How to Best Care for Large Indoor Planters

Having large planters indoors can transform an ordinary looking room. There are many large, decorative planters available online and in stores that range in style from modern to classic and everything in between. While it is easy to choose a stylish large indoor planter, it is also important to maintain your planters, so that your plants will survive and keep your indoors looking great.

Best Care for Large Indoor Planters: Choosing Plants

There are many larger plants that will grow well and look great in your larger indoor planters. Depending on how you want your room to look— tropical, desert, traditional, zen, etc—there are many plants to that will give you just the feeling you want. Here are just a few ideal for growing indoors:

Ficus
Bromeliads
Palms (especially Coco palm)
Dracaena
Stomanthe
Succulents/cactus
Citrus
Alocasia
Philodendron
Kalanchoe
Maindenhair ferns
Orchids
Diffenbachia

Best Care for Large Indoor Planters: Best Location

Being indoors means that your plants will be subjected to a very limited environment in the ways of nutrition. You must make sure you put your plant in a place where it will be able to get everything it needs to survive.

Place your planters by a large window or skylight so they can get (at least) 6 hours of sunlight a day
If you do not have enough light indoors for your plants, consider getting artificial fluorescent lighting for them
Place the planters where there aren’t large fluctuations in temperature; temperatures in bedrooms or living rooms stay fairly constant
Keep your plants away from direct heat sources like heaters or fireplaces; your plants will dry out very easily
Avoid placing your plants in high traffic areas unless they are well-groomed and will not bother someone walking by

Best Care for Large Indoor Planters: Plant Care

Watch your plants carefully and make sure to water or fertilize them as needed. It is also important to check for insects and disease.

Use distilled water (which prevents mineral buildup) to water your plants as needed
Using a non-salt based product to fertilize your plants will also prevent mineral buildup
Remove dust from plant leaves with a soft cloth to allow the plant to absorb as much light as possible
Prune your plants on a regular basis as they grow
Catch any disease or pests early on to prevent a real problem from occurring; if it does become a serious issue, make sure to only use products safe for living areas.
Sometimes plants will benefit from being outside for a while, so place your movable planters outside every once in a while if you can