1

Since you’ll be growing indoors, it’s important to consider the conditions of your gardening space. You will want to think about how much light the plants will get, the temperature of the room, how big the plants will grow and how long it will take for them to reach maturity.

2

Most gardening experts suggest you water houseplants once a week. Even desert plants like cacti should get water weekly. Unlike orchids that need a lot of humidity. It’s generally advised that you place 3 ice cubes in your orchid’s pot per week. Some more delicate plants may like to be “watered from the bottom.” When it’s warmer, you might need to water them more.

3

When deciding where to place a plant, keep in mind that south-facing windows receive much more light than north-facing ones. With east- or west-facing windows, observe the amounts of morning or afternoon sun they get before putting plants near them. Plants with brightly colored foliage need more light than others. A half-turn of the pot every day or two will keep the growth of your houseplant even, since foliage automatically bends toward the light. Because light is more intense in summer than in winter, you may need to move sun-sensitive plants in hot months.

4

Re-potting can be done at any time, but the best time is just before growth begins, which is in spring for most houseplants. When is a plant ready for re-potting? New leaves appear slowly and are very small compared to older leaves; soil dries out very quickly or water runs down the inside of the pot without soaking in; roots are growing out through the drainage holes or are appearing above the soil’s surface in the pots; or roots are so tightly coiled that when you pull the plant from the pot, you see all roots and no soil.

5

If your potted houseplants dry out too quickly after watering, try this simple trick for keeping the soil moist longer. When re-potting, tuck a damp sponge into the bottom of the pot before filling with soil. It will act as a water reservoir and may help prevent over-watering the plant.

6

Place the ice cubes around around the soil, but not touching the stem. The ice will melt slowly, releasing water gradually and evenly into the soil.