1.Light: The truth is that most house plants don't need bright direct sunlight. Houseplants will thrive if they have some kind of unobstructed view of the sky or the sun. But if your house doesn't get enough sunlight then get plants that do not require sunlight or can survive in no light as well.
Example: ZZ Plants and Snake Plant
2.Soil Requirements: The ideal soil for houseplants or indoor plants is one that drains quickly, is light and crumbly and has enough air circulation for root growth.
Example: Garden Soil + Coco Peat + Orchid Bark + Perlite + Sphagnum Moss + Charcoal (not mandatory)
There is no ideal ratio here but 30:20:20:20:20 would work fine.
3.Water Requirements: For indoor plants, it is better to underwater them than overwater. The best way is to have a watering schedule once a week or twice a week. Water only when the soil dries out. You can use your finger method to check the water levels. Stick your finger 2 inches into the soil. If they come out clean, it means that the soil is dry. If, however, the soil is still damp and your finger does not come out clean, the soil still has water.
This rule applies to most houseplants.
4.Drainage Holes: Make sure that the pots that you use have drainage holes. If you use a tray below the pot, make it sure it is not accumulating water for long periods of time. You don't want your plant’s roots sitting in water for extended periods.
5.Prune: Prune your plants' dead lives. This will allow the plant to shift all its energy towards the healthiest leaves.
6.Feeding: At some point, the nutrients in your soil will go depleted because of regular flushing out during watering. This is where fertilizers come in. For houseplants, we need to focus on NPK ( NITROGEN, PHOSPHOROUS, POTASSIUM)
For houseplants, a well balanced fertilizer with 18:18:18 or 20:20:20 composition is the safest option. When it comes to synthetic fertilizers, less is more. Too much can cause root and leaf burn. Always feed your plants preferably in the morning hours and twice a month in the growing season which is Feb to Oct in India.
7.Check for Pests and Diseases: Inspect the plants for any diseases or pests before you buy them. One of the preventive measures to deal with various kinds of pests and diseases is to use a mix of neem oil and dishwashing soap ( in the ratio of 1:2) and spray it on various parts of the plant, undersides of leaves early in the morning.
8.Do not shift your plants often: Plants will get used to being in one space with a certain amount of light. Moving them around all the time can be a shock for them.
9.Start your plant journey with plants that are hardy and difficult to kill ( quite a few to name: Pothos, ZZ, Snake Plant, Aglaonema are Easy Care Plants) Over a period of time, simply by observing and paying attention you will learn a lot about the house plant world. There is no magic pill or secret potion when it comes to taking care of indoor plants.
10.Last but not the least, get to know your plant. Spend some time if you can to read more about its care instructions.