Want to bring nature into your home, but don't have a garden? Pot gardening is for you! This beginner's guide draws your attention to a few key elements that will help you succeed with any pot crop.
3 questions to ask yourself before choosing a pot plant
- Is your home bright or not? How does it face?
- How attentive will you be to your plants? If you have little time to devote to them, choose specimens that are easy to grow.
- Where do you plan to place your plants? Will there be draughts? Is the air very dry?
10 points of attention for successful pot cultivation
Light
Light is by far the most important element for a plant. Its green leaves are giant solar panels that position themselves to capture as much light as the plant needs.
Before choosing a plant, consider the light conditions in your room. Use this first criterion to guide your choice of plant.
Most plants do not thrive in shade. They need a minimum amount of light. However, some plants adapt to artificial light (incandescent bulbs, fluorescent lamps or LEDs).
Water
Water is another essential element for plant survival; even desert plants like cacti and succulents need it. Water performs important physiological functions in the life of a plant, including growth and metabolism.
If you tend to forget to water, choose plants that don't mind drying out a little. And if you're still tempted by a plant that needs regular watering, install an automatic watering system or buy a pot with a water reserve.
Like us, plants breathe and transpire. Transpiration (the process by which water is transferred to the plant surface by evaporation) is essential to photosynthesis in the plant.
Air/ventilation
Ventilation is not often mentioned as a prerequisite for the proper development of houseplants. Yet air circulation is important to evacuate excess plant moisture.
During the winter months, it may be necessary to place certain plants away from draughty windows, as they may not be able to withstand them. Some plants are more resistant to cold draughts. These include succulents and even cacti.
Humidity
Humidity is an underestimated element of plant health, especially in winter when our interiors become the equivalent of the Sahara desert for plants. Dry air will "evacuate" water from plants, increasing their transpiration, which means that water will have to be replaced, either by more frequent watering, or by other means, such as misting, to increase humidity around the plant.
Don't forget that many houseplants are non-native tropical species, which like warm, humid environments.
Temperature
Heat is also an underestimated component of plant health. Some plants (such as Christmas cacti) need a period of cold and darkness to trigger flowering year after year. Others can't tolerate temperatures too low, as their photosynthesis can grind to a halt.
Heat is vital for most seedlings. It's heat and humidity that can crack a seed and finally allow a seedling to emerge. Only then will it seek light.
Soil
As a reminder, potting soil has several functions:
- protect the plant's roots,
- keep the plant upright,
- provide a suitable nutrient environment
- help transport air and water to the roots.
The potting soil you buy from your nurseryman is generally sterilized to prevent the proliferation of parasites, fungi and moulds. Find out which type of potting soil is best suited to your houseplant.
Choice of pot
Choosing the right type and size of pot for your plant. This too is important. Even if, initially, it's perfectly acceptable to let your plant grow in its pot for a while. Simply place the plastic pot in a pretty planter. The important thing is to ensure that your pot allows excess water to drain away, either into the bottom of the planter or into a saucer.
Fertilizers
Potting soil generally provides the plant with the nutrients it needs in the first instance. But it should then be enriched regularly, to fertilize the plant. Be careful, however, not to over-fertilize, as this will not help your plant to grow.
In general, plants do not need to be fertilized outside the growing season.
Care and pruning
If you have a lot of houseplants, set aside some time to prune, groom, thin, orient and propagate them. Because if a plant is left to its own devices, it can quickly become shaggy, asymmetrical or sparse.
Of course, the aesthetic appearance of a plant is a matter of preference (especially when it comes to pruning). Nevertheless, in many cases, it's best to prune them to encourage dense, bushy growth.
What's more, by taking cuttings from your plants, you can easily multiply them!
Another important tactic for keeping plants looking good in the home is to turn them upside down. More often than not, a plant leans towards the light to capture as much of it as possible. The key is to turn the pot so that the plant gets light from the other side, and avoid "twisted" growth.
Sleep
Like humans, plants need rest during the day. In addition, most plants need a state of dormancy, when growth is almost stopped. This state varies from plant to plant, and generally occurs after flowering.
For a plant to flower again, year after year, it generally needs this state of dormancy. Find out about your plant's dormancy period. This will help you take better care of it.
5 plants for beginners
Here are five low-maintenance, low-demand plants. Ideal for beginners, nomads and anyone who doesn't (yet) have a green thumb.
Golden Pothos
This is one of today's most popular hanging plants. It grows vigorously with minimal care. It roots easily in a simple glass of water. And if you give them more care, you'll be rewarded with large, marbled leaves.
Chlorophyte
A well-developed spider plant is a thing of beauty. The plant grows easily in baskets or over furniture. In time, the mature plant will send up offshoots or stolons on long stems that make quite a pretty sight.
These seedlings can then be easily repotted to create new specimens. Spider plants are not fussy about water, light or temperature.
Mother-in-law's tongue (Sanseveria)
Very decorative, there are many varieties of sansevieria that are exceptionally hardy. They love lots of light, but can tolerate less if necessary, and are not overly demanding when it comes to watering - as long as it's not too much. They also thrive in an office environment.
Aloe Vera
Aloe vera plants love heat and sun, but require little maintenance. Bonus: you can soothe a sunburn by plucking one of the fleshy leaves and applying the cooling gel directly to your skin.
Water when the top of the soil is dry.
Yucca
A slow-growing houseplant, highly tolerant of drought (which makes sense, given its desert origins). It is also resistant to parasites. Low maintenance.
Yuccas grow best in partial shade with indirect light. In this case, watering requirements are reduced. In general, the top half of the soil should be allowed to dry out before watering. Overwatering is probably the only way to kill a yucca.
Browse the collection