How to Become a Plant Mom and Grow Indoor Plants

As of date, I have 103 indoor plants in my 1,000 square feet townhome.
But, I didn’t always know how to grow plants. So, I tried for about 15 years on and off to grow indoor plants. You see, my mother is an herbalist and she loves having plants. So, naturally, I, too, wanted to have greenery in and out of my home.
But, every time I tried, my plants would die. And I’d give up and forget about growing indoor plants for a long while. Then try again, and repeat.
Until one day, I decided that I would succeed at becoming a plant mom. I read soooo many articles, had some failures and some successes. And eventually, my plants were staying alive and thriving. I was finally a plant mom!
To be honest, it wasn’t that hard. It was just that before, I didn’t know what to do. I thought it was like this:
- Buy plant.
- Water it.
- Watch it grow.
That seems to make sense! But it’s more than that.
So, in this article, I will teach you what it takes to become a plant mom and grow plants indoors, even with little or low lighting.
Ready? Let’s begin!
How much time are you willing to put into growing your indoor plants?
Before buying indoor plants, another essential thing to consider is how much time you can spend on their care. Some people travel around too often for the amount of work the plant requires, while others are overzealous and give their plants too much attention (overwatering is one of the biggest killers of indoor plants).
Be honest with yourself about what kind of responsibility you have time for your indoor plants.
No matter which kinds of indoor plants you choose, here’s one last tip for keeping them alive and healthy – make sure they get enough humidity! If you live in an area with dry air, use a humidifier to increase moisture in the room.
I live in a semi-desert climate, so I run my humidifier every night while my windows are closed.
What type of light is best for growing plants indoors?
I would say that knowing the kind of light you have and matching it with the indoor plant that desires that light is the absolute best thing you can do for successfully growing indoor plants.
The direction of the sunlight you receive is going to be vital.
You will either have north, south, west, or east-facing light.
- North facing light is good lighting for plants that require low to medium light.
- South-facing light is ideal for plants that require full sun.
- East-facing light will work well for plants that require full sun. And if you’re lucky to have this light source, you’ll enjoy having plants. In addition, you don’t have to worry about scorching since the light is not as intense as the south-facing light.
- West-facing light will have full sun midday through the afternoon, so also suitable for plants that require full sun.
Your light source does not mean that you can only do plants that require full sun if you have east, west, or south-facing light. If you get a plant that requires low-medium light, you will simply place it away from the window but in the same room.
Choosing Your Indoor Plants Correctly
You will match indoor plants to the direction of your lighting. Meaning, you can’t just go out and buy a pretty plant, place it where you want in your house, and hope it grows.
It’s vital that once you know the direction of your light, you purchase indoor plants that match that lighting.
Sunlight is food for your plants. And each plant will have its own sunlight needs.
Knowing Your Indoor Plant Light Needs
Depending on where you purchase your indoor plants, a label on your plant may tell you what the light needs. If not, then you’ll want to look up what your particular plant needs for light.
Let’s break down what the lighting requirements mean.
Bright light for indoor plants
These plants will need full sunlight, with no barrier (except for your window, of course) between the light and the plant. That means that a curtain, decorations, shades, etc., cannot be between your plant and the light. If you have north, east, or west-facing windows, you have access to bright light.
Medium-light for indoor plants
These plants will need filtered sunlight. So, shade, moving it back away from the window, curtains providing a filter, etc., will be suitable for medium light plants. But these plants cannot be in full sun as they will scorch.
If you have north, east, or west-facing windows you can get medium-light indoor plants as long as you add a filter or place them further from the window.
Low light for indoor plants
Low light indoor plants do well away from your windows. They may even need to be placed far away from your window. If you have north-facing light, you will need to get low-light indoor plants only.
If you have north, east or west-facing light, you can get low-light indoor plants but need to ensure they are far from the window. They will scorch and eventually die if they are too close, as these plants have not adapted to bright light.
What house plants are suitable for indoors?
To get you started, I will give you a list of indoor plants that are good for each type of light. Now, I am not noting if these are safe for pets or small children, so please be sure to research that before buying your plant.
