Growing your own indoor plants can be very rewarding, but it can also be very challenging at times. Making mistakes is common for beginners, but there are some easy mistakes you can avoid. Here are some tips to help you avoid common mistakes when growing plants indoors.
You might think that watering your plants often is good for them, and it will help them grow into healthy plants. This is true, but you can also kill your plants if you water them too regularly. You need to find a balance between overwatering and underwatering your plants; both can lead to plant death. To find that balance, take careful note of your plant's leaves; if you've been regularly watering and you see the leaves turn yellow, you may have overwatered your plant. If the leaves start to wilt, your plant is thirsty and needs to be watered. A general rule is to water your plants every two to three days when they’re young and growing. However, this varies depending on the substrate you’re using and the type of plant you’re growing. Look up specific advice based on your growing set-up. A log can also help to identify when you’ve watered your plants and note down what the plant looks like each day. Through practice, you will begin to recognise by looking at your plant when you need to water it next.
Plants need periods of light and periods of darkness in order to grow effectively. Some beginner growers might want their plants to grow quickly and not give them enough hours of darkness for successful recovery. Alternatively, growers who want to save money might buy cheaper lighting equipment that doesn’t cover the entire grow area or turn off the light to save money on their electricity bills. Plants need consistent hours of light and darkness; you can play around with the number of hours carefully by gradually making it shorter or longer, but you should avoid completely changing the plants’ schedule. A general rule of thumb is to allow your plants at least 4-6 hours of darkness, with a maximum of 12 hours. However, this does depend on the type of plant you’re growing and your set-up. Many growers experiment with different plants until they find the cycle that gives them the best yield while minimising their electricity bills. When buying any lighting equipment, make sure it is suitable for the number of plants and the space you have in your grow room or tent. One tip you should follow is to keep your grow tent or grow room completely sealed from light during the dark hours; if light enters, it can disrupt your plants, causing issues.
Many beginner growers think they can create a set-up at home without the right equipment. Often, you will get much better results if you buy equipment from a grow shop. They sell things like starter packs which will set you up with a grow tent, reflector, lamp, fan, ballast, pots, timer switch, filter and all the accessories you need to get started. When buying a starter pack, it might initially feel like you’re spending a lot of money, but it's often much cheaper than buying things individually or making mistakes and ruining your first crop of plants. We suggest buying a starter kit for any beginner struggling to know where to start. Once you get used to all of the equipment, you can add other items or choose to sell things if they’re no longer suitable for your particular needs.
Another critical element to growing a successful plant yield is the right level of nutrients. Many beginner growers think giving their plant more nutrients will improve their product and how quickly the plant grows and flowers. This isn’t the case if you choose to use synthetic nutrients; ensure you read the instructions very carefully. Too many artificial nutrients can harm your plant and reduce its yield. If you continuously add too many nutrients, your plant may even die. If you’re unsure, use less rather than more to prevent this issue from happening.