Houseplants are a popular commodity among most people due to their ability to reduce stress that can potentially lead to disease and because they can help to lower blood pressure and sugar levels. These plants, specifically, spider plants, can even help to reduce toxins in the air that you breathe. Yet, the problem is that these plants are often hard to keep healthy in the home, as homes tend to be dry and houseplants tend to need more tropical environments. Here are four tips to help you keep your plants alive.
- Change Your Lighting. Houseplants need specific light in order to survive and be healthy. Blue and violet waves encourage plant growth, as it enables photosynthesis. Meanwhile, red rays help to manage leaves, bloom, and stems. Most homes seem to have incandescent lights, which lack blue and violet waves. Other homes use fluorescent lights, which attempt to produce a more balanced spectrum of light. Yet, these lights are still not adequate enough to create the environment your plants need. To fix these problems, you need to make sure that your home is getting enough natural sunlight or that you move your plants to new locations to accommodate your plant’s needs.
- Humidity is Key. Your indoor plants need enough humidity to grow strong and healthy. With dry air in our home, it is hard to counteract. Many people that have indoor plants choose to run humidifiers in order to increase the humidity in their home. Then, you want to make sure that you are misting and watering your plants enough. Another way to help increase the humidity levels for your plants is by simply putting multiple plants next to each other. Or, you could even trays with small rocks that hold water in order to allow your plants to take the moisture as they need it. Also, you want to avoid letting that water sit and become stagnant.
- Water Plants Accordingly. Many people struggle to keep their plants healthy because they are overwatering them, probably to make up for the dry air etc. in their homes. However, over watering your plants can do even more damage than you may think. You want to make sure that you are only watering your plants when they need it! If the top ¼ inch of the soil becomes dry, then it is time to water your plant. Then, you should only be giving your plant enough water so that the soil is damp—not soaking wet!
- Pest Management. Another problem faced by many indoor plant keepers is insect infestations. These pests can eat away at your plants and take away all of their nutrients, killing your plant slowly. To avoid this problem you first need to identify what kind of pests are infesting your plants. Then, one of the best ways to help your plant is by finding out what insect is a predator bug that can rid your plant of these pests.
