Gardening Tips

Pot A Little Piece Of Paradise
by Kent Higgins, edited by Dr. Carolyn Pararas-Carayannis

A home filled with potted plants is a home that exudes character, warmth and fertility. Plants can provide an emotional boost, help cleanse the air and are great simply for their decorative qualities. But the choice and maintenance of potted plants can pose some difficulties.

First is the knowledge that particular plants often require very exacting sizes of pots. They also need to be kept in an area of the home where they'll receive just the perfect amount of sunlight for their variety, and soil levels and the moisture levels of that soil need to be constantly monitored. Many plant species may also require additional touches to keep them in perfect shape. If this sounds like a lot of work, it can be. Plants are, after all, living things that have the same little quirks, likes and dislikes you would find in an animal or human. Once you have your routine down, though, you'll find that maintaining your plant in optimal health is not so hard at all.

Variety is the spice of life, so you can't go wrong by populating your abode with a variety of unique and interesting plant life. To cut down on the amount of upkeep that a variety of different plants and their unique characteristics would require, choose a few species that need very little water, and little to no fertilizer. These plants will all but maintain themselves, and diminish the amount of upkeep you'll need to provide for them. Spider plants and cacti are common, popular plants that don't require a lot of special treatment.

As mentioned, pot size and beyond that even pot style and construction material can all play a role in how well your plant takes to them and well they fit together, from an aesthetic standpoint. Let your flair and creativity take root here.

For well-lit open corners of a room, a large standing plant is a great choice. A palm is a great choice, but will need more room away from the corner so it isn't restricted.

Most potted plants will need to be re-potted every year or two, though others like bonsai's can remain in the same pot for many years, if properly cared for. Many plants will require re-potting and/or trimming as they continue to grow and outgrow their pot, or interfere with other household areas through their continued growth.

If you stage out your planting duties by acquiring your plants at different times of the year, as well as having species with different growth rates, you can minimize the amount of upkeep that is required all at once and not get overwhelmed with the workload.

As mentioned, houseplants cleanse the air within your home. To ensure you will always have a nice mix of fully grown and developing plants around take advantage of the variety of species that bloom at different times throughout the year, and for varying lengths of time. By mixing up the variety of plants in your home, you can keep a thriving and attractive residence with a minimal amount of upkeep. It's the best of both worlds!

Find out more as Kent Higgins shares his experiences on houseplants, landscape and lawn at www.plant-care.com For more information about air cleaning plants. Article Source: http://www.articlemap.com