Indoor Fairy Garden Maintenance

Hello and welcome to HealthyHouseplants.com, where we teach you all about gardening in the great indoors. Today’s video is sponsored by our Amazon affiliate link, which you’ll find in the comment section below.

Today, I’m going to talk to you about maintaining an indoor fairy garden. We made this fairy garden in another video (I’ll put the link below so you can see how it was made), and now we’re going to talk a little about maintenance. I mentioned it in the other video as well, but I wanted to show you the garden now and discuss how to keep it well-maintained.

One thing to keep in mind is that you want to prune back the plants you’ve planted. First of all, you want to start with plants that tend to stay small, ideally fairy garden plants, and ones that do well growing indoors. The pink polka dot plant here, Hypoestes, does really well indoors, which is why I have it growing here. It does need occasional pruning, so I’m going to do a little pruning right now.

Even some maintenance things you want to do, like checking that everything is in place, are important. For example, I originally had the fairy figure pointing forward, so I’m just checking that she’s still facing forward. Of course, little elves like children may come along and switch things around, so it’s good to check on that from time to time.

We have colorful marbles here, which match the blue theme. Sometimes you can move them a bit, or you can use a paintbrush to clean them off a little bit and tidy up. You can also move elements around, like the bird that had fallen off earlier. I just repositioned it so it stands up again. Little details like this matter because you are essentially creating an indoor showpiece, and people love to come and look at these fairy gardens.

Someone even contributed a penny, like a wishing well. It’s a 2019 penny, and they placed it in the back behind the horse, but you can put it wherever you want. Someone had put it on the little pink table. You can see the color scheme is a lot of pinks, which is another reason I chose the pink polka dot plant. We also have blue in the bird and in the marbles.

Now, I’m going to do some pruning. Pruning is very important because you want to keep the plants at the right scale. Unless you’re doing some sort of “deep in the jungle” theme or an “enchanted forest” with huge trees, you’d want to keep the plants controlled. Especially if you’re going for a formal garden look, it’s important to keep the plants mounded and small. The pink polka dot plant is great for that.

When pruning, you want to prune back so the plant becomes smaller and shorter. But also, prune just above where new leaves are emerging from the stem. You don’t want to leave an open stem. I have another video where I show this in more detail, but this is a general guide for keeping your fairy garden looking healthy and really nice.

You can prune the plants to the height you like. For instance, if you’re aiming for an “enchanted forest” look, you can keep them lower. If you want a more mounded shape, you can achieve that with careful pruning. Take your time when pruning to avoid cutting what you don’t want to cut. The good news about plants like the pink polka dot plant is that they will grow back, and you can even shape them into a specific look. You might want to make one side higher than the other, depending on the story you’re telling with your fairy garden.

After pruning a bit, I turn the garden around to check how it looks from different angles. I also notice someone added a little bird to the fairy’s lap, which wasn’t there before. People love to add their own little touches to fairy gardens, which is one of the things I love most about them. They tell a story, and visitors can add their own stories to the scene as well.

When it comes to fertilizer, you generally want to go light. I used Pro-Mix soil in this fairy garden, which already had fertilizer mixed in, so I haven’t fertilized since planting. But I do see the plants are fading a bit in color, so I’ll probably fertilize soon. When you fertilize, use an organic fertilizer at quarter strength. That way, the plants get the nutrients they need, but they continue to grow slowly. You don’t want to end up pruning too often because if you forget, the plants can grow too large, and you’ll end up with an overgrown bush.

It’s much better to prune regularly rather than all at once, which can make the plants look too cut-up. Also, if you let them grow too much, the stems may get too thick to keep them small and tidy.

Remember to water the plants, but don’t overwater. For this fairy garden, I just water the plants, not the rest of the scene. It needs medium to bright light, and sometimes I put it under full-spectrum light if it’s not getting enough natural light. A full-spectrum lamp can also highlight your fairy garden and make it a focal point when people walk into the room.

I’ll be adding ferns to an elf garden I’m making next month, and I’ll discuss plant variety a bit more then. As for this fairy garden, the pink polka dot plant, which also comes in a green-variegated variety, is a great choice for keeping everything looking nice, enchanting, and pretty.

Thank you for stopping by today! Please leave any comments about indoor gardening tutorials you’d like to see, and remember to like, comment, subscribe, and share this video.

Indoor Fairy Garden Maintenance FAQ

What plants are best for indoor fairy gardens?

It’s best to choose plants that stay small and do well indoors. Fairy garden plants like the pink polka dot plant (Hypoestes) are ideal since they thrive indoors and require minimal pruning.

How often should I prune the plants in my indoor fairy garden?

You should prune the plants occasionally to keep them at the right scale, especially if you’re aiming for a formal garden look. Prune back above where new leaves emerge to avoid leaving open stems.

How can I maintain the appearance of my fairy garden?

Check regularly to ensure everything is in place, such as the fairy figures and decorative elements like marbles. You can use a paintbrush to clean off decorations and reposition items as needed.

Do I need to fertilize my indoor fairy garden?

Yes, but go light on the fertilizer. Use an organic fertilizer at quarter strength to keep plants growing slowly and to avoid overgrowth. Fertilize when the plants start fading in color.

How should I water my indoor fairy garden?

Water only the plants and avoid overwatering. Make sure the soil stays moist but not soggy. Your fairy garden will also need medium to bright light, and a full-spectrum light can help if natural light is insufficient.

What is the best way to display my fairy garden?

You can place your fairy garden under a full-spectrum lamp, which not only provides light but also highlights the garden, making it a focal point in your room.

How do I keep my fairy garden looking enchanted and pretty?

Regularly prune the plants, clean the decorations, and adjust the elements in the garden to tell a story. Visitors often love to add their touches, making the garden a living, evolving display.

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