An indoor garden can be a great place to relax, whether it’s within shopping centres, large office buildings, or within a small corner of your own home. However, the maintenance of an indoor garden is almost like a delicate art – various common problems need to be addressed for it to stay well-maintained.
Plant Does Not Grow Well
If your plant looks like it has a sparse growth, it could be a sign that your plants are not getting enough sunlight. While this is an obvious issue since the plants are grown in an indoor garden, you can replace natural sunlight with artificial ones.
Install LED lights above the plants in your indoor garden. These lights mimic the brightness of sunlight quite well, although it would still be good if you can place your plants near the windows every once in a while. Within a large centre, this will not be possible so it is important to have good lighting for these large indoor garden spaces.
Soil Damp & Does Not Drain Properly
Usually, there are holes at the bottom of the flower pots or plant boxes to drain any excess water. However, there are times when this might not work, especially when your indoor garden is within a shopping centre where sunlight may be scarce.
Try using a drainage riser at the bottom of your planter box to resolve this issue. Usually, these risers will retain a fixed volume of water in your plant pot and only remove the excess amount, so you don’t need to worry about the planter being too dry.
Leaves Yellow & Fall Off Although Watered Often
Yellowing and falling leaves can be a sign that your plants are being overwatered! Try pressing into the top layer of the soil in your planter to test if your plant is being watered enough. If the soil feels damp or wet, then you do not need to water your plants more.
When you overwater your plants, their roots may rot. Since water has saturated the soil, there isn’t enough oxygen passing through it, killing the roots and eventually, the plant as well. Remember to water only when the top layer of the soil feels dry to the touch!
Leaves Appear Brown Despite Watering & Sunlight
Browning in the leaves can be a sign of under-watering or that your plant is overexposed to sunlight. Another possible factor is that you might have been using too much fertiliser or not using the most suitable type for your plants.
Remember to read the instructions on the fertilizer packet carefully before using it to ensure that you are not applying to much for your plant. You can also contact a nursery to find out which type of fertiliser is most suitable for your plant choices.
Uneven Growth on One Side of the Plant
Plants such as the fiddle-leaf fig or Ficus lyrata can be very well-grown on one side and under-developed on the other. This uneven growth might be noticeable only for a few plant species.
Plants with uneven growth usually have one side more exposed to sunlight than the other. You will need to rotate your plants regularly so that all sides of the plant have an equal amount of sunlight exposure. Bear that in mind when planting, can you easily move plants if one side has more exposure to sunlight than the other.
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