Transforming your living space with greens can be a very rewarding experience. You can try adding a touch of nature to your indoor environment or consider creating an oasis of garden plants outside. In any case, this will help you not only bring beauty and life to any area but also improve air quality, reduce stress, and create a sense of tranquility.
Read further to discover how to make your first steps in gardening and effortlessly integrate greenery into your home and life.
5 easy plants to grow at home
Plants can be not only a great visual addition to your workplace or home but also a hobby that has multiple benefits. Studies support that, stating that nature can enhance creative ways of thinking and help recharge the directed attention needed for idea development.
What’s more, indoor house plants can help make your home cleaner: they reduce airborne microbes by 50%. So if you’ve been thinking about making your home or work space greener, take these benefits into account.
However, if you’ve never tried growing plants before, we suggest starting with easy plants to grow. This will allow you to reap all the benefits without struggling too much with the caring routine. One of the easiest plants to take care of is the following.
Aloe
Aloes are popular for being low-maintenance and easy to care for. They just need a sunny spot in your home and occasional watering. In the warmer months, you can move them outside and use them as garden plants. In this case, they will grow faster and might even produce colorful flowers.
How to care about the Aloe plant: place it in a bright spot with indirect sunlight, such as a south or west-facing window. Water it moderately and only when the soil is completely dry, as watering it too much can cause the roots to rot. Use well-draining soil for the plant (ideally a cactus or succulent mix), and ensure the pot has drainage holes.
Zamioculcas Zamiifolia
Zamioculcas Zamiifolia is also called the Zuzu plant. It’s a great air purifier that can remove toxins like xylene, toluene, and benzene from the air. Another perk of the Zuzu plant is that it is also almost impossible to kill. It has lots of small, glossy leaves, looks very attractive and needs little care.
How to care about the Zamioculcas Zamiifolia plant: it grows well in medium to low light. It’s drought-tolerant and only needs watering every 2-3 weeks. Although it grows slowly, it can reach a height of 16-28 inches.
Money Tree
You can also try growing a low-maintenance Money Tree. They are believed to bring positive energy and good fortune, have lush green leaves, and an overall tropical look that stands out in any space.
How to care about the Money Tree: these plants enjoy low light and can go a long time between waterings. Let the soil dry out halfway before watering the plant again. If you want it to grow faster, place it in bright, indirect light.
The Spider Plant (Chlorophytum)
The Spider Plant also needs little care. Its long green leaves have white stripes, and it gets its name from the spider-like offshoots that hang from the main plant. This is also one of the house plants safe for cats.
How to care about the Spider Plant: it should stay in bright, indirect light, as the direct sunlight can cause leaf damage. You can poke the soil with your finger to check its moisture and water the plant only if the soil feels dry.
The Snake Plant (Sansevieria)
These plants are low-maintenance and great looking. They have semi-succulent leaves and water-storing roots and therefore don’t require frequent watering and can adapt to various living conditions. Their narrow, upright growth means they fit well in any space.
How to care about the Snake Plant: avoid watering it too often. These types of plants can go weeks without water indoors. If you keep them in direct sunlight or outside during summer, water them a bit more often, but only when the soil is completely dry.
How to grow garden plants
Maybe you would like to go bigger and decorate your home garden with outdoor plants. In this case, here are some basic steps to help you get started.
1. Choose your plants
It’s important to choose plants that are suitable for your climate, soil, and the amount of sunlight your garden receives. You can start with some easy-to-grow outdoor plants like tomatoes, basil, marigolds, or sunflowers.
2. Prepare the soil
Check the soil pH and nutrient levels. Most plants prefer a neutral pH (6.0-7.0). Consider adding compost or organic matter to improve soil texture and fertility. Make sure that the drainage is also good: this will help prevent waterlogging.
3. Do the planting
It’s important to follow the instructions for each type of plant in the planting process. Some of them do well when started from seeds, while others are best planted as seedlings. In any case, you also need to make enough space between your greens to make sure that they’ll grow freely and won’t catch any diseases from their neighbors.
4. Don’t forget about watering your plants
You need to water your garden regularly, making sure that the soil is consistently moist but not waterlogged. Do it early in the morning to minimize evaporation and fungal growth. Also, make sure that you water deeply enough to support the roots and encourage their growth.
5. Ensure proper mulching and fertilizing
You can use organic mulch like straw, leaves, or bark to retain soil moisture, suppress weeds, and regulate soil temperature. To top that up, apply a balanced fertilizer according to the needs of your plants. But be mindful, as over-fertilizing can harm your greens.
6. Continue managing the plants as they grow
You need to regularly check out plants for dead leaves and stems, pests, and signs of diseases. Also, remove weeds surrounding your greens to reduce competition for nutrients and water.
To sum up
House and garden plants can be not only a nice decoration for your home but also an enjoyable and beneficial hobby that stimulates creativity, helps reduce airborne microbes, and overall create a healthier and visually appealing living environment. Choose the beginner-friendly indoor plants or follow our step-by-step gardening guide to start your green journey, enhance your living space and overall well-being.