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Growing plants indoors, while rewarding, requires time and commitment as well as knowledge about the proper temperature, lighting and soil for the plant you want to grow. In addition, there are several techniques for growing plants in pots.

Inspect the area where you plan to keep your plants before you do anything else. You must place the potted plant in an area where it will receive natural light several hours a day. If you have the budget for it, you can also use artificial lighting. You can use special indoor lamps and lights to replace natural sunlight. Temperature is the easiest factor for you to control, but be sure that your home’s temperature is right for the plant.

Match your potted plant with an appropriate container. If a plant is large or will grow large, your container should be able to accommodate it. Stunted growth of the roots and the inability to “breathe” properly can result from putting a big plant in a small pot. It usually doesn’t look good when a small plant is placed in a large pot, although it’s possible it could grow to eventually fit the pot. Alternately, you could grow your plant in a smaller pot and then transplant it to a larger one when it grows to large for the smaller one. Various styles and sizes of pots are also available. As a general rule, the diameter of the container should be at least half the height of the plant. Make sure there are drainage holes in the bottom of the pot so the roots will not drown.

Next look for an appropriate growing medium or soil type. Because it is unable to drain properly, garden soil is typically unsuitable. Further, garden soil could contain fungi or insects that are harmful to the plant type. Choose a packaged potting soil that can hold moisture while aerating the plant’s roots.

The appropriate time to water the plant can be affected by several factors. These factors include wind, rain, sun, heat and the plant type.

You should water most plant regularly, although not to the drowning point. But some desert plants, such as aloe vera, may do better when their soil is allowed to dry out, and is then flooded with large amounts of water. For this reason, people who find it difficult to remember to water their plants regularly may do better with desert varieties. The amount of water any plant needs can vary each day.

Compared to plants grown in the ground, those grown in pots tend to dry up faster. Stick your finger into the soil to determine if the plant needs to be watered. If it is dry, then it needs to be watered.

In general, you should fertilize potted plants every two weeks. Watering a plant flushes the nutrients from the growing medium. If you have children or pets in the house, are growing edible plants, or are growing plants for personal care or medicinal purposes, your best bet is to use organic fertilizers.

As a note, some plants are poisonous to animals or humans. Thoroughly research a plant before you bring it into an environment where children or pets can access it. (See Pets and Plant Poisoning for more information on this.)

Protect plants from harmful pests when you grown themin or around your home. Even if you house it indoors, insects can still find ways into the home and destroy your plant. Use one of the organic pesticides on the market to combat this problem.

Growing potted plants can be worthwhile and rewarding whether you grow them in a window box, on a balcony or patio, or in an outdoor garden. Whether for decoration or fragrance, as edible fruits and vegetables, or for teas and natural remedies, potted plants have endless uses.

Although study and application of standard practices and proper growing techniques are necessary when growing plants indoors, the process will become easier and is worth the trouble.

About the author: Megan Barlow helps others learn to live greener and more environmentally friendly lives. Find out more about sustainable living at her blog on Green and Resourceful Living.

This article was first posted at How to Grow Potted Plants.