The Guardian Life Magazine

BY EKWY P. UZOANYA
GROWING plants indoors is one way to make a space feel inviting and warm. This is normally done in containers. This type of gardening offers flexibility for people with limited garden space or lack of time for elaborate gardening outdoors. Plants can be attractive decoration that add a softness of line and provide a bit of nature indoors.
Bringing the plant indoors may mean that the ideal location of a plant for decoration may not be the ideal spot for plant growth. This therefore means that inadequate lighting may be a problem that the gardener may be confronted with. With more and more number of people working outside the home for long hours, there may be little sunlight penetrating through the window or exposure of the plants to sunlight if not taken outside.
At some periods like the rainy season, there may be a stretch of humid days during which time there is absence of sunlight. Supplementary lighting through electricity can go a long way for the plants. Electricity is a way to provide light for plants that do not receive adequate natural light.
Flourescent tubes are good sources of artificial light available for plants in the home. Cool-white fluorescent tubes are more desirable. Fluorescent tubes come in different shapes and sizes such as u-shape, circular, square or straight.
Avoid incandescent light bulbs because they are not particularly good for this purpose. They are a good source of red rays but a poor source of blue. The heat they give out is too much for most plants. But if they must be used, they should be located away from the plants, thereby reducing the intensity of the heat the pants receive.
For indoor plants, a large variety of containers are available. Plant should be done in tubs, pots, crocks, sacks, bowls and wooden boxes that have good drainage.