Basics of Indoor Gardening

Indoor gardening, though limited in scale, can often be just as intimidating as the gardening that is done outside. While it is true that you can have a lot more control of your gardening if it is done indoors, there are still a few things that you should know before you do it. While these items may sound pretty simple, if you don't understand at least the basics of indoor gardening, then your chances of having a successful garden lower's dramatically. That being said, here are a few things that you should keep in mind when you begin your next indoor gardening project.

• Location. Just as with an outdoor garden, location means a lot. Most plants love the sunlight, and will need to have a minimum of six hours a day to be as healthy as possible. This means that the plants should either have access to natural direct sunlight, or at least have a growing lamp nearby that can be used. Plants are also usually fairly delicate things, and those that are kept indoors even more so. This means that the plants should be placed in an area where they will not be trampled, knocked over, or disturbed too easily.
• Materials. One of the keys to a successful indoor gardening project is the materials that you use. This means that you should take some time and do a little research into more things that you can imagine off the top of your head. You need to figure out what type of plant to use, the container it will be in, the soil mix that will work best for that plant, the proper amount of feeding and watering it should have, and the list only goes on and on. There is an old saying that "knowledge is half the battle," and that couldn't be more true with indoor gardening.
• Care. As was just stated, before you begin planting your indoor garden, be sure that you understand what will be required to take care of it. This means you should know the growing cycle, common diseases, watering requirements, common pests, and so on for that particular plant. Once you have figured these out, and are prepared to properly take care of your plant, you can actually begin planting.
• Maintenance. Maintenance for your indoor garden doesn't only mean that you need to feed and water the plant. In fact, there is one problem that an indoor plant may face that they wouldn't if it was outside. That problem is dust, which can very easily kill or harm your plant quicker than you may realize. The best thing to do is to "dust" your plants every time that you water them. This should keep the buildup of dust to a minimum. Periodically (once a month) you should also check the roots of your plant to make that they are still in good condition, and not balling up. If they do, it is time to transplant your indoor plant to a different container.