Indoor Plants for Bright Light
- Aloe Vera
- Areca Palm
- Croton
- Ponytail Palm
- Jade Plant
- Mother-In-Law’s Tongue
- Dracena
- Hibiscus
Indoor Plants for Medium Light
- String of Pearls
- Snake Plant
- Most Ferns
- Begonia
- Calathea Rattlesnake
- Corn Plant
- Fiddle Leaf
- Jade Plant
- Money Tree
- ZZ Plant
- Monstera Plant
Indoor Plants for Low Light
- Aglaonema plant
- Calathea Rattlesnake
- Corn Plant
- Pothos
- Snake Plant
- Cast Iron Plant
- ZZ Plant
How to take care of your indoor plants?
Now that you know the direction of your light and match the light needs to your lighting, you will need to know how to care for your plant correctly.
I’ll start by saying that most people over-water their plants. Yes, plants need water, but their roots can rot if you over-water your plants, and your plant will die.
Watering Your Indoor Plants
My absolute favorite tool for knowing when to water my plant is a moisture sensor.
I have one that is non-battery-operated and is easily stored in a drawer.
I choose a day of the week to water my plants. And on my watering day, I will insert the moisture sensor in the soil, and it will show me if the plant is dry, moist, or wet.
You should only ever water dry soil – do not water moist or wet soil.
If you do not use a moisture sensor, you will need to feel the soil to at least an inch deep to feel if it’s dry, moist, or wet. But, honestly, get a moisture sensor as it takes the guesswork away.
Feeding Your Plants
The sunlight and water are excellent sources of food for your plants, but since your plant is in a container, you’ll also want to add fertilizer to your plant soil.
I rely on two main indoor plant fertilizers. I use Purived Liquid Fertilizer for Indoor Plants and Joyful Dirt Premium Concentrated All-Purpose Organic Plant Food and Fertilizer.
Both have been really good for keeping my plants healthy, but lately, I’ve been relying primarily on the Purived Liquid Fertilizer for Indoor Plants. The reason why it’s become my favorite is that I can use it year-round.
But, see, with fertilizer, you will need to make sure and read the directions as there are some fertilizers that you only use seasonally and others that you can use regularly.
Joyful Dirt Premium Concentrated All-Purpose Organic Plant Food and Fertilizer is great if you use fertilizer seasonally instead.
Choosing the Right Pot for Your Indoor Plant
When you first buy your indoor plant, it’ll come in a temporary plastic pot. You can keep it in the pot it comes in for a good while, but I prefer to transfer it to its new pot right away.
There are so many beautiful, stylish pots to choose for your indoor plant. I purchase most of mine at local nurseries, and also, a good amount of my plant pots come from Amazon.
Plants will be generally cheap to purchase, but you’ll find that the pots are where you’ll spend most of your money. It’s worth it. Get pots that you love and match the decor in your home because you’ll have these for a very long time.
I found I was able to reduce the cost of decorations in my home by adding plants, so in a way, it balances out.
You’ll want to know the size of the plant you are purchasing and then get a pot 2-4 inches bigger than your plant. So, for example, if you are getting a 6-inch plant, you’ll purchase an 8 inch or 10-inch pot for your new plant.
The Right Soil for Your Indoor Plant
You’ll want to get soil that is specifically for indoor plants. I prefer to get high-quality soil as it provides a good foundation for the health of my plants.
One of my favorite soil for my indoor plants is Black Gold All Purpose Potting Soil, and I have also purchased and used Foxfarm Ocean Forest Plant Garden PH Adjusted Potting Soil Blend Mix.
Generally, your soil will remain in the pot for as long as your plant can fit into the pot. However, as your plant grows, you’ll find that you’ll need to go up a size on your pot, and that’s when your plant gets a new batch of soil.
When transferring your plant (from either the pot it came in or when transferring a plant that has outgrown its pot), you will want to gently shake off as much of the soil as you can. Remember that soil is older and so the fresher soil will be better for your plant.
Now You’re Ready to Be a Plant Mom
Ok, you can do this! Get started by knowing the direction of your light, matching that with the right plant (based on the plant’s light needs), not over-watering, and feeding your plant fertilizer as needed.
It’s so easy once you know what to do! And now you do. Feel free to comment with any questions you have. I’m happy to help you as you grow into a plant mom.