How to get started with indoor gardening

Be it flowering plants, your own patch of paalak and methi in a little tub, 'Mother-in-law's tongue' (Yes, that's a plant) sitting calmly in your living room, indoor gardening is in now and there's no comparing the gratification it gives to watch little leaves sprouting and eventually harvesting even a tiny mirchi from that pot you watered. Yes, we're talking about the joys of indoor gardening. From reducing stress to giving the aesthetic feels and of course as we talked about earlier, the immense environmental benefits, there are several places you can begin with when it comes to gardening. Considering that many of us live in apartments or places that can accomodate indoor gardens, consider this your little guide to start

Select the right plants

Some plants thrive in indoor spaces. Read up on those. You might also want to consider the weather where you're at and choose accordingly. Here are five plants that purify air and can be easily grown indoors. Learn the whys and hows. It is also a good idea to grow plants that are native to the region you live in because of obvious reasons- they are easier to grow and sustain and you won't need to struggle to make them grow.

Learn the frequency of watering

It is not everyday and in excess that all plants need water. Generally houseplants need watering once a week, but it also depends on the plants and the weather. Some plants may require you to place the pot on a dish of water and so on. Here again, learning few watering tips will help you understand better. A lot of leftovers can also be added to water to your plants. Now your cup of tea or coffee can help the environment because the grounds mixed in water is a nutrient rich drink for plants!

Fertilize, but organically

In outdoor gardens, plants tend to get nourishment from the dead leaves in soil and other elements like potassium, nitrogen, phosphorous etc. Whereas this is not very easy in an indoor setup. Hence regular fertilizing ensures that no nutrition is missed out. However, you don't need to rush to the market and buy chemical fertilizers. Here are some simple and zero waste hacks around the house that can do wonders.

Lighting for your stars

Every plant needs sunlight in varying degrees. Indoor plants can be called as 'low-light' plants but they love them some sunshine too. Even artificial lighting can help your indoor plants if the sun is too shy to come out. Get to know how best your indoor plants can get the light they need here and how you can give them the best environment they can thrive in.

Re-pot them when necessary

At some point after they grow a bit, your plants may need some grooming and perhaps more room to grow. It can be stressful for plants to be transferred from one pot to another, so it is not something that is done frequently but over time the nutrients in the pot may deplete and transferring the plant to a larger pot with fresh soil can rejuvenate it. Learn to read the signs when your plant might need re-potting and how to go about it.

Lastly, here are some sustainable hacks to incorporate into your eco-friendly gardening initiative.

To get started with an indoor garden is super easy and once you get the hang of it, you could be having your own paradise garden or harvesting your own veggies very soon!