A great houseplant should be valued like a pet or some sort of prized possession. They provide us with beauty and clean air, and they brighten up almost any dark corner of a home or office. While decorations and furniture are necessities, a great houseplant is much more than just an object. The presence of a living thing in the home brings a whole new feeling of vibrancy and growth. It helps to express a sense of warmth and friendliness to visitors. Plants are also all unique, like people, so when you invest in a plant you are sure to get something that no one else has ever seen before. This really helps to create points of interest or conversation builders with people who enter your home. A plant lover will always pause to take a look at a healthy or rare plant in someone’s home. Few of us realize that there are plants that can actually live in the darker parts of our homes and even thrive in such environments. Low light houseplants come in many varieties, shapes, and sizes. They provide beauty and variety to places that would otherwise be avoided by residents. However, these species do require special care and you should know a few general rules before you try anything. Of particular importance are watering techniques—these plants tend to be over watered, leading to some serious problems. Here are some basic tips that should help you keep your low light houseplants healthy and happy:
1. Realize that each plant is different. You should definitely consult the information provided with the plant when you bought it about watering, soil, and air temperature, as well as light conditions. With this said, even different plants of the same species can react differently to fairly similar environments. You will need to pay attention to your plants and see what they require.
2. Do not over water! Because low light houseplants do not require much light you should not give it to them. However, this also means that you should not give them too much water. Lots of water in a plant that requires little energy to grow tends to lead to drowning. This might sound strange, but plants can drown just like people. Their roots take in oxygen, and when covered with water can no longer breathe. Also, and this is the really important part, too much water will always rot the roots of the plant. Root rot destroys the plant from the ground up, and before you know it and without any warning the plant is dead.
3. Soil should be moist but not drenched when you water it. Don’t just put the plant under the faucet and leave it for twenty minutes. Make sure that the pot or container the plant is in drains well. Once the soil is moist stop watering. Watch the plant and observe if the watering is helping or hurting. It would probably pay to under water for a little while than to water far too much. Feel the soil with your finger to determine if it is dry enough to water again. You do not want the soil to become too dry, but you also want to wait until much of the moisture has left it before watering.
Following these few basic steps and observing your plant closely will help you to grow beautiful low light houseplants that will last for years. The key is to get a sense for your individual plant through observation and patience. If something isn’t working then try changing the amount of water or sunlight.