Growing plants indoors requires patience, attention to detail, and lots of love. But when done right, growing plants at home is rewarding, relaxing, and fun!
Here's a list to help you grow your plants faster and bigger at home:
1. Start With Seeds
Seeds are inexpensive and easy to find. They come in all shapes and sizes, so choose the ones that best suit your needs.
Start with seeds that are small, like lettuce, spinach, and radishes. These seeds are easier to plant and tend to germinate quickly.
2. Choose the Right Soil Mix
Soil mixes vary depending on the type of plant you're growing. For instance, tomatoes require high levels of nitrogen, whereas peppers prefer phosphorus.
You'll also need to decide between potting soil and hydroponic nutrient solutions. Potting soil provides nutrients for roots, but it doesn't provide much water retention. Hydroponics, on the other hand, uses liquid nutrients instead of soil.
3. Water Well
Watering is essential to growing plants successfully. Too little water leads to wilted leaves, while too much causes root rot.
Use a timer to make sure you give your plants adequate amounts of water throughout the day.
4. Feed Regularly
Plants need food to thrive. Use fertilizer to feed your plants every week or so.
Fertilizer contains nutrients that plants absorb through their roots. Be careful not to overfeed; fertilizers contain chemicals that may harm your plants.
Organic fertilizers come from natural resources like animal waste, compost, and bone meal. They contain nutrients that plants absorb easily. These nutrients help increase crop yields. Organic fertilizers are used to improve soil health and increase crop yields. They contain naturally occurring elements such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, iron, copper, zinc, manganese, molybdenum, boron, chlorine, sodium, silicon, and others. These elements are essential for plant growth.
Cow dung manure is an ideal fertiliser for vegetable crops. But it is very important to use rotten cow dung manure. If you use fresh cow dung manure, it will make plants grow faster, but it will cause diseases.
Inorganic fertilizers include synthetic materials such as nitrates, ammonium, urea, and phosphate. Synthetic fertilizers provide quick results, but they don't offer long term benefits. Chemical fertilizers are made up of synthetic materials like ammonium nitrate, urea, phosphoric acid, potash, and many others. These fertilizers are often applied to crops in combination with pesticides.
To avoid problems, you should always read labels and follow directions. If you're unsure about what type of fertilizer to buy, contact our expert gardener in UrbanMali.
5. Provide Light
Light is another key element in growing plants. Sunlight is necessary for photosynthesis, the process that allows plants to convert sunlight into energy.
6. Compost
Composting is a great way to turn food scraps into rich plant fertilizer. In fact, composting is so good for plants that it’s often used as a form of landscaping. But there are several types of soil, and each requires a unique blend of nutrients. If you aren’t sure what type of soil you have, take advantage of our free soil test kit. You’ll find out exactly how much nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, copper, zinc, manganese, boron, molybdenum, and sulfur you need to add to your soil.
Bio-compost
Bio-compost is an environmentally friendly way to dispose off kitchen waste. It is a mixture of decomposed plant material and microorganisms that break down organic matter, such as food leftovers, yard trimmings, grass clippings, leaves, and manure. Composting is one of the most effective ways to reduce household garbage because it does not require energy to produce.
The process starts with collecting kitchen wastes like fruit peels, vegetable peelings, eggshells, coffee grounds, tea bags, bread crusts, banana skins, pasta shells, meat bones, etc. These materials are mixed together with water and placed in a container where worms live. They feed on the wastes and excrete nutrient rich castings called vermicast. Vermicast is added to soil to improve its quality.
Leaf mould
Leaf mould is one of the most important ingredients in growing plants. It helps in improving the quality of soil, especially for those who are looking forward to growing herbs, vegetables, fruits etc. You can use leaf mould to make compost, mulch, fertilizer, potting mix, and many more.
7. Temperature:
Plants react to changes in temperature in different ways. Some are very sensitive and others less so.
Cold weather should be avoided if you want to keep your plants healthy. If you live in colder regions, it might be worth investing in some heating mats or heat lamps to help your plants survive winter.
8. Grow in Dedicated Beds
A bedded garden allows you grow multiple crops simultaneously. This method eliminates waste by planting food where it will be consumed. Growing food in beds maximises productivity and reduces waste. You don't need to buy expensive hydroponic equipment, nor do you need to invest in a large greenhouse. All you need are some containers and soil.
9. Choose plants that thrive
Here are seven tips to help you choose plants that thrive in your region:
Consider climate
Consider local climate conditions. Choose plants thrive in your local area. Seek an expert gardener in UrbanMali to determine whether a plant thrives in your area.
