Many people struggle with caring for their plants. With house plants, there is no need to worry. Here are a few simple tips to grow indoor plants successfully.

1. Watering

Too much water will kill most houseplants. Looks are deceiving, so use the finger test to see if your soil is dry enough to water. Insert your index finger up to the first joint into the soil. If the soil is damp, don’t water it.

2. Feeding

A spoonful of worm castings on a regular basis will do wonders for your plants. If you don’t have a worm bin, start a worm bin. However, if you must use man-made fertilizer, choose the right type. Foliage plants usually have high nitrogen needs, while flowering plants require potassium. Slow release fertilizers can be mixed with the compost. However, certain plants like cacti and orchids need special fertilizer. Feed plants during their most active growth period.

3. Lighting

Common house plants like Sanseveria and Aspidistra require no sun and can be placed away from a window. Spider plants need semi-shade which can be near a window that does or does not get sunlight. Check the label or do a little research to see what your plant needs.

4. Temperature

Standard houseplants do well in cool or warm temperatures. The drastic temperature changes may damage your plants. Keep your plants away from the heating or cooling vents. Theses drafts are deadly to most plants.

5. Humidity

Some houseplants require a humid environment. One tip to maximize humidity is to put the pot inside a larger pot and fill in the gaps with stones or compost to keep in the moisture. Grouping plants together often creates a beneficial micro climate. If you want, lightly spray them with water once or twice a day to keep the humidity levels up.

6. Re-potting

Some plants require re-potting for optimum growth but there are others that resent having their roots disturbed or their roots system may be small enough that they don’t require re-potting. One way to check if your plant needs re-potting is to turn it upside down. Tap the pot to release the plant and check its roots. If roots are all you see, then re-pot. Sometimes the roots will come out of the pot. You should either cut them off or re-pot the plant.

You just need to have a little care for your plants and in turn, you’ll reap the benefits. Indoor plants not only add to the beauty of your decor, but also give much pleasure to the indoor gardener.