Indoor Gardening
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Today features a guest post by Bob Guillow from GardenManuals.com. Here Bob shares some valuable advice and tips on growing an indoor garden…
One of the most rewarding and productive hobbies gardeners have come to love is growing an indoor garden. Indoor gardening is fast becoming one of the most popular ways to spend time in the cool winter months as well as a great way to get out of the sun during the hot, humid summer time months.
It’s true; many people have now seen the light and have developed their very own indoor garden. The fact of the matter is that anything that can grow in the ground can also grow in a pot, making indoor gardening a reality. Sounds interesting, huh? Read on as we examine the world of indoor gardening.
Indoor Garden Drainage
The first “must” associated with indoor growing is proper drainage. Two options exist for drainage. The first being to incorporate drainage holes into your pot and the second calls for the plant to be placed into a pot, and that would in turn be placed into a tray. If you opt for the second, it is recommended that you insert
pebbles into the initial pot. This allows the water to drain from the pot to the tray without having your plant sit in it.
Keeping Your Indoor Garden Properly Lit
Lighting of course is a key ingredient as well. Either a well-lit window area or artificial lighting will do the trick. In most cases, plants require between ten and eighteen hours of light each day. Please note that without sufficient lighting, you are certain to see poor growth and results.
Watering Your Indoor Garden
As you can imagine, watering is also very important. While everyone knows that there plants need “plenty” of water to stay healthy. Unfortunately a good number of those people tend to overdo it. Each plant’s watering requirements vary. Therefore it is imperative that you inquire on your plant specifically. Also be aware of the environment. For instance, if the furnace is constantly running, your plant will tend to need more water. It is very important that you are constantly monitoring this situation as over or under watering can be devastating.
Finally, consider how much space you will need. As you are probably aware, an indoor garden can take up some room. Therefore before beginning this project, be certain that you do indeed have enough room to facilitate.
An indoor garden is truly ideal for those who lack yard space and for those who simply can’t say goodbye to their garden for the winter. While it does take some time and money, most find that it is well worth their while.
Indoor Gardening Tips
How does your indoor garden grow? Not all in a row anymore. When houseplants are placed in thoughtful compositions, they lend new life to your rooms.
As sunrooms grow more popular in American homes, so does the desire to display houseplants. But an artfully arranged indoor garden means more than marching plants along a windowsill or suspending them from macramé hangers. It requires attention to balance, scale, texture and detail – the same factors that influence any arrangement of art or furnishings.
For instance, massing plants similar to the way they are gathered in a flowerbed – by color, shape, or species – will give your design more impact. Also, keeping the rest of the room neutral in palette and light on pattern will prevent the greenery from getting lost in space.
Here are some tips for arranging your indoor garden:
- Display plants on the wall, like paintings. Wall-mounted shelving lets you create pleasing compositions.
- Use creative containers, such as lanterns or polka-dot pots, to dress up plants, much as fabrics embellish furniture.
- Vary the heights of plants; a change in altitude will increase the eye appeal, just as it does in outdoor landscapes.
- Use trailing plants, such as ivy, to visually connect shelves.
- Pay attention to the different shades of green among houseplants, and then mix them up in your display.
- Vary textures. Display velvety violets beside smooth-skinned ivy, for example.
- Remember that a sunroom or sun porch isn’t the only spot to gather greenery. Any room in the house that gets ample sunlight can be an indoor garden.
Indoor gardens are not only aesthetically pleasing, they put needed oxygen into the air that you breathe and promote healing and well-being for all who are around them. Learn more about gardening and even garden landscape designs at: www.gardenmanuals.com.
I would like to thank Bob Guillow for stopping by and providing this wonderful information on indoor gardening. Please be sure to visit his web site, GardenManuals.com, for more information on various gardening topics.
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- Get Involved In Community Gardening
80°F; Mostly Cloudy
A medium-sized room that has a dozen or more small pots placed at different levels gives a feeling of space in three dimensions.