15 Startling Facts About Houseplants You've Never Known

Light and Humidity Requirements for Houseplants

Houseplants can liven up any room. They don't just make homes and offices more attractive, but certain varieties also improve the air quality. They also absorb or reflect noise pollution, such as sirens buzzing neighbors and raucous electronics.

To keep your plants healthy, you must recreate their natural environment as best you can. Tropical houseplants, for example thrive in warm, humid conditions. Cacti and succulents, on contrary, are used to dry, desert temperatures with minimal water.

Light Requirements

Light is vital for the development of houseplants. Water, humidity, the appropriate growing medium, as well as an appropriate temperature range are all necessary for houseplants to thrive. But light is perhaps the most crucial factor. Most houseplants grow best in bright indirect sunlight and not direct sun. Plants that do not receive enough light can become damaged and eventually die. A few plants, such as succulents and desert cacti are well-adapted to direct sunlight that is intense in the summertime.

The amount of sunlight a room receives can be measured with an instrument for measuring light or simply watching the brightness level of your plants. Light meters can be costly, but allow you to track the intensity of sunlight throughout the day.

https://houseplantalley.com/ to put a plant that requires the filtering of sunlight is in an east or south facing window. These windows can provide bright indirect sunlight for most of the day, as well as direct sunlight for some hours in the late morning or early afternoon. The light is more intense than the sunlight from a window facing west that is un-shaded, but it can still be too excessive for plants that prefers partial sun and shade.

Filtered sunlight is sunlight that comes into a room through windows but is softened by curtains, blinds or an awning. The light isn't as bright as direct sunlight, however it is still sufficient for most plants to be able to photosynthesize. This kind of light might not be available in northern climates.

Incandescent lighting, like floor lamps or table lamps are also able to provide filtered light for many plants, but they are not ideal for those that need full sunlight. These lights give off more heat than light, making them unsuitable for a lot of species that are sun-loving or tropical.

Some plants that require bright indirect light can thrive in the North or East window however, they'll need to be protected from wind and rain that can toss the plants around. They can also be sheltered by an awning or another structures that block the harshest elements of North or East sun.

Water Requirements

The watering requirements of various houseplants are different, as do the conditions in which they reside. Tropical plants that thrive in jungle conditions like an environment that is humid and warm with regular rainfall. Desert plants, like cacti, prefer moister, drier soil and only periodic watering.

To get a houseplant growing, you need to understand its requirements and water it accordingly. Check the moisture in the soil and only water when the top 1" or 2" of the potting media is dry. This will stop the soil from becoming waterlogged and leading to root rot.

Generally speaking plants that are thirsty will display signs of it by dropping leaves and/or turning yellow or being slow to develop new leaves. A simple way to test for the amount of water in a plant is by poking your finger around an inch into the soil. If the soil feels moist, you can rest for a few days before you water again. Pick up a pot and see whether it feels heavy. If it is saturated with liquid, it is. You can also purchase gadgets that beep, light up or signal when it's time to pour water.

Many people decide to incorporate indoor plants into their offices and homes due to aesthetic reasons. They provide interest and colors, soften lines and improve air quality by absorbing chemicals like formaldehyde and trichloroethylene, which are often off-gassed by man-made materials. However, it is important to remember that these aren't all the benefits of having a houseplant: they are also therapeutic, and caring for plants can help lower stress levels.

The majority of indoor houseplants will thrive better in ceramic or glazed pots rather than Terracotta. Spring and summer will see them grow faster than winter and fall. When selecting a watering pot look for one that offers sufficient control over the spout so that you can direct the water to the soil surface without soaking the leaves, which could invite fungus. If you aren't able to get rainwater tap water, it can be used as long as it is left to sit for a few days to let the chlorine evaporate.

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Temperature Requirements

Many of the houseplants that we cultivate are native to tropical or subtropical climates. To thrive indoors, they require an arid, moderately humid climate. Most plants thrive in temperatures that range between the 58 and 86 degree Fahrenheit. If temperatures are too cool, they can cause a slowing of growth, whereas temperatures that are too hot can cause wilting or other issues.

In general, tropical and flowering species, like palms, philodendrons and philodendrons, as well as flowering plants, hibiscuses and bromeliads, like warmer temperatures during the daytime that increase photosynthesis, which creates sugars and starch that allow plant tissues to grow. At night, these plants need cooler temperatures to help conserve energy.

Succulents, like cacti and the well-known fishhook barrel cactus and string of pearls, require very warm temperatures in order to thrive. They can withstand temperatures as low as 40 degrees Fahrenheit, but they won't be thriving when they experience sudden temperature fluctuations.

The best way to keep your houseplants healthy is to ensure they are in a sunny area that is warm during the day and moderately cool during the night. This is particularly important during winter as the sun appears lower in the sky and light levels decrease by as much as 50%. You can prevent your plants from becoming too dark by moving them to a window with more light or adding additional lighting.

During the winter, soils on the surface can dry out more quickly because of the colder temperatures. When it is time to water it, make sure you use warm (not cold) water to avoid causing shock to the roots. It is also recommended to water your plants early in the morning, so that the water can be taken up before the temperature starts to drop at night.

Many kinds of houseplants can die due to a sudden temperature drop, even the most popular. Tropical and subtropical species such as philodendrons and palms, are particularly vulnerable. Even some succulents, like bear paws and agaves are susceptible to being destroyed by sudden temperature changes. It is recommended to bring these plants inside before the outdoor temperatures begin to decrease and then gradually adjust them to indoor conditions so they can adapt to the change.

Humidity Requirements

Many houseplants require a high level of humidity. They may come from tropical regions where humidity levels are much higher, or they could be adapted to the drier conditions of the desert or underbrush of the forest and do not adjust well to the typical indoor temperatures and low humidity levels. This is the case for aroids, orchids, and other plants like haworthias.

Humidity is the measure of the air's ability to hold water vapour. It ranges from 0% (dry), to 100% (saturated like fog). The average relative humidity for homes is between 30 and 50%. Many common houseplants are able to survive in this range, but those that require high humidity are likely to be affected and could drop leaves or buds that they are unable to support with the moisture available in the air.

If the humidity is low, plants may become dehydrated as stomata shrink and they are unable to replace the lost water with carbon dioxide that is essential for photosynthesis. This can eventually kill the plant. The first indication that the humidity is low is the appearance of the plant when it becomes desiccated. Other symptoms include wilting or browning of the leaves.

Place the plant on an unfilled tray and add water and gravel to increase humidity. The plant will receive the humidity it needs by evaporating water. It is important to empty your tray often to prevent the growth of bacteria in the stagnant water. This can damage the roots of your plant.

Another easy method to raise the humidity of the plant is to cover the plant with the bag of plastic. Be sure to put wooden stakes into the pot to keep the plastic from the plant. Also, make sure it is not in direct sunlight, which can harm the leaves of the plant. It is essential to open the plastic from time to time and check for excessive condensation, which could suggest that the temperature of the air is too high.

Place the plant in the kitchen or bathroom in areas where the air is usually more humid than in other parts of the home. It is also beneficial to group plants with high humidity in the same location, since they can benefit from each other's quicker transpiration rates, creating a small pocket of higher humidity around them.

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Pub: 12 Jul 2023 13:56 UTC

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