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Liven Up Your Desk With This Easy DIY
Learn how to select the right indoor plants for your space, pot them correctly, and extend their lifespan through proper care.
Caring for indoor plants can be super easy, if you simply know what your plants need. Potting them in the right soil, being aware of the amount of light they'll receive in your space, knowing how often to feed them, and properly watering them will greatly increase their health -- not to mention, purify your air and make your coworkers green with envy! Here, you will learn how to select the right indoor plants, pot them correctly, and extend their lifespan through proper care.
Things You'll Need
Pots with drainage holes
Indoor plants
Garden trowel
Miracle-Gro® Potting Mix
Miracle-Gro® Shake 'N Feed® All Purpose Continuous Release Plant Food
Miracle-Gro® Indoor Plant Food
Step 1
Choosing the right plants for your space is essential to keeping them alive. Spend a little time noting how much light your desk gets throughout the day. This should greatly affect your plant choices, given that some plants need sunlight the majority of the day and others do well with lower light and cooler temperatures.
I did find, however, that there are a few mostly foolproof plants that seem to do very well indoors. The smaller ones that work well for desktops and need very little care include aloe, spider plants, jade plants, peperomia, and snake plants. I chose a peperomia and jade plant for my space because they are very low maintenance -- they do not need to be watered often or trimmed back.
Step 2
You’ll want to select pots that have drainage holes in the bottom for proper irrigation. When you water your potted plants, the soil will absorb the water it needs and then drain the rest to the bottom. If there is no hole for drainage, the water can puddle and rot the soil and roots, ultimately drowning the plant.
Tip
Good drainage is essential for a healthy plant. Make sure to get a water tray to place under the pot so you don’t end up with a mess every time you water your plants, and empty out the tray 30 minutes after watering so your plant doesn't sit in excess water. Alternatively, add a half-inch layer of pebbles at the bottom of the pot to keep excess water away from the roots.
Step 3
Time to pot! Fill your pot about one-third full with Miracle-Gro Potting Mix.
Step 4
While holding the plant over the pot, gently loosen the roots and place it in the pot.
Step 5
Using a garden trowel, carefully pack potting mix around the plant, lightly pressing the dirt down to pack it down around the edges.
Step 6
Water the plant thoroughly and let the excess water drain out from the bottom of the pot.
Overwatering is one of the most common reasons a plant doesn't thrive. Though there are a few plants that prefer very moist soil, most plants flourish when you let the soil dry a bit between waterings.
Tip
Stick your finger about an inch into the soil (close to the edge of the pot), and if it's dry, it's time to water. After doing this a few times, you'll get a better sense of what kind of watering schedule your plant should be on.
Step 7
When the water has finished draining from the pot, sprinkle about a teaspoon of Shake ‘N Feed Plant Food on the soil around the plant for an extra boost of nutrients. Shake 'N Feed Plant Food feeds continuously for three months, so if you want a low maintenance option, this is the ideal option for you.
Step 8
Another feeding option is Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food, which is designed to be used once a week and is a great reminder to water your plants at the same time. When your plants need water, roughly once a week depending on the plants you've selected, add two pumps of Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food directly to the soil and water like normal. This formula will extend the life of your plants and keeps them happy and healthy! Style and care for your new potted plants!
Tip
While the plant is acclimating to your space, pay special attention to see if its foliage changes color. This may indicate that your plant isn't getting enough light. If this is the case, gradually move it to a spot with more light. You want to make the move gradually because a distressed plant can go into shock if its environment is suddenly changes.
This post is sponsored by Miracle-Gro ®
