Growing indoor plants is the perfect solution if you lack the room for an outside garden or just wish to bring natural beauty inside. Even while not all indoor plants require the same level of care, these fundamental principles provide the essential knowledge for indoor gardening.

Know when to water them!

We all know how fussy our plants can be, and particularly our indoor plants! As a general rule you should be more worried about over-watering them as opposed to under-watering your plants! It is better for houseplants to be a little dry as over-watering leads to lack of oxygen, causing the death of roots and then the plant. Most plants only need to be watered twice a week and even less in the Winter months.  An easy tool to check if your plants are thirsty is using a Gardenman Soil Moisture Meter which will provide a helpful guide for the optimal watering for your indoor plants. 

Get the right amount of light

While all plants require light energy for photosynthesis, the amount of light needed varies depending on the type of houseplant. Different light strengths are described as low, medium, and bright- all depending on different factors like the time of year and which direction your windows are facing. In Australia, direct light beams through north-facing windows which allows plants such as succulents and cacti to thrive, but others not so much. As most plants need indirect light rather than direct light, the harshness can be diffused with the use of curtains to provide relief from the bright light.

Watch out for bugs

Despite giving your plant all your love and best efforts, your indoor garden could occasionally become infested with insects or mites. Even while a few bugs won’t cause much damage, if they go untreated, they can grow and ruin your favourite potted plant or even kill it. Our Buzz Mini Insect Indoor Pot Traps are a great way to protect your indoor plants from pests and will remain effective for entire seasons. Natural oils are always a great way to protect your plant against pests and can provide other health benefits to your plant. Rosemary, lemongrass, peppermint, citrous oils, eucalyptus, and neem oil are a few of the oils that are advantageous and safe to use on indoor plants. A number of different oils also serve as organic pest deterrents and maintain the health and happiness of the plants.

Soil is important

It is necessary for there to be room in the houseplants’ soil for root development, aeration, and efficient drainage. Your indoor plant may not do well with a soil mixture if it contains actual dirt from the outside. Perlite is excellent for houseplants because it gives the roots a well-drained, aerated soil. Most indoor plants prefer soil that drains easily. Our Brunnings Perlite Potting Mix provides many benefits from being natural and non-toxic to preventing roots from unintentionally drowning. Perlite can be mixed with any organic soil mixes like our Jeffries Organic Potting Soil which slowly releases nutrients, absorbs water and assists in nutrient retention.

Place importance on the pot selection!

When choosing a pot for your plant make sure to consider the material, size, and drainage capacity to provide the best home for your plant. When you first get your plant, use a pot that is similar in size to your plant, as starting with a larger pot means the roots can’t absorb moisture fast enough as it drains through the soil quicker.  Houseplants grow slowly, but as your plant begins to grow you can move it to a bigger pot that fits its new size. For indoor plants, plastic pots are ideal as they are lightweight making them easy to move and ideal for any hanging baskets you choose to decorate with.

Fertilise your plants when needed

Your houseplants can benefit from regular feeding and appreciate the nourishment provided by a good fertiliser. Fertiliser keeps your plants in good health and promotes strong growth with continued use, however, be careful as too much can have a negative effect on your plants.  Over-fertilisation can lead to the plant growing at a speed too fast for the roots to support the plant properly, meaning it doesn’t give adequate water and nutrients to the plant. A good fertiliser provides strong root development and can resist attacks coming from insects, disease or fungal.

Name your plants!

There’s a lot of work involved with looking after your houseplants, but it can be fun too! To help in staying invested in loving your plants, think about giving your plant a name. It can push you to become a better plant parent as naming your plant helps in building an attachment to the plant seeing as you already spend so much time caring for it.

Check out our indoor plant bundle where you can get some of the mentioned Jeffries products at a discounted rate of 25% if you purchase the bundle or view more gardening tips here.