Campus News

Grow healthy indoor plants

Many plants can survive indoors, but making sure indoor plants have the right amount of light, right size pot and stay watered can keep indoor plants healthy.

The best plants to keep in a home are those that can thrive in small amounts of light, according to Bodie Pennisi, a UGA horticulturalist. Interiorscape plants like ficus, peace lily, aglaonema, philodendron and ivy all grow well indoors with low lighting.

Selecting the right container for indoor plants is also vital to their survival. Containers made of plastic, terracotta or clay are all good for indoor plants. More importantly, choosing the right size pot for the size of your plant will help it stay healthy. Adequate space allows plenty of room for roots to spread and grow. It also is important for the pots to drain well because poorly draining pots can cause root problems and fungi due to excess moisture and poor aeration. In fact, it’s better to underwater rather than over water and flood the plant. If a plant is actively growing, water and fertilize it regularly, or one to two times per week. If the plant is not growing actively and staying close to the same size, it can be watered less.

When a plant is growing successfully, it may eventually outgrow its planter and need to be repotted.