7 Ways to Keep Indoor Plants Alive and Thriving Year-Round

Indoor plants are a great addition to any space, whether your home or work area. They bring life to a space and improve its aesthetics. Houseplants also help in air purification and boost your mood.

However, a lot of people don’t know how to keep their indoor plants alive and thriving year-round. Some even opt for artificial plants to avoid the responsibility of caring for live plants, especially if they keep killing the ones they get.

But it isn’t that difficult to properly take care of indoor plants. Read on for tips on how to keep your indoor plants healthy and thriving, no matter the season or weather conditions.

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How to Keep Indoor Plants Alive and Thriving Year Round

Select the right plant(s)

Not all plants will thrive in the particular conditions in your home or location. Different houseplants also have different care needs and impact the ambiance of a room in varying ways. You should, therefore, choose the right plants for your space carefully.

To select the right indoor plants for your home or office space, consider the following factors;

Climate: Though they’re placed indoors, houseplants can also be affected by climatic conditions. For instance, some plants thrive in warmer weather, while others may wilt and die. Additionally, some regions are more prone to particular pests and diseases than others. When deciding on what indoor plants to get, consider your area’s weather conditions and select houseplants that can do well in that climate.

Lighting: Consider the amount of natural light your space receives, specifically the area you intend to put your plant. Bathrooms and bedrooms may not be as well-lit as areas such as the lounge or living room. Plants such as succulents can survive and thrive with little light, while other plant types may need a lot of sunlight for healthy development.

Room temperature: The hotness or coldness of your house or office space can play a big part in the survival of your indoor plants. Some plants thrive in warmer conditions, while others do best in a chilly area.

Care needs: Different plants may require different care strategies. So before getting an indoor plant, research its specific care needs first. Knowing how to care for a particular plant and what it’ll all cost before getting it can save you a lot of trouble and disappointment down the road.

Consider these factors and select an indoor plant or plants that will stay alive and thrive in the particular environment all year round.

Find the best spot

After choosing the right plant for your indoor space, your next step is to decide the best area to place it so it can be healthy. You’ll have to consider the factors in the previous point (climate, room temperature, and lighting) when choosing the perfect spot for your indoor plant.

A place with natural light, near a window, is ideal for most indoor plants. If in an area that doesn’t get much sunlight, consider investing in energy-efficient grow lights to provide mock sunlight.

An indoor humidity of 40-60% is ideal for most houseplants. Place your plants in an area with the right humidity levels to avoid problems such as stunted growth, brown leaf edges, and dull leaves, among others. To boost humidity levels for the plants, mist them regularly, use a humidifier, or place them on a pebble tray.

The perfect spot for your indoor plant should also be an area where it is at less risk of being knocked over as people or pets move around.

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Water regularly

Plants need water to grow and thrive. But they don’t all require the same amount. So, research how often and how much water your specific indoor plant needs. Note that the lighting and temperature in the area you place your plant, as well as the pot size, may affect the frequency of watering. Check the soil moisture before watering in order to avoid overwatering.

Watering in the morning or early in the evening is recommended. If you often forget to water your plants, you can use apps such as Happy Plant, WaterMe, and Planta to set reminders.

Ensure your plants are watered even when you’re away from home for extended periods. You could ask for help from loved ones or neighbors, or try other methods for keeping plants watered, such as using self-watering pots, an upside-down water bottle, a drip system, or watering globes.

Fertilize the plant

Their vibrant colors and unique features are some of the reasons why people get indoor plants. To keep them alive and thriving all year round, it is important to fertilize your houseplants properly.

Soil alone cannot provide all the nutrients your plant needs in an indoor environment; hence, you should use fertilizer. Look for a fertilizer that is formulated to provide the nutrients a specific plant needs to grow healthy and strong. Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are the three main nutrients that help with plant growth.

Follow the instructions on the fertilizer packaging while applying it. For best results, fertilize your indoor plants regularly, especially during their active growing season, usually in spring and summer.

Nutrient deficiencies result in stunted plant growth, yellowing of leaves, or wilting. Avoid these problems and keep your indoor plants healthy and vibrant by fertilizing them.

Prune and trim

It’s important to prune and trim your houseplants in order to maintain their health, prevent pests and diseases, and promote growth. Pruning and trimming your indoor plants also improves their appearance, thus improving the aesthetics of your space.

While pruning, remove any dead or damaged leaves, flowers, and stems using clean, sharp tools, such as pruning shears or gardening scissors, to avoid damaging the remaining plant.

However, timing matters when it comes to pruning and trimming your houseplants. So, before starting the pruning process, ensure you research when and how to prune your specific indoor plant. Different plants may have different needs. For instance, some indoor plants should be pruned during their growing season, while others may need trimming during the dormant season.

Repot if necessary

As your indoor plants grow, they could become too big for their current pots. Keeping them in these pots may affect their health and growth because the overcrowded roots could reduce the efficiency of water and nutrient uptake. Keep your indoor plants alive and thriving year-round by repotting them when necessary.

To know when your indoor plant has outgrown its current container and needs to be repotted, look for signs such as water draining too quickly, root-bound roots, roots growing out from drainage holes or above soil level, slow/stunted growth, and yellowing or wilting leaves.

Top-heavy plants may also require repotting to prevent them from toppling over if in a small pot.

Repotting will provide more space for your houseplant to grow. It will also supply fresh soil and nutrients that will enhance plant growth.

Get a pot that is 2-4 inches larger in diameter than the current container, ensure it has drainage holes, and put in it fresh potting soil. Next, gently remove your plant from its old pot, loosen any tangled roots (you may need to cut some away), then place it into the bigger pot.

While repotting houseplants, ensure you don’t damage the roots or pack the soil too tightly around them. Water the plant lightly on the first day to reduce the shock of relocation. Place the plant in a suitable spot (see point No.2) and monitor it closely for the first few weeks.

Deal with pests and diseases

Even after properly caring for your indoor plants, they may still be affected by diseases such as fungal infections and bacterial diseases, as well as pests such as leaf miners, aphids, spider mites, and scale insects.

While a few pests may not do a lot of harm to your houseplants at first, not finding a way to control their multiplication can eventually affect the health and appearance of your houseplants.

To keep your indoor plants healthy and thriving in all seasons, regularly inspect them for signs of pests or disease, and research the best ways to prevent or treat issues. Properly caring for your houseplants, such as regular watering, pruning, and fertilizing, can help prevent pests and diseases.

You can also seek professional help for dealing with plant issues.

Takeaway

Do you always kill your indoor plants? Or are you a beginner who wants to get their first houseplant, and are wondering how to care for it? You have learned how to keep your indoor plants alive and thriving all year round.

Indoor plants improve the aesthetics of your house or office space and also boost your mood. Their ability to enhance indoor air quality is an added benefit. However, houseplants require regular maintenance to stay healthy and beautiful. Investing your time, money, and energy to properly care for your indoor plants is worth it.

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How to Keep Indoor Plants Alive and Thriving Year Round

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