RAVI RAJHANS | The TrickyScribe Editorial Volunteer Network: While discussing hobbies, the usual ideas tend to include things like building models, solving puzzles, crocheting and playing cards. Whether you’re looking for something to do indoors, indoor gardening as an activity is greatly underappreciated; and creating an indoor garden is definitely overlooked.
Indoor Gardening Promotes Better Physical Well-Being
Maintaining an indoor garden takes a fair amount of effort and attention to detail; two things that allow the practitioner to feel mentally engaged in the activity. It also promotes mental stimulation and helps maintain cognitive functions longer in life. That apart, the act of gardening is synonymous with relaxing and tranquility; two things most of us could stand to have more of — regardless of age.
While the mental benefits are substantial, there are numerous physical benefits as well. It might surprise you to learn that gardening offers just the right kind of low-impact exercise that doctors recommend to seniors in order to maintain a healthy heart and promote muscle growth.
What is Indoor Gardening?
Growing plants inside a building, on soil or hydroponics, is called Indoor Gardening and the method is done typically with artificial lighting. Indoor plants should be an essential component of every interior design. Not only does greenery brighten up indoor spaces and are known to have mood-boosting qualities, it also steps up the oxygen levels inside the closed space.
The idea is essentially good for metros that lament high concentrations of pollutants coupled with low oxygen levels.
Indoor plants are popular as they are relatively easy to take care of, provide health benefits and can be used in a variety of indoor décor themes. Indoor plants are a great option for those who have little yard space for an outdoor garden or for those who live in climates with severely cold winters.
Qualities of a good indoor plant
A good root system: Incredibly important while choosing an indoor plant. It’s not practical to pull a plant out of its pot to check its roots but if it is a small plant, this can be done. Healthy roots are thick and light in color.
Foliage: The thumb rule for checking the plant’s foliage is that if you can’t see through it, the foliage is thick enough.
Check for disease: White dots, sticky residue on the leaves and a bad odour are strict no-noes.
Low Requirement for Sunlight: Plants that need little to no sunlight can be good and fit locations where light is dim. Some plants that require low light are: Philodendron, Pothos or Devil’s Ivy, Dracaena and Peace Lily. Also, they will be less likely to deal with pests. Plus, they usually do not grow too much.
How to take care of indoor plants?
• Keep potting soil moist- It’s important to make sure soil is not too wet nor too dry
• Make sure the plant pot has drainage holes in the bottom of the pot
• Place your plant near a light source, whether it’s natural or artificial
• Determine what species of plant you have so you can more accurately care for it
• Don’t prune the plants if you have no reason to. If you notice your plant getting tally and spindly, only then pruning is recommended.
Common reasons indoor plants perish
• Overwatering or underwatering
• Light Levels (either not enough light or too much light)
• Negligence
Talking to The TrickyScribe, Bengaluru-based Rajib Majumder said: “The small garden in my balcony is the result of my hobby. When I sit in my small garden with a cuppa, it gives me a sense of accomplishment. While working in the garden not only I spend my time in a better manner but also improves my health as it makes me exercise albeit unwillingly. It also takes off work-related stress. Even I am an active member in our society’s Gardening Group and I involve myself in landscaping work.”
Speaking on the ardent need of turning to indoor plants for the lack of space in present-day pigeonhole apartment culture, home maker Indrani Kumari said: “Cities from all around the world are suffocating from one major side-effect of development, pollution. With more high-rise constructions in the cities and less land space for greenery in the urban space, it is felt that small-scale gardening by units of high-rise buildings can restrict pollution to less than fatal levels.”
[Ravi Rajhans is a Bengaluru-based professional with technical and hands-on expertise in clinical operations, Pharmacovigilance and Medical writing. He is part of The TrickyScribe’s Editorial Volunteer Network]