For most people the simple pleasure of having beautiful living plants in the house is reason enough to start an indoor garden. There are definite physical and psychological benefits for having plants in your house as I shall discuss here.

The fact that plants immediately add ambience to your decor is a given. Plants add to and beautify space - indoors and outdoors. With so many permutations of sizes, colours, shapes and varieties to choose from it brings out the designer in everyone when putting together an indoor garden.

Just as trees and plants are crucial to our air quality outside, plants can provide the same service for you inside your home. It is a symbiotic relationship in that plants flourish by breathing in the carbon dioxide we exhale, and providing oxygen in return. Plants are particularly beneficial in a smokers home due to the higher levels of carbon dioxide there. Besides the exchange of oxygen for carbon dioxide, plants will purify the air from other unhealthy elements such as air-bound mold particles. They are therefore a natural air filter for your home.

It is well known that gardening is a relaxing hobby. If you have an indoor garden you get the benefit of this throughout the year. If you live in an apartment, an outdoor garden may not be possible. Gardening inside is only limited by the amount of space you want to dedicate to it in your home. Beautifying your living space and caring for living plants makes owning an indoor garden a peaceful endeavor.

Another benefit of indoor gardening is you can decide how much time you have or want to dedicate to caring for the plants. Cactus plants for example are used to the heat and being dry, for this reason putting them in a windowsill with full sunlight is optimal. Some varieties can go for weeks at a time without being watered. Cacti like coarse soil, it is recommended to use a soil that is meant specifically for a cactus instead of a generic mix. When a fertilizer is needed you should also purchase a fertilizer that is just for cacti.

When you do water your cactus make sure you don't overdo it.. One way to avoid this is to place the cactus pot in a shallow pot full of water. The plant will soak up all of the water it needs through the drainage hole in a period of 1-2 hours. Once completed you can leave your cactus for another month or so, or repeat if the plant starts to look like it needs a top up.