The days are getting longer and so are the stems of your Monstera deliciosa. Every morning, you get up, hoping for a new leaf or a flower. But even in spring, you have the impression that nature is taking its time. Do you dream of seeing your false philodendron grow as fast as Jack’s beanstalk? Discover 10 tips that will speed up the growth of your indoor plants.
1 .Water like a real professional
Plants grow faster with regular and appropriate watering. A subject that lacks water slows down its growth and the new leaves are smaller. It can also adapt, for example by developing roots on the surface to capture more water. This development is to the detriment of the foliage.
On the other hand, sufficient and diligent watering promotes flowering and the production of leaf blades. But there is no need to take out your watering can too often! Overwatering does not boost plants, on the contrary! Excess water rots the roots and kills the plants.
Preferably use rainwater. It contains nutrients that are not found in tap water. Do you have a freshwater aquarium? Its water is a real cure for your plants. It is low in limestone and rich in nitrates and phosphates, elements found in fertilizers. When you change the water in your aquarium, keep it to water your indoor jungle.
2.Let the light in
Plants also feed on light. Solar energy, transformed via photosynthesis, allows them to grow. You must therefore make sure that your plant receives enough natural light to flourish.
Each variety has its own preferences. Some plants, such as Strelitzia reginae, cacti and succulents appreciate a bright location. Others, such as Aglaonema ‘Silver Queen’ or Goeppertia picturata prefer partial shade. However, the light in our homes is lower than in nature. If you want your Stromanthe sanguinea to continue to make new leaves, place it behind the window. But beware of too much light. It can burn the leaf blades. If the light is too intense, install a curtain or move your plants away from the bay window.
Plants generally require 18 hours of daylight for six hours of darkness. A difficult ratio to achieve in December… To help your green plants grow even faster, you can invest in a growth lamp. It reproduces the sun’s rays and provides maximum sunshine all year round.
3.Remember to fertilize
Plants do not live on sun and water at room temperature alone. Nutrients are essential for their development. In nature, the soil is enriched by the work of earthworms and the decomposition of plants. In pots and indoors, the soil is not renewed and becomes impoverished. Your green plant can no longer feed itself properly and stops growing.
You must fertilize during the growing season (usually between April and October) to remedy this. Liquid fertilizers, like solid fertilizers, provide the plant with what it needs. However, liquid solutions give results as soon as they are applied. Mixed with watering water, the nutrients are directly absorbed. Fertilizers in sticks or granules must decompose before releasing their benefits. As you can see, if you are in a hurry, it is better to choose a liquid product!
You must respect the requirements of the plant. Fertilizing too often or providing too high a dose damages the foliage and roots. Also be careful when choosing fertilizer. To act on:
- foliage, choose a fertilizer rich in nitrogen;
- flowering and fruiting, choose a fertilizer rich in phosphorus;
- roots, choose a fertilizer rich in potassium.
4.Prune your plants so they grow faster
What if shortening the branches of your Dieffenbachia ‘Camilla’ helped it gain centimeters? It may seem counterintuitive, but pruning is probably the best trick to make your plant grow quickly.
If you are afraid of making a massacre with your pruning shears, start by removing the leaf blades and dead flowers. Are you growing your plant for its decorative foliage? Remove the flowers. And if you want to enjoy the flowering, remove the faded flowers before they go to seed. The process exhausts the plant.
Then, arm yourself with courage and prune the branches. The length to remove depends on the species and the result you want to achieve. But you should always cut above a node. This will allow the plant to make new branches. Most varieties, such as Crassula ovata, generate two branches from the cut, where previously there was only one.
Pruning is not the only thing that works miracles. Pinching the end of a stem also creates branches. In Hypoestes phyllostachya or Fittonia albivenis, this simple gesture gives bushy plants in a few weeks.
You must follow a few rules for pruning to be effective. First, use a clean and sharp tool to prevent the spread of diseases and facilitate healing. Then, prune at the right time. You should act in spring most of the time. But sometimes, you have to wait until autumn or the end of flowering.
5.Repot your plants to boost their growth
Your indoor plants need space to grow and thicken their foliage. But not only on the surface. They must also have space in their pot. Indeed, you do not see it, but their roots develop. After a few years of good care, they completely colonize the container and can no longer spread. And growth is affected.
You must therefore repot your plants regularly to support their development. Some varieties need to be repotted every year, others every two or three years. When you change your pot, choose a model with a slightly larger diameter than the old one. Two to four centimeters are enough for small containers (less than 30 centimeters in diameter). For others, you can increase the diameter by five to ten centimeters. In any case, don’t think too big! Lost in a 50-centimeter-wide container, your Misère won’t be able to absorb all the water available. It will end up bathing in damp soil and wither.
