Plants liven up the interior spaces in your home, adding visual interest and a fresh, outdoorsy ambiance. Unfortunately, some indoor plants are very hard to take care of. The good news is that there are some houseplants that are much easier to keep alive and thriving. Here are ten of the best.
Cactus
Cacti are relatively easy to care for, but they do have some requirements. First, you need to use well-draining potting soil. Then, repot them once a year to give them fresh soil and move them to a bigger pot if necessary. Put the potted cactus in a spot where it will get lots of bright sunlight.
During the growing season – usually spring through fall – give them water once a week. Pour on the water until it’s coming through the drainage holes of the pot. During the winter months, water it only enough to keep it from shriveling out. Wait until the soil is dried out during this time.
Snake Plant
Snake plant, also called mother-in-law’s tongue, is one of the easiest to grow of all houseplants. The most important thing is to not overwater it. If you do, it may get root rot and die. So, let the soil dry out before you water it. In the winter, don’t water it more than once a month. Otherwise, there’s not much to worry about. Snake plants do well in bright light, but they can also thrive in shady areas of your home. Each spring, you can divide them, repot them, and so increase the number of plants you have.
Spider Plant
Spider plants are known for their spiderettes that grow off of the mother plant. Simple pot them in a well-draining soil. Then, give them bright, indirect light. Let the soil dry out a bit before you water each time. Then, water them without letting them get too soggy. If you can, put them in a room where the temperature is fairly cool – they thrive in temps from 55 to 65. Prune them occasionally. They grow well even when they become slightly pot-bound. Just repot them when they become too hard to water.
English Ivy
Ivy League colleges get that name from the English Ivy that can be used as cover for stone walls. English ivy also looks great in a hanging basket indoors. They like bright light but not direct sunlight. Keep the well-draining soil moist but not soaked. Mist them on hot days. Then, just trim them occasionally. Use stem cuttings to propagate more of them if you like.
Chinese Evergreen
If your plants usually die from overwatering, the Chinese evergreen may be your ideal houseplant. They don’t require bright light. In fact, if you choose a dark variety, you can grow it in very low light. Water it when it’s dry, about every week to nine days. In winter, you can water them less frequently, about once every two to three weeks. Repot it in the spring or summer, dividing it into two plants if it’s getting big for the pot. These are flowering plants, but all you need to do is let them flower and remove the flowers after both parts of the flower are dead.
Asparagus Fern
The asparagus fern is a houseplant with feathery leaves and sharper spines that can prick your skin. It looks gorgeous as an indoor plant, and it’s very easy to grow. Put it in a sturdy pot with slightly acidic potting soil. Keep the soil moist but not soaked during the growing season. If the plant begins to turn yellow, you’re watering it too much. Don’t put it in direct sunlight, but bright indirect or filtered sunlight is great. Repot them in the spring, or just add some fresh potting soil.
Guiana Chestnut
The Guiana Chestnut, often called the money tree, has a braided trunk and five-leaved stems. Put it in well-draining loamy soil. Give them bright, indirect lighting. Pour on the water, then let the soil dry down to three inches from the top before you water it again. If the leaves start to drop off, you’re probably overwatering it. Water it every week to ten days in the summer, and about twice a month in the winter. It does well in a wide range of temperatures, from 60 to 90 degrees F.
Yucca Plant
Yucca plants can be grown easily indoors. The most popular for inside the home are spineless yuccas. Put them in a tall, sturdy pot, add well-draining soil, and put them in a spot where there’s lots of indirect light. In the summer, give them a drink once a week. In winter, they need much less water. Cut it back in the early spring if needed. Let the soil get dried out before you water again.
Air Plant
Air plants are extremely unusual in that they can grow
without any soil at all. You can put them in any
kind of container you like. Make sure the air circulates around them. You need
to water them once a week, but you have to do it in a specific way. Submerge
them in a sink full or bucketful of water and let them soak overnight. Rinse
them out, let them dry, and put them back wherever you keep them. Keep them in
bright, filtered light.
Bromeliads
There are a lot of varieties of bromeliads. To grow them indoors, put them in a plastic container to prevent drying out. Don’t expose them to direct sunlight, but most other lighting conditions are fine. Bromeliads withstand drought very well but suffer when you overwater them. When the soil is dry down to two inches below the top, soak the plant with water until water is coming out of the drainage holes. Some bromeliads have a “tank,” which is a part where the leaves form a cup. If yours has one, fill it up with rainwater.
Easy-to-care plants give people without a special knack for gardening ability to grace their home environment with the beauty of green living things. Try these plants in your home for a lovely indoor garden.
