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Keeping a good and stable environment for your indoor plants is one of the many ways to make sure your plants stay healthy.

Maintaining the health of your plant means knowing how much light, water and drainage it required for its health.

Keeping a good and stable environment for your indoor plants is one of the many ways to make sure your plants stay healthy.

Maintaining the health of your plant means knowing how much light, water and drainage it required for its health.

In the Inland Northwest, a region known for its four seasons, winter quickly follows fall. Coming home to a little bit of green provides a break from the cold and snow of Spokane but keeping plants alive can be a daunting task.

Fortunately, there are some easy-to-follow tips on how to keep those plants green and healthy.

Many plants will come with a tag or label that provides important details, such as recommended amounts of water, light conditions and pot sizes. Numerous online sources can also provide this information. Some plant centers, such as Ritter’s Garden and Gift, hold classes and other plant-centered events, such as terrarium building and seasonal plant sessions.

2. Maintain a friendly environment for your plant.

"[Environment] is the main thing to wrap your head around whenever you're thinking about indoor gardening,” said Justin Bickston, owner of the 509 GROW garden center.

Maintaining the right temperature and humidity for your plants is important, as well as ensuring either fresh air or air circulation.

“Everything else — light, nutrients, soil — falls around the environment,” Bickston said.

 3. Make sure that your plants receive a good amount of sunlight.

“If you put a plant in the wrong light, it is not going to thrive, no matter what you do to it," said Kelsi Caston, the head grower at Ritter’s.

As winter nears, keep your plants farther away from the windows, but in a location where they can still receive light. The spaces near windows are often the coldest parts of a room, and colder temperatures are harmful to many plants.

You may need to use the trial-and-error method for a while. One test is to feel the soil around the plant. If it remains damp or even muddy, the plant does not need more water. However, if the soil is dry to the touch, then it is likely time to give it a healthy watering. Many plants will also offer visual cues that they need more water.

“If you can get [light and water] figured out, everything else that you can do for your plant is just extra,” Caston said.

 5. Use the right pot for your plant.

Two factors in deciding what type of pot is needed are size and drainage. Plants need pots that are large enough to support their root systems; otherwise, the roots will not be able to support the above ground part of the plant. Drainage is best when the pot in use has holes in the bottom and water can seep down into a tray below the pot.

"Some plants don't care, but some plants are going to prefer terracotta or something glazed," Caston said. 

If you have a pot without holes, you can create your own drainage system by placing between one-half to one inch layer of small pebbles or packing peanuts at the bottom of the pot. This will allow water to drain from the soil and keep the roots healthy.

Do not use the planter pot that came with the plant. These are made for younger plants with less developed root systems and cannot support a fully-grown plant.

While indoor plants generally are not specific to region, there are a few plants that typically thrive in many conditions and do not require intensive care.

Succulents are extremely hardy, inexpensive and can survive without watering for long periods of time. These can be found in any plant store and are sometimes given out in on-campus events.

According to Bickston, pothos plants are great plants to grow for someone who is new to the indoor plant scene. These plants are viny, easy to keep up with and do not require much water or light.

"[The pothos] will grow pretty quick for you,” Bickston said.

These tall, upright plants are ideal for beginners.

“They can go in sun or shade … people can forget about them and [they will] be OK,” Caston said. 

These plants also do not require much water, which is perfect for the busy college student.

Christmas cacti are the most colorful plants on this list, as they can produce pink or light purple flowers. They like humidity and indirect light, but can brighten up any room and only require a moderate amount of water.

These are just a few of the indoor plants available. As snow starts to fall and the days become shorter, plants can be just what is needed to brighten up an apartment or dorm room.

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Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.