potting indoor plants

1. Do indoor plant pots need a hole in the bottom?
2. What is the best potting mix for indoor plants?
3. Is potting soil good for indoor plants?
4. Do you keep indoor plants in plastic pots?
5. What can I put in the bottom of my indoor planter for drainage?
6. What do you put under plant pots indoors?
7. How do you make indoor potting mix?
8. Can you use Miracle Gro potting mix for indoor plants?
9. What can I add to potting mix?
10. Should I use potting soil or potting mix?
11. Can I just use potting mix?
12. Whats the difference between potting mix and potting soil?
13. How long can a potted plant live?
14. How do you know if a plant needs to be repotted?
15. Should I repot indoor plants after buying?
16. What plants can grow in pots without drainage holes?
17. How do you water indoor plants?
18. How do you water indoor plants without dripping?
19. How do you use an indoor potted basket?
20. Do potted plants need saucers?
21. Why is the color of plant pots important?

Do indoor plant pots need a hole in the bottom?

Our answer is yes, but with caution. What is the purpose of a drainage hole? All plants need water to survive. ... Drainage holes allow excess water to seep out of pots after watering, ensuring that water does not pool at the base of a pot, helping to protect sensitive roots from rot, fungus and bacteria.

What is the best potting mix for indoor plants?

A good indoor potting mix is usually composed of peat moss, vermiculite and perlite. These soilless mixes absorb moisture very well and resist compaction, but they tend to dry out very quickly. Since they do not contain any nutrients, you must provide your plants with a consistent supply of fertilizer.

Is potting soil good for indoor plants?

Potting mix is different from outdoor soil. It's best to use potting mix for any indoor plants. Use one that gives your plant roots the preferred air, moisture and nutrition balance it needs. Soil from the outdoors is heavy and is best used for outdoor gardening.

Do you keep indoor plants in plastic pots?

The solution: Keep your houseplants in their plastic nursery pots for at least the first year. You can still use your pretty pot, Lawrence and Gutierrez say. ... Most houseplants grow slowly and like to fit tight in their pots, Lawrence said, but when the pot is more roots than soil, it's time to transplant.

What can I put in the bottom of my indoor planter for drainage?

Put a layer of gravel in your plant's drainage tray, or down inside a decorative planter, then sit your plant pot on top. The gravel will hold water and increase humidity, while keeping your plant's roots up out of the puddle.

What do you put under plant pots indoors?

Line a drainage saucer with a layer of pebbles, gravel or sand, which allows the container to drain freely and prevents the bottom of the pot from standing in water.

How do you make indoor potting mix?

DIY Indoor Plant Potting Mix Recipe

1. 2 parts pre-moistened peat moss** or coco coir.
2. 1 part perlite or pumice.
3. 1/4 – 1/2 part vermiculite.

Can you use Miracle Gro potting mix for indoor plants?

Grow amazing indoor container plants with Miracle-Gro® Indoor Potting Mix. It has been blended for a wide variety of container plants and is designed to be less prone to gnats*. This mix has an easy-to-water formula that helps the soil easily re-wet while feeding for up to 6 months.

What can I add to potting mix?

Add one gallon of moist, coarse sphagnum peat moss, followed by one gallon of coarse sand, perlite, or vermiculite. Adjust the texture of the medium to create a loose, well-drained mixture. Sand feels gritty and clay feels sticky. If the potting soil feels too sandy, more peat moss should be added.

Should I use potting soil or potting mix?

A potting mix is definitely your best bet for container gardening, but if you are considering large-scale gardening, raised bed gardening, or filling in low spots in your garden, then you should probably use potting soil.

Can I just use potting mix?

Potting mix is the ideal choice for growing plants in containers (also called pots or planters) because it's lightweight and provides good drainage. Heavier soils hold water more than potting mix, and plants that sit in containers filled with heavy, wet soil can get root rot and a whole host of other issues.

Whats the difference between potting mix and potting soil?

ANSWER: Potting soils and potting mixes are the same thing. Most potting materials do not actually have soil (sand/silt/clay) in them. Instead, they are blends of peat moss, vermiculite, perlite, sand, finely ground bark, etc. They are sometimes called potting mixes or potting media for that reason.

How long can a potted plant live?

On average, indoor house plants last 2-5 years. After that, plants stop thriving and it's best to invest in another plant.

How do you know if a plant needs to be repotted?

If you see one or a combination of these signs, you'll know it's time to repot:

1. Roots are growing through the drainage hole at the bottom of the planter.
2. Roots are pushing the plant up, out of the planter.
3. Plant is growing slower than normal (different than winter dormancy)

Should I repot indoor plants after buying?

Most of the plants used indoors can grow for a long period of time in the growing containers they were growing in. The best time to repot a plant most likely as soon as you get it. Before you start dragging out a bag of fresh potting soil – STOP. Your new house plants have been on a journey!

What plants can grow in pots without drainage holes?

13 Amazing Plants That Do Not Need Drainage Holes

• Snake Plant. One of the best indoor plants for beginners, the Snake plant is one of our top choices when it comes to plants that do not require drainage holes. ...
• Oleander Plant. ...
• Chinese Evergreen. ...
• Kupukupu Fern. ...
• Crotons. ...
• Dumbcane. ...
• Schefflera. ...
• Pothos.

How do you water indoor plants?

With most plants, you should water when the soil feels dry to the touch. You can gently stick your finger (up to the knuckle or so) in the soil to see how dry it is. For water lovers, water when the surface is dry; for succulents and drier plants, water when most of the soil feels dry.

How do you water indoor plants without dripping?

You can use non-draining pots, drip trays or you can water your indoor plants in a sink to avoid any mess. You could also use a controlled watering method such as a self-watering pot, watering spike or watering with ice cubes.

How do you use an indoor potted basket?

Planting in Old Baskets

Fill the basket about two-thirds of the way to the top with good quality, lightweight potting soil. Avoid heavy potting mixes and never use garden soil, as this will soon become so compacted that plants can't survive. Let the fun begin! Your old basket is ready to fill with your favorite plants.

Do potted plants need saucers?

Whilst they aren't necessary, plant pots use saucers to collect the water that drains from your pot. Without this, it can easily spill onto your carpets, floors and furniture. So after each watering, your saucer will capture the excess water, preventing any spillage in your home.

Why is the color of plant pots important?

The color of plant pots is important because it can play a role in how much heat the pots will retain. Dark-colored pots will absorb more sunlight and retain heat longer than light-colored ones.