Anyone who doesn't already have a garden would like to create a small, green oasis at least within their own four walls. However, not all plants feel comfortable in the apartment. Coniferous trees in particular need light and air - with one exception: the indoor fir can also be cultivated in the living room.
The room fir is ideal for keeping indoors
Many conifers are not suitable for indoor culture
No matter how tempting it may be, a spruce, pine or other native coniferous tree does not belong in the apartment. These trees need the changing seasons, as well as more sunlight, air, and moisture than you could give them in an indoor environment. For this reason, bonsai from native trees should always be outside. On the other hand, plants from the subtropical and tropical regions of the world are cultivated indoors, since they, in turn, cannot cope with the local climatic conditions. Incidentally, keeping them in a conservatory cannot be compared to growing them in pots on the living room window sill: conservatories imitate life in the great outdoors more realistically, especially as they often do not need to be heated in winter.
The indoor fir in portrait
The only suitable coniferous tree is the popular room fir (Araucaria heterophylla), which is native to the subtropical Norfolk Island, which belongs to Australia. In the wild, the tree grows up to 60 meters high, in a pot it can reach a height of around two meters with good care. However, the tree grows very slowly, which is why this final height is only reached late - if at all.
location and substrate
The room fir needs a bright, but not directly sunny and cool location. Do not place the tree directly in front of a window or on the window sill, as it quickly gets too warm there. In summer you can also place the pot on the balcony or terrace. As a substrate, choose a low-lime houseplant soil that is slightly acidic at best. Rhododendron earth is also very suitable.
maintenance
In summer, the substrate should always be kept slightly moist, avoiding waterlogging. Fertilize the pine every two weeks with a weakened rhododendron fertilizer and repot it in fresh substrate every two to three years. In winter, the sapling should hibernate cool and frost-free at around 10 °C.
tips
The selection of suitable conifers for pot culture is very large if you can put the pots on the balcony or terrace.