Homes go green with indoor plants

Rather than putting up modern art paintings in their homes, Faridabad’s residents prefer to go green and beautify their homes with house plants instead. While it may seem simple, however, there are a few things you should know before you bring a plant home. Read on to find out what Faridabad’s residents say is a must-have for keeping potted plants indoors.

Finding the right place

While everyone knows that plants should be kept in a place with a lot of sunlight, there are some spots in your house that you should avoid at all costs. Don’t keep your plant near a heater, air-conditioner, between curtains or near a window that allows cold drafts to pass through. It’s best to keep your plant at a window facing south, as this will get the most sunlight.

Windows that face east, west or north always have lesser light. However, some plants need partial shade, so be sure to look up every plant’s separate requirements. Debashish Ghose, who is a resident of Sector 21-D, Faridabad, says, “The spaces between your furniture can be used to keep indoor plants, which add to the ‘green look’ of your house. Even if you can’t put them in a place where they have sunlight constantly, you could always expose them to light for a few hours each day. Every weekend, when I am at home, I clean the leaves of the plants and expose them to the sunlight for at least four-five hours.”

Keep your plant healthy

When selecting a plant, you should check for signs of pests or diseases. If you see spots on the leaf or the leaf is a colour it’s not supposed to be, then it probably has a disease. This will leave any other plants you have in your home at risk of getting infected as well. You should also do some research on what type of fertilizer your plant requires.

Shailesh Jha, who also lives in Sector 21-D, says, “Initially, when I shifted to my flat, I wanted to have a small garden, but couldn’t do that because there was no space. However, I later decided to keep potted plants in the balcony. I called up my gardener and made holders in the balcony’s railing to accommodate small pots. The right amount of fertilizer is important for your plants and you can find out which type you’ll need by visiting a nearby nursery. The months from January to September are the best time for plants to be fertilized. I usually call my gardener every week and spend a few hours discussing what fertilizer should be used.”

Know how much you should water your plant

Every plant is different and while some need a good amount of water, others need their soil to dry out between watering sessions. A common mistake people make is to water the plant every day, which could inadvertently kill some types of plants.

Drainage

Since you might often give your plant too much water, be sure to create a proper draining system in the pot. The best way to do this is to have a layer of pebbles of around 2.3-four cm at the bottom of the pot. The pebbles will keep the roots of the plant away from any excess water at the bottom of the pot. If the plant is placed in the balcony, you could even buy a pot that has a draining hole.

Dust the leaves

Make sure you don’t let dust settle on the plant’s leaves because if too much dust gathers, your plant could have difficulty in breathing. You can fix this problem by taking a soft towel or a paintbrush and sponging both sides of the leaf each week.