Love the greens but have limited space that cannot accommodate big plants? Well, let not the scarcity of big open spaces be a hindrance to grow your own garden. Indoor gardens have been in practice since Victorian times for those who are inclined to nature. For those living in small apartments in Kolkata, indoor gardening is an only feasible method to create an imitation of a natural open garden.
What You Need To Know About Indoor Gardening
Learning basics before taking the first step
Research is the only way to learn gardening tips and methods of growing indoor plants in confined spaces. Figure out which sapling is suitable for your available space and apt keeping in mind the lighting of the area. Herbs, Cacti and Bonsai are very easy to accommodate and set up indoors. Growing herb garden is advisable that involves no trouble and conveniently set up indoors giving an interesting makeover to your home. If you have never grown plants indoors, make sure you have read enough and are confident with what you have learnt and only then begin collecting saplings.
Know the soil requirements for each plant type
Proper selection of soil and determining soil weight is critical to maintenance of indoor plants. Consistency, drainage amount, nutrition retention along with cost effectiveness is very important while choosing the right soil type. How much moistness of soil is ample for the plant type also needs to be taken into account while planning for indoor gardening. The soil and PH level requirements differ for each plant type. Some plants may require disposable soil at the beginning or end of each season while some others can grow in the soil used once. The soil should also have enough micronutrients and natural decomposers for healthy growth.
Arranging proper light when staying small apartments in Kolkata
Kolkata is a hot and humid city in the summers stretching for most of the time in a year. This makes it difficult for certain indoor plants to grow healthily unless they are exposed to proper light for certain duration. For instance, some herbs and plants like lettuce cannot grow when exposed to too much sunlight as they have low light requirements. Decide on what light to use for your choice of the plant first. If you have big windows with ample sunlight availability at particular times of the day that suits your requirements, it is possible to depend on that alone. However, if that is not the case you may have to opt for artificial lighting sources like light reflectors and LEDs.
Do you check the soil before watering your plants?
The most common mistake that beginners commit is overwatering. Drenching the plants with excess water is not a good idea as it shocks the roots and kills the plant before it even it starts growing. Make a habit of checking the dampness of the soil every time you go for watering. The plant may not require watering on rainy days at all while it may need to be watered frequently on hot and dry days. Once you see water dripping from the bottom of the pot take it as a signal to stop pouring anymore.
Indoor gardening is a greener way of decorating your home with added benefits. It not only purifies the air but also brings freshness to the room keeping your mind stress-free at the same time. Most new apartments in Kolkata are opting for indoor plants as they cannot afford a kitchen garden with limited free space available. However, some real estate developers in Kolkata have taken this initiative of building housing complexes with garden areas and provision for putting up pots in the balconies for those who share this love for greens.