I started gardening indoors many years ago when I moved into my first apartment. Of course, at the time, I only had a few houseplants that were easy to care for (a sansevieria and spider plant). But now I have an entire garden indoors. I just love indoor gardening, from tropical house plants to fruit trees – it’s a great way for me to get my gardening “fix” during the cold winter months. There are so many different kinds of plants that you can grow indoors – it’s impossible to provide a single list of dos and don’ts. But there are some general how-to houseplant guidelines you can follow.
Pots and soil
When I’m planting (or transplanting), I use a pot that is slightly larger than the plant’s root ball. If the pot is too small, the plant will be rootbound, and if too big, it will tend to retain too much water. It’s best to have a drainage hole, but if your pot doesn’t have one, you can add an inch or so of small pebbles at the bottom for drainage.
I especially like to grow dwarf-sized fruit trees. They do well in containers and are easy to prune to keep their height and shape under control. Some of the trees are native to my area and can remain on the patio even for the winter months. But I bring the tropical fruit tree containers indoors for protection during winter months.
I generally use a plant mix that is made especially for houseplants – then I know it is the right mix for indoors. Be sure to check the individual requirements of your plants though – some may require a specialized mix for best results, especially for those that flower or produce fruit.
