Indoor Plants

Thanks for sharing your wonderful indoor plants.

I don't grow much indoor plants. Since I have lot of tropical plants which I need to bring in during winter so I have minimised my collections of indoor plants. When I go to lowes or HD, I feel like buying all the indoor plants, but I control myself from buying them. I have pothas growing for 15 years. I rescued some of the indoor plants from lowes couple of weeks ago. They looked very sad with no water and care. I am happy that I gave them good home.

Here they are. Except pothas and orchids all the others were rescued from lowes for $1 - $2 a couple of weeks ago. Probably next week I will place them in different places around the house according to their light requirements.

Lakshmi07

 

Hi Lakshmi,
good collection,same here when I go to lowes or Hd I keep buying but now I have to move them indoors may be in two more weeks...
Tulasi

 

For beginners who wanted to grow indoor plants. Here are some tips for growing them.
When you go to nursery or lowes or home depot (it is usually cheaper in HD and lowes) look for healthy plants.
Make sure that the root are not growing out at the bottom through the drain holes of the pot.
Look for the tag which has care instructions.

Taking care of you indoor plants:

Read the instructions on the label that comes with the plants. Most of the instructions will be as
High Light
Medium Light
Low light

High Light means the bright light you get close to the window but no direct sunlight coming through the window. The plants that can grow in this condition are
African Voilets
Crotons
Orchids
Pothos
Ficus
Wandering Jew
Ferns
Begonia
Christmas Cactus
Peace lily

Most of the plants you see growing in india will grow in this light condition.


Medium Light means the spot between the window and low light spot of the room. The light you get little far away from the window. You need to keep these plants away from the window.
Plants that can be grown in this light are
Ivy
Prayer plant

Low light means far away from the window.
Peace lily (they survive in low light also)

Make sure that you do not place your plants close to the window when there is direct sunlight because they may burn the leaves. When there is a direct sun coming through the window then make sure that you keep the blinds half way opened.

If the store bought plants are root bound, repot them just 2 inches bigger than the original pot it has come. Make sure that the pot you are going to transplant has enough drain holes at the bottom. Do not plant a small plant in a very big pot. Go only 2'' at a time.

Do not pull the plant from the pot to transplant. Open your left palm, and slowly invert the pot with the plant in your right hand onto the left palm, so that the plant is between your. Gently tap the bottom of the pot. The plant will now sit on your left palm and the fingers. Gently hold bottom of the plant (root part) in your right hand and invert it back to position, the root part at the bottom and plant at the top now plant it into the new pot. If the plant comes in a big pot, then take someone's help so that one can invert the pot and the other can hold the pot. Do it slowly without hurting the plant. If I can, I will take pictures of transplanting the plant probably this week end or next week.

P.S: Make sure that you plant your plant at the same level it has come in the original pot.

If the roots are twining at the bottom you can use your fingers
and tease the bottom little to loosen the roots and then plant them in the new pot with good potting soil.
After you plant the plant in the new pot. Give a very dilute fertilizer to give them a start.

Regarding taking care of the plants.
1. Make sure that you do not over water the indoor plants.
2. Water them once in a week if the soil is dry on the top. Check frequently during winter when the heater is on.
3. Insert your index finger into the soil for about an inch, if the soil is wet do not water. If it is dry water the plant.
4. Make sure that the excess water in the saucer at the bottom of the pot is removed after 15 to 30 minutes. Do not let the water to stand in the saucer.
5. For African Voilet, do not water from the top. Keep a saucer at the bottom, and add water to the saucer and let the water stand for 15-30 min. and remove the excess water.
6. Feed your plants with a light solution of Miracle gro or any fertilizer once in two weeks according to the instructions given in the fertilizer container.
7. Do not over fertilize your plants. Too much water and too much fertilizer is not good for any plant whether indoor or outdoor plants.
8. Make sure you keep the plant clean and tidy remove the old and dried leaves and flowers. If not these may cause fungus diseases and they even make room for bugs.

Hope this will help you to give a start.

Lakshmi07

 

Hi Tulasi
Nice name. You have good collection of plants. You seems to live in durham, nc. I live in holly springs, nc and moved into this home last year. We moved from cary. I had to leave all my roses and daylilies in the previous home. I really miss them. I was not able to take them with me because the house was sold in a week. It is against the law to remove plants or anything after the showing. So I had to leave them. I am starting again my rose garden and daylily garden here. I have lot of jasmines all most all varieties. I will post all the pictures sometime.

Lakshmi07

 

Hi Lakshmi,
Ya, I live in Durham. Looks like holly springs is 40 miles from Durham. I can imagine how miserable you felt to leave your plants back. Even I went through similar situation 5 years ago when we moved here from phoenix. at least two years I was not in a mood to plant a single Plant in backyard then later decided this is not the way to think. Then slowly accumulated lot of plants now. Looks like you have lot of plants. Sure do post them
Tulasi

 

Dear Alivelu,Blondi and Tulsi,

Very beautiful plants,

 

Dear Lakshmi,
Thanks for giving valuable tips for indoor plants.
BYe
Radha

 

Hello Ladies
Looks all of you are doing so well with plants.
Lakshmi I am so impressed with your knowledge and those tips are really useful. Love your plant collection and you are right that since we have to move everything indoor there might not be enough room.
I didnt know you should not remove plants after closing sale. Thats sad that you had to leave them behind but now you have a good one too
Lookingforward to seeing more pictures.

 

Hi,
Friends,
After seeing the green plants, thought to post some of my plants.
All pants are looking so bright and green.
bye bye

 

Hi
friends
Some more plants.