Video: Organic Houseplant Care

You may not think of organic gardening when you think of houseplants, but if anything, growing indoor plants organically is even more important than outside, as you certainly don't want to be bringing harmful chemicals into your living area! Growing organically indoors can help keep your family and pets safe.

This short video gives some helpful tips for growing houseplants organically, from fertilizing to dealing with pests and other problems.

House Plant Care
Organic gardening isn't just for edibles! Grow your house plants organically too. Learn how to keep them healthy and to deal organically with pests and disea...


   

House Plant Care Basics

As houseplants are living in an unnatural environment (indoors), instead of in their natural habitat, we need to give them extra care to get the best results.

They will require all the elements outdoor plants do - such as their need for good nutrients, water, ventilation, light and a suitable climate. Without this balance they will soon wither and die.

It is vitally important that potted plants have top quality soil that drains well - as well as drainage holes in the bottom of each pot.

(Photo credit: SheepGuardingLlama)

As with outdoor plants they will need soil that is light enough for their roots and to hold water and air but not so light as to allow the nutrients to wash through and not be made available for their roots. One thing that will not be as much of a concern as outdoor plants is their need for support against winds. This can allow you to use lighter soil; however you will still need to ensure the plant is getting the nutrients it needs. This might sometimes require additional feeding that is over and above what you would give an outdoor plant.

Getting good potting mix for your indoor plants can make a noticeable difference to their condition as the soil that we get from outside can sometimes have diseases or insects in it. Organic indoor potting mix is readily available in different varieties to suit the requirements of various indoor plants.

The environment can also affect plants, and air pollutants such as smoking in the house will affect the plant growth and result in poor health just as it does to the person smoking.

Plants will also benefit from having their leaves cleaned, as there can be a buildup of dust when growing indoors and not having the rainfall to wash them clean, and this can prevent light from getting to the leaves.

You can buy inexpensive moisture monitoring kits and also small units designed to release water into the soil when dry soil is detected. For a more sustainable indoor gardening practice, catch rainwater in containers to use for watering your indoor plants.

If there is an opportunity to do so, it is a good policy to put your indoor plants outside in the sun for a few hours every so often to get some extra light and fresh air - or put them out in the rain for a good washing and soaking.

Houseplant Care Resources: 
   

Tips For Diagnosing your Sick Houseplant

Whether you've moved some of your garden indoors for the winter, or you have year-round houseplants, sometimes your plants won't necessarily be as healthy as you'd like. The signs of ill health will probably be easily noticeable. Your indoor plants are going to let you know if something isn’t right. The leaves may fall off, turn brown or yellow, or some other symptom will manifest itself.  The are various causes, some that can be rectified and others that cannot.  When you are trying to figure out what is wrong, start with the simplest solution as a starting point. 

(Photo credit: Sorbus sapiens)

The most common cause of a sick houseplant is watering, either too much or not enough. If the plant’s leaves are starting too look wilted or are drying up, check the soil and if it is dry add a good amount of water to wet the dirt and leave it moist once the water has run through.  If you have over watered a plant, make sure the drainage hole is not clogged and if you have a dish underneath that catches excess water, empty it out to make room for more water to drain out of the pot.

If the edges of the leaves are turning brown and are starting to look dried out it is from too much heat.  In this situation it is best to remove the plant from direct sunlight, or adjust the temperature inside the home if possible. If your plant is sitting near a heater vent, you will want to find a cooler location. These symptoms can also show up if there is not enough humidity in the house.  As a quick fix you can put a small dish of water near the plant and as it evaporates the plant will soak it up.

When a plant loses its leaves it could be because the roots were damaged from over watering, the plant is not getting enough water to support the amount of foliage, or it is too hot.  Assess the plant’s environment to begin nursing it back to health and giving it what it needs to get better.  If you need more information you can ask the experts at your local gardening center