjoy the warm temperatures of room interiors. Unfortunately, they often suffer from a lack of humidity. You can increase humidity by using room humidifiers, pebble trays or by grouping plants together. To create a pebble tray, simply fill a deep, oversized tray with pebbles. Place your potted plant on top of the pebbles and fill the tray with water until it rises half-way up the pebbles. As the water evaporates from the pebble tray, humidity surrounds the plant. Add water as needed.
Fertilizer
Molbak’s recommends fertilizing indoor plants during the active growing months: March through October. Choose a balanced organic indoor plant fertilizer and follow the label directions for frequency and dilution. Organic fertilizers are better for you and your plants. The nutrients are easily absorbed creating long-lasting healthy plants.
Enjoy your houseplants galore or the one on center stage this New Year.