Cold hardy vegetables like kale and spinach are good choices for colder regions.
Warm weather crops like tomatoes and peppers require warmer temperatures.
Look for disease resistance
Certain plants are naturally resistant to certain diseases. For example, broccoli resists powdery mildew, while cabbage is susceptible to it. When selecting plants, look for those that resist common garden pests like aphids and mites.
10. Space Plants Correctly
Planting seeds too close can cause problems for your garden. This is especially true for perennials, shrubs, trees, and vines. When growing these types of plants, it’s important to space them correctly to ensure proper growth.
If you are planning a small vegetable garden, you can set up one square foot per row.
11. Companion Planting
Companion planting is a great way for you to improve the health of the plants around your home. By growing certain plants next to each other, you can increase yields and decrease pest damage. In addition, companion planting can help boost the flavor of fruits and vegetables.
Companion planting can help boost yield and reduce pest damage.
Companion planting is a great way to grow vegetables, flowers, herbs and fruit trees together.
12. Preventative Pest Control
Preventative pest control is an important part of keeping pests out of your garden. If you don't do anything about it, pests will eventually destroy your plants. There are many different ways to prevent pests from entering your garden, including traps, repellents, barriers, and pesticides. Traps include sticky boards, floating row covers, and pheromone lures. Repellents include oils, essential oils, soap sprays, and insecticidal soap. Barriers include netting, mesh bags, and plastic tunnels. And pesticides include sprays, dusts, granules, baits, and fumigants.
13. Weeding
Weeding is one of those things you don't think about doing unless it becomes necessary. But weeds are actually very good at growing. They're opportunistic plants that grow fast, reproduce prolifically, and spread easily. And once they've taken hold, they can be extremely difficult to eradicate.
So how do you know whether or not you need to weed? Here are some signs that you might want to consider getting out there and pulling up some weeds.
1. You notice that your plants aren't growing well. If you notice that your plants aren’t growing well, it could mean that something is interfering with their ability to absorb nutrients. This could be caused by lack of sunlight, poor soil quality, or even too much fertilizer. Whatever the cause, it's important to address the problem as soon as possible.
2. Your lawn looks unhealthy. Many people use grass clippings as mulch around their gardens and yards. However, if you notice that your yard doesn't look like it used to, it could indicate that you need to add more compost or manure to improve the health of your lawn.
3. You notice that your garden beds are looking bare. When you walk into your garden bed, does it feel empty? Do you see fewer flowers or vegetables than you did before? These are all signs that you need to start weeding now.
4. You notice that your vegetable crops are struggling. Vegetable crops require lots of water to thrive. So if you notice that your crops are wilting or dying, it could be because they're lacking in essential nutrients. To ensure that your produce stays strong and vibrant, make sure to fertilize regularly.
5. You notice that your flower beds are looking sparse. Flowers are beautiful additions to any garden. But if you notice that your flowerbeds are looking sparse, it could be a sign that you need to add compost or manure to improve their health.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What do I feed my plants?
There are many different ways to fertilize your plants. Some people use commercial products, while others prefer to make their own mixes. Either way, it’s important to know what nutrient needs your particular plant has. To figure out what you need, you can conduct a soil test. This will tell you what nutrients are missing from your soil, and give you tips about how to improve your soil.
2. How do I start composting?
If you want to learn how to compost, we recommend starting small. Start with kitchen waste like vegetable peelings, eggshells, coffee grounds, tea bags, bread crusts, and fruit peels. Once you have a collection of materials, put them in a bucket or bin outside. Let nature take care of the rest. Your compost pile will break down over time and release beneficial nutrients into the air and ground.
3. Can I compost indoors?
Yes! Many people compost inside because it’s easier than dealing with outdoor conditions. However, you must remember that indoor compost piles tend to smell. For best results, keep your compost in a well ventilated area where odors won't linger. Also, make sure that your compost doesn’t contain any chemicals such as pesticides or herbicides.
4. What are the benefits of organic vs. chemical fertilizers?
There are several advantages to using organic fertilizers over chemical ones. First, organic fertilizers help keep pests away from your garden because they don't emit harmful fumes. Second, they're less likely to harm beneficial insects and pollinators. Third, they won't burn holes in your lawn. And finally, they're better for the environment.
5. Where and how to buy indoor plants?
You can buy healthy plants in our online nursery at UrbanMali.com
Next Steps
Gardener services
Landscaping services
Online nursery
Organic pesticides and fertilizers
Extra reading
How to grow plants from seeds in Bangalore step by step
Happy Gardening!
Dr. Vanana, Co-Founder, UrbanMali.com