Indoor Plants You Can’t Kill
Just because you have a bad history of keeping plants alive, because the vegetables you grew as part of your grade school garden didn’t grow, doesn’t mean you have to give up on plants forever. Most of us have killed a plant or two. Sure, some people have a knack for growing things. But that’s just some people. The fact is that for most people, growing things doesn’t come easy. Gardening and growing plants is a skill and like all skills, it takes experience to get it right.
The good news is that you don’t have to jump in and try to understand everything at once. Things like knowing the soil acidity and fertilization schedules can wait. Best of all, there are some great houseplants that are incredibly low maintenance perfect for the beginner gardener. Or even if you have no interest in leveling up your botany skill, then these plants can provide you all of the benefits of houseplants with none of the major investments. Either way, it’s a win!
And there are some pretty big benefits. Plants in a work area can increase productivity and boost memory and attention span by as much as 20%. Loud neighbors? You’ll love how well plants absorb noises and thereby minimize a lot of distracting background noises. If you put houseplants in your room, then they can actually help you sleep better as they continue on improving your air and thereby your sleep environment. Some fragranced plants like lavender can even offer side benefits like reducing blood pressure and stress levels, further improving how well you sleep at night. Also, taking care of a houseplant, even if it’s just the occasional water, boosts one’s mental health.
Picking the Right Houseplant for Your Junction Cottages & Townhomes Apartment
- Peperomia. Peperomia is a beautiful, easy-to-grow houseplant that looks a lot like a very small shrub. There are over a dozen common species of peperomia. This makes it so you shouldn’t have any problem finding a quality version at your local home and garden store. Some preferred varieties include the teardrop peperomia whose compact size makes it an ideal choice for terrariums; a good choice if you want to create an artistic succulent grouping. Or you might choose the beetle peperomia with its creeping stems and dark green leaves brilliantly sliced across the center with a lighter green stripe. Peperomias thrive with indirect lighting, so you don’t have to grow it in a full sun window. They also don’t need any fertilizer beyond what comes via the soil. Finally, when it comes to watering, simply touch the plant’s soil twice a week. If it’s dry, give it some water. If it’s damp, leave it alone.
- Snake plant. Snake plants really are virtually impossible to kill. You could probably leave this plant in your room for the entirety of summer break and come back to it doing just fine. Or you could take it with you on your winter holiday to Maine and bring it back to Texas and the snake plant will keep on trucking. It’s simply that hardy. Plus, it’s long green and tan leaves offer something pretty to look at and have all of the aforementioned benefits of indoor plants. Snake plants do grow best with sunlight, but they will tolerate low and indirect light without issue. Check the soil for watering once every two weeks.
- African violet. The above houseplants are great for adding a splash of living green to your Junction Cottages and Townhomes apartment. But not everyone wants just something simple and green. If you’re looking for more color, then consider the flowering African violet. The African violet is a small and cute plant that produces clusters of blue, purple, or white flowers (depending upon the variety you buy) across its green fuzzy leaves. While still incredibly low-maintenance, this plant is a bit more finicky than others on our list. The biggest thing here is that you will need to re-pot this flowering plant once a year so as to give it some fresh soil. Check the soil to ensure it’s slightly damp once a week and be sure to water at the bottom and not across it’s leaves.
Talk to Your Local Garden Group to Learn More
We know this list is short, but these three houseplants are excellent beginner plants that you’ll be able to find both at big box stores and small mom and pop gardening shops. They are ideal plants to test out and when you’re ready for something more, talk to those shopkeepers to get recommendations. Or, consider talking with your own fellow students by visiting TAMU’s Horticulture Club. You might even find yourself falling in love with plants so much that you’ll want to join them! In either case, clubs like this are great for meeting new people this new school year.