Caring for houseplants is not always as easy as it may seem. The benefits of plants in a home cannot be overestimated. They brighten up your home and give it a natural feel.
Houseplants can help you get rid of airborne toxins keeping your indoor air quality at its best. Keep reading to learn about some unexpected hacks and tips for healthy houseplants.
Place a sponge at the bottom of the pot to keep them from drying. Plants need water to remain healthy. A sponge soaks up excess water and may come in handy when you forget to water your houseplant. You can use any sponge for this hack. Place it at the bottom of the pot before pouring in soil. The sponge may also be a great way to prevent soil leakages.
Leftover water from boiled eggs and vegetables can do wonders for your houseplant. The water is rich in minerals that promote healthy growth. Let the water cool and use it as home-made fertilizer. Consider using pulverized eggshells in your plants’ soil for an extra dose of calcium.
Plants require sufficient light to grow. South-facing windows get more light than north-facing ones. Pay attention to the amount of light that different windows get at different times. If your houseplant has foliage with bright colors, it requires more light than those with dull-colored foliage. Turn the pot regularly to promote even growth. Foliage grows in the direction of light. If you don’t turn your pot every few days, the plant may grow unevenly.
Bury a small water bottle in your pot if there is enough space. Make a small slit on the bottle. Dig a hole in the soil and plant the bottle standing straight. Ensure that the top of the bottle is at the soil level and fill it with water. The water will slowly seep through the soil and nourish your houseplant. If there is no room for a water bottle, consider watering with ice cubes. Place a few ice cubes on the soil surface. As they melt slowly, they will water your plants. Ice cubes are an excellent choice for plants that don’t require lots of water.
Coffee is great for your plants. The acid is great for most acid-loving houseplants such as gardenias and ferns. If you have leftover tea or coffee, use some water to thin it out. Use the mixture to irrigate your houseplants. Coffee grounds work just as well. Paper coffee filters are great for lining the bottom of your pots. They prevent spillage of dust, soil, and water.
There are lots of unexpected ways to take care of your houseplants. Even though there is no hack to take care of all your problems, you may incorporate a few of them to solve different problems. Try a few of them and choose the one that works for you.
Susan Shuxian Hu has been a dedicated realtor serving in Silicon Valley since 2010. With great passion, outstanding negotiation skills and due diligence, she has helped many buyers and sellers in their real estate needs. Living in West San Jose for more than 14 years, she has broad knowledge in Cupertino, West San Jose, Los Altos and Saratoga. She has enormous patience working with buyers and never tired of showing all possible properties that may fit client’s needs. Clients appreciate her best service to their satisfaction. She specialized in luxurious real estate purchase in Los Altos, Cupertino, Saratoga and Palo Alto. She also helped friend and past client’s referral working in San Francisco, Foster City and far reached Bay Area.
Susan Shuxian Hu was graduated in East China Normal University in Shanghai with bachelor and master degrees in Bio science. She came to US in 1989 and earned her Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics in Texas A&M University in 1996. After one year of postdoc in Southern Florida University in Tampa, she moved back to Orlando with her family and started working in Lucent Technologies. In 2002, Susan moved to California, Silicon Valley joined a start-up company. Since then she worked in high tech Corporation till 2009. Driven by her dream job pursuing, she found her passion working in sales by helping people in real estate after one year of education in De Anza business and real estate law study. Since then, she has been serving many people in Bay Area for their real estate needs.
With bilingual advantage, she has been actively working with Chinese immigrants as well as local engineers and residents. With rich high tech background and connection with Chinese community, Susan has served in luxurious real estate in last a couple of years.