Repotting has a double effect. You give the plant space and you renew its substrate. Two elements that will make it grow faster than its shadow.
6.Take your collection out into the open air
Living indoors is not natural for our plants. While they adapt to our homes, they prefer the great outdoors. The wind that caresses their leaves blows away dust, the atmosphere is less dry and, above all, the stronger light boosts their growth.
So, when the good weather returns, offer your protégés a vacation outside. You don’t need to have a garden for your plants to thrive. Your balcony, your terrace or even your windowsill will do the job perfectly.
The transition must be done gently so as not to burn the foliage. First move your pots to the shade for a few hours. Gradually increase the intensity and duration of the exposure. After a few days, your plants will be able to spend the day and night outside, if the temperatures allow it. But stay vigilant! No variety, apart from a few cacti, tolerates direct sunlight at its zenith. Always find out about the recommended exposure by consulting our growing guides.
7.Introduce them to friends
Grouping your plants together naturally improves humidity thanks to evapotranspiration. But that’s not the only reason why plants grow faster when they are together. Adult plants give off more oxygen than young ones. By leaving your cutting next to its mother, it benefits from better air and grows better. This also works if you place two different varieties side by side.
Some associations are particularly beneficial. Indeed, in nature, some species coexist to help each other. Epiphytic plants from the Bromeliaceae family, such as Tillandsia, love the company of orchids. They like to capture the water released by their neighbor.
You can simply place the pots next to each other. But some gardeners place everyone in the same container. Before you start, check that the plants have identical needs in terms of substrate, exposure and water. Also make sure they all have enough room to grow.
8.Provide a tutor for your climbing plants
This tip works for climbing plants that are sometimes grown hanging.
A plant that is used to clinging to a support instinctively looks for something to cling to. It extends its aerial roots until it finds happiness. And while it takes care of its roots, it neglects its foliage. If you want your Pothos to produce blades rather than roots, give it a stake.
9.Remove the suckers as soon as possible
We all love to discover suckers at the foot of our Chinese Money Plant. But these little creatures require a lot of energy to grow and survive. They slow down the growth of the main foot.
To allow your plant to focus on its development, remove the suckers. You can remove them as soon as they appear. But you can also wait until they reach three or four centimeters high and have their own roots. This way, you can take cuttings from them and expand your collection.
This advice does not apply to monocarpic plants. After flowering, Tillandsia racquetosa, Aphelandra squarrosa or Guzmania zahnii will die, no matter what you do. Wait until the shoots are at least a third of the mother plant to successfully repot them and perpetuate your favorite bromeliad.
10.Choose fast-growing varieties
Pothos is one of the plants that grows quickly.
Plants are like humans. Each one grows at its own pace. If you are impatient, bet on varieties that grow quickly. You don’t know which ones to choose? We have prepared a selection of 16 fast-growing indoor plants for gardeners in a hurry!
Plants love Coffee and Cinnamon
With proper application, coffee mixed with cinnamon are a boon for your plants as natural remedies. Rich in nitrogen, potassium, and myriad other nutrients, coffee grounds can make for one excellent organic fertilizer. Nitrogen is very important for leaf growth, and thus coffee grounds are particularly beneficial for leafy plants and vegetables. Furthermore, coffee makes soil looser and helps it retain moisture. Just don’t go overboard, because too many coffee grounds might be harmful; they could turn the soil exceptionally acidic, injuring some plants. Best to mix them into compost or put a very thin layer around the plants to avoid any imbalance nutrient-wise.
Cinnamon is an anti-fungal and pest repellent. This prevents diseases like damping-off, which are caused by fungus and most often attack seedlings. Just sprinkle a light layer of cinnamon powder on the soil surface or directly on the affected areas. On top of that, its strong smell keeps ants and gnats away, which leaves the plants healthy without the use of chemical pesticides.
Together, coffee and cinnamon provide a sustenance-and-cure eco-friendly method for plant care: enriching soil nutrients while preventing diseases and pests, but it is equally important to understand the plants in your care and the conditions of your soil in order for this to truly assist and not hinder growth.
Taking care of houseplants doesn’t need to be ornate. A little attention to their unique needs, and some creative hacks, can transform your space into a lush, green oasis. Be it with the right watering schedule, the perfect spot for sunlight, or hacks like homemade fertiliser, these tips not just help with better plant care but make the process easier and more enjoyable. So embrace the process, try out what seems to work for you and your plants, and do not be afraid to learn as you go. Given time and effort, your houseplants will do more than survive — they will thrive.
Read also: Top 5 Indoor Plant Trends to Elevate Your Home Decor
