Posts Tagged ‘maintenance’

The homeowner who wants to start a home garden that is light on the maintenance needed may decide to buy cacti.  This is a good plan because they need less water than most plants and are quite hardy.  Although there are still care instructions that need to be followed to increase the life and longevity of a cactus.

Cactus plants are used to the heat and being dry, for this reason putting them in a windowsill with full sunlight is optimal.  Depending on the cactus and the amount of heat it is getting you may not have to water it for weeks at a time (once a month is the recommended watering schedule).  Cacti like coarse soil, it is recommended to use a soil that is meant specifically for a cactus instead of a generic mix.  When a fertilizer is needed you should also purchase a fertilizer that is just for cacti.

When watering a cactus, you want to be careful not to over water it.  A good tip to prevent this from happening is to place the cactus pot in a shallow dish full of water.  The plant will soak up all of the water it needs through the drainage hole in a period of 1-2 hours.  Complete this task and don’t worry about it again for another month unless the plant is starting to get a shriveled look.

When handling your cactus, be careful they can hurt.  If the pot is not large enough to hold onto without your hands getting to close to the prickly part of the pant use a folded newspaper and place it around the plant.  This will protect both your hands and the plant when moving it.  If you do get a piece of a cactus in your finger, remove gently with a pair of tweezers or a piece of strong tape.

When you are choosing a house plant you need to go beyond the appearance of the plant although that is a good place to start.  If there is a certain kind of plant that you want to have look into the care instructions first.  Some plants need more care and others are best left to an expert gardener as opposed to a novice one.  If you fall into the latter category of gardeners you will want plants that are easy to care for, are hardy, and have a low maintenance schedule.

Ferns are a popular choice for indoor gardens as they are easy to care for, do not require to be repotted very often and are attractive.  There is a wide range of fern varieties available and each one has a unique look.  Some of the different ferns great for houseplants are:

* Maidenhair Ferns
* Davallias
* Fishbone Ferns
* Cretan Brake Ferns

Begonias are a great choice for the indoors too especially if you do not have a great light source.  This plant can survive on very little light each day.  Some will flower indoors but  the leaves are beautiful on their own too.  They also don’t mind cooler temperatures either, but it should not get colder than 45 degrees Fahrenheit (7 degrees Celsius).  A few the begonia varieties available:

* Rex Begonias
* Iron Cross Begonias
* Begonia Masoniana

The fern and begonia aren’t the only breeds of houseplant that will survive even the newest of green thumbs.  Here is list of different kinds of plants you can try too:

* Spider Plants
* Devil’s Ivy
* Cast Iron Plants
* Chinese Evergreen

Once you have a few plants in your indoor garden and are comfortable with the care required, you will have the skill and confidence needed to take care of a higher-needs variety.