A piece of spring at home, or How to choose indoor plants

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

Look out the window. True, I just want to open it wider (even if it pours rain behind it - we scold the rains in the fall, and the spring rain invigorates like a cool shower after a sound sleep) and exclaim: “Finally, real spring, where are you so late! ?

What a spring there is! Summer is just around the corner! But this is in the South, near the Black Sea, for example. And in the Middle Lane, trees are still blooming, dandelions have just begun to delight the eye with yellow spots on the green grass, the first, therefore especially desirable, strawberries in wicker baskets have appeared. And in the morning you want to run out of the house as soon as possible in order to have time to enjoy the unique, but so quickly slipping away tenderness of a spring morning!

Well, how can you not want to put a piece of spring at home?

And right now is the best time to buy a couple of indoor plants for your home. Or an office. There, just, the bedside table by the window is empty - you just can't figure out what to put on it. Maybe a handsome spathiphyllium or an exotic ehmeya? And in the living room there is an empty space near the sofa, and an eyesore - the very place for a palm tree or dracaena! After all, next to a green bush, every moment reminiscent of the arrival of spring, even the most cloudy and unsuccessful day seems sunnier and more fun, and it will become much more pleasant to come to work - after all, a green pet is always waiting for you there, which simply needs your attention and care.

In addition, spring, the time of growth and life, is a very favorable period for transplanting, and most newly purchased plants will require it almost immediately!

So, if you decided to plant greenery in your house, then, firstly, estimate how much real time you can spend on green favorites. If you dream of living, if not in the jungle, then at least in a greenhouse, then this will require a lot of time and patience from you.

So, if you are tormented by the question of how to choose indoor plants - read on. Many plants are very sensitive to their environment. Some require high humidity, and, consequently, frequent spraying and watering, others, on the contrary. And it is clear that it is impossible to have such plants nearby - some of them will surely die.

Secondly, the choice of a plant depends on the room in which it will live with you. Some love warmth and sun, others, on the contrary, are shady-loving. And if your little room looks with eyes-windows to the north, then don't even dream of growing in it, for example, a beautiful hibiscus, indoor jasmine or anthurium. With a lack of light, if they do not fade, then they will definitely not bloom.

Our "Encyclopedia of Plants" will help you cope with the problem of choice and choose the right plants that are suitable for your living conditions.

And I will give you some tips to help you choose the right flower in the store and avoid subsequent unpleasant troubles and disappointments with it.

So first of all, I do not advise buying plants "on the occasion": in underground passages or tiny stalls selling everything. Who knows how this flower got there, and how it was treated all this time. The outwardly healthy appearance of the plant does not yet speak of the true state of affairs. No, of course, you can buy a good flower there, but why would you risk it? Better visit a specialized store. In such shops there is always a large selection of plants, as a rule, lower prices, because they do not buy plants "from third parties", but take them directly from the manufacturer, or even grow them themselves. And finally, in such a store you can not only buy a plant, but also immediately purchase everything you need to care for it, from high-quality soil and transplant pots to a spray bottle and fertilizers.

In Russia, all indoor plants are either grown in local flower greenhouses, or imported, as a rule, from Holland. Both the first and the second case have their pros and cons. Imported plants are larger and more beautiful than local ones, and are considered more hardy, because they are specially prepared for transportation from one country to another. Such transportation is a great stress for a flower, and you can expect a long process of plant getting used to a new place. Minus - imported plants are more expensive than domestic ones.

You have made a choice, but before you carry plant to the cashier, check carefully his.

If you buy a flowering plant, then try to choose one that has not bloomed yet - during the flowering period the plants are especially sensitive to any changes, and it will be a pity if, during the acclimatization period in a new place, it loses its flowers. If the plant is already in bloom, then choose the one that has more buds and only a few blossoming flowers. If the plant has all the buds open, it is better to wait until next year and do not buy it at all. All flowering plants need rest after the flowering period. Therefore, it is unlikely that it will be able to immediately and fully delight you with its decorativeness, for which, in fact, you acquire it.

Take a close look at the leaves. They shouldn't be dull and dull. Choose a plant with uniform leaf color, without yellowness or burns, the plant should be evenly leafy. Carefully examine the leaves on both sides - there should be no mold, white powdery or, conversely, black bloom on them - all these may be traces of a plant disease.

Also carefully examine the stem and base of the leaves. Make sure they are free of cobwebs, tiny insect pests, and small brown plaques.

Examine the pot and soil. There should be no voids between the walls of the pot and the earthen lump, and mold on the earthen surface and the walls of the pot. Examine the bottom of the pot - if the roots of a plant grow through the drainage holes, then this is a sure sign that the pot is small for the plant. In itself, this is not dangerous, but the plant requiring a transplant grows more slowly, becomes lethargic and will not bloom if it is in bloom. So maybe you should buy a bigger pot as well.

Before leaving the store with the plant, make sure it is well wrapped. You need to wrap the plant to avoid damage to the leaves on the way. I do not recommend buying a lot of plants at once. But if you decide to purchase several at once, then stock up on, for example, a cardboard box. First, wrap each plant separately, and then carefully put them in the box - this will be more convenient for you and your new pets.

By the way, do not forget that some indoor plants can cause allergic reactions or even poisoning in people and pets. Just in case, poisonous plants should be removed from rooms, or at least placed where they will be inaccessible to children. Such plants include:

(Diffenbachia seguine): All parts of this plant contain oxalic acid, which irritates the mucous membranes.

(Solanum pseudocapsicum): Its beautiful berries can cause poisoning.

(Codiaeum variegatum): Contains a colorless milky juice that causes contact eczema when in contact with the skin.

(Primula obsconica): the glandular hairs of its inflorescences secrete a substance (Primin) that can irritate delicate and sensitive skin.

Other common plants that contain toxic or irritating substances include:. This list is far from complete.

As I said, in a new place, the plant must go through a period of acclimatization. Therefore, for one to two weeks, protect the plant from drafts and direct sunlight, place it in a moderately warm place for this time and do not water it too abundantly. The most delicate plants at this time may lose another leaf - there is no need to panic about this. And only after this time can you put the plant in a place planned for it in advance and transplant it into a new pot (for this, pick up a pot that will be no more than five centimeters in diameter more than the current one!)

Finally, a few words about flower pots.

The variety of pots is very large today. Try to choose pots that do not distract attention from the plant itself (for example, a pot painted for Khokhloma will not work for a flowering bush) and are in harmony with the general atmosphere of the room.

Pay attention to the material the pot is made of. Pottery pots (made of clay and other natural materials) are heavier and more stable, their porous material not only leaches excess salts from the soil, but also allows excess moisture to evaporate, and, therefore, there is less risk of root rot from excessive watering. The advantages of plastic pots are that they are lighter, do not break when dropped, they are easier to wash, plastic pots do not allow moisture to evaporate, so the plant can be watered less often, such a pot does not need additional drainage, and a variety of colors of plastic pots will allow you to choose a pot for any interior.