How to Plant Houseplants

Every year, after the death of our beloved outdoor plants/gardens, we think "hey! I'll get some houseplants." If you've ever had this thought and wondered how to go about doing just that, this is the guide for you!

First, you should decide what type of plant you would like to have indoors. Do some research on-line, at your local library, or at the bookstore. Decide on a good-looking plant that will keep your gardening urges at bay during those winter months. After you've done your research, take a moment to think about a likely spot in your home for the plant. Depending on the type of plant you choose, you will have to consider the amount of light that reaches your plant's destination spot.

So, the second task here is to discover a spot that correlates to the amount of light your plant will need. You will need to place plants that require high light (like those typically found in the jungles of South America) in a bright window. And, those that require low light will need to be facing a window that does not get as much sun.

Once you've decided on the plant and the location for the plant inside your home, your next step is to consider the container for the plant. I'll give you some examples from my own collection. There are many varieties of indoor planting containers, but the best that I believe you'll find is the clay pot. The clay pot is relatively inexpensive and can be found anywhere from craft stores to hardware stores. There are also plastic pots and glass or ceramic pots which come in many different varieties, as well. In my opinion, if you're a first time indoor gardener, stick with the clay pot. Just because a pot looks beautiful doesn't mean it will make your plant look or feel that way.

If you do decide to go for the beautiful pot in either glass or ceramic, be wary of a few things. One, make sure that the pot has adequate drainage space. I have seen pots that look like coffee mugs and have no escape route for the water to drain. If you're set on getting this type of pot, make sure you use a drill to place a small hole in the bottom for drainage. And, two: make sure the pot is sturdy and won't break with the slight pressure it will experience when you're filling it with soil.

Ok, so back to the main idea: indoor gardening. After you've chosen your pot (and the only reason I don't advocate plastic is because they deteriorate fast- over a year or so, and they aren't very pretty), you need to purchase a potting soil for your plant. Potting soil/mix comes in many different varieties. There is potting soil for certain types of plants, for example: roses, violets, cactus, etc. If you're going to be planting any basic houseplant like for instance: ivy, spider plants, snake plants, ficus tree, ferns, etc. you'll want to choose a potting mix that is not too thick that will be a good mix of potting soil and other drainage material. Look on the back of the bag and you'll see what I mean. My favorite to use is Miracle Gro which you can purchase almost anywhere that sells other gardening supplies such as Wal-mart, Home Depot, Lowes, etc. Always choose a potting soil that is specific to the type of plant you are going to be potting.

Now, you're almost ready to pot your plant. You must have a small shovel and gardening gloves to begin. If you've chosen to use a clay pot, there is some mild preparation involved before you pot your plant. Clay pots easily retain moisture and need to be soaked before they are put to use, or you risk the plant dying because the pot gets all of the water! You'll need to put your new clay pot in a bucket of water, overnight preferably, so that it will be prepared to hold a plant and not soak up all of the water away from the plant.

Finally, we're ready to pot that plant! Generally, I take a coffee filter (unused, of course) and place it at the bottom of the pot before I begin adding soil. I do this so that all of my potting soil won't get flushed out every time I water the plant! It's a good idea, or you can always take a round rock and place it on top of the hole at the bottom, this will allow water drainage and not so much soil drainage.

Begin by scooping potting mix into your pot up to about the half-way point. Once you have half the pot full of soil, sort of move the soil around to make room for your new plant. Place the plant into the soil and add more soil to the pot until the pot is about 1 inch from being full. Now, lightly pack the soil around the plant and voila! You're finished.

Make sure you water the plant very well after you've potted it and never leave excess water in the water tray underneath the pot- it's the waste! I water my houseplants in the winter less and in the summer more, and one more tip: don't over water them. They'll let you know when they're dry, they'll start to wilt and not look as perky.

Congratulations! And... Good luck in your future houseplant endeavors.