Did you know that being around plants helps to improve memory and increase concentration? Over the years there have been papers documenting the benefits of Horticulture Therapy including reduced stress and lower anxiety.
However, if you have a history of plant genocide, reaping these benefits is not an easy task. But fear not, we’ll show you how to develop your own green thumbs with these seven easy plants to care for.
1. Aloe Vera
From drinks to skincare, the Aloe Vera plant is the most common yet forgotten plant. With spiky fleshy leaves, it seems intimidating at glance. In reality, Aloe Vera is one of the easiest and most useful succulents to own.
Lighting: As a houseplant, it requires bright but indirect sun – like a spot near your kitchen window or on the inner ledge of the corridor.
Soil Type: The soil of succulents should be a well-drained potting mix, meaning that water should be able to leave the pot fairly easily. While not necessary, you can fertilize the soil to help it grow well but this should be done sparingly.
Watering: When it comes to watering the plant – water the plant deeply but infrequently. This means that when watering your Aloe Vera, the soil should be moist to the touch and water should drain from the bottom of the pot.
Resist the temptation to water your aloe vera after that and allow the top third of potting soil to dry out between waterings. Thus, during more hot weather this could take up to a week or two, while during the rainy seasons this could take even two to three weeks at most.
With proper care and dutiful watering (and neglect), you could have your very own aloe vera supply! While you can use the fleshly leaves for skin or as household cleaning supplies, avoid consuming the aloe vera directly.
If you’re looking for edible greens to grow, check out our article on microgreens here!
2. Snake Plant
Even if the name is unfamiliar, you probably would have seen this plant on countless IKEA catalogs and Architectural DIgest magazines – and for good reason! These gorgeous green plants can grow up to 1.2 metres in height and have been known to be the easiest house plant to take care of.
Lighting: The ease of taking care of the plant comes in the way it receives sunlight, while the snake plant prefers bright, indirect light, it can even tolerate direct sunlight. They are also able to grow in shady corners or low-light conditions, though notably slower.
Soil Type: Use a well-draining potting mix to allow water to drain from the bottom of the pot. This is important to avoid potential root rot in snake plants that have quite deep roots.
Watering: Water these plants infrequently to prevent root rot, allow the soil to dry out in between waterings. To determine this, carefully stick your finger or a wooden chopstick about two or three inches into the soil. If you feel any moisture or see soil stick to the chopstick, avoid watering.
To help stabilize the tall thick leaves, you can also try bottom-watering. This involves submerging the pot in a bowl half filled with water and allow the plant to soak up the water for five to ten minutes. You know if is done taking a drink once the soil is moist to the touch and no more water is being absorbed.
3. Monstera Plant
The Monstera is a species of evergreen tropical vines that are native to Central America, the large beautiful plants also coined the name Swiss Cheese Plant due to the natural leaf-holes that they develop. There are two types of species that are cultivated as houseplants – Monstera deliciosa and Monstera adansonii.
The Monstera adansonii is distinguishable by its longer, tapering leaves and enclosed leaf holes, while the Monstera deliciosa leaf holes eventually grow towards the edge and open up as they mature. While slightly different in appearance, both house plants follow the same routine and are relatively easy to care for.
Lighting: Monstera plants thrive in bright to medium indirect light, which is what makes them great houseplants. And while not suited for direct sun, it can be acclimated to withstand it. The best place to place Monstera plants would usually be near doors to frame the entranceway or a well-lit-living room to allow it some light.
Soil Type: Use a well-draining potting mix. Mix in ingredients such as perlite or lava rocks to increase soil aeration as need
Watering: Water these plants every one to two weeks, allowing the soil to dry out between waterings. If it happens to be the rainy season, expect to water it less. While during warmer seasons, expect to water it more. Monsteras benefit better from filtered water or water left out overnight, so consider using that instead of regular tap water.
4. String Pearls
As the name implies, the String Pearls plant are succulents with tendrils that can grow up to a metre long with delicate leaves that closely resemble beads. In other countries, this plant is also referred to as rosary. Besides the unique look of the plant, string pearls are also recognized for their little hands-on care making it the perfect plant for the busy worker.
As these are succulents, this also means that once you have one string pearl plant, you can easily propagate news and refurbish your home into a succulent haven.
Lighting: Compared to other succulents, String Pearls thrive in bright light. You can consider placing it on a sunny windowsill or hanging it from a basket to allow its leaves to sprawl and get an even distribution of light. During rainy days where daylight is limited, leave it under a fluorescent lamp to soak up some light.
Soil Type: Pearl Plants need well-draining soil to thrive. Hence, choosing a well-drained pot is the first step to make your spring of hearts happy. This can be a simple terracotta pot with drainage holes at the bottom.
Watering: String of pearls don’t require much water, thus it is recommended that you water it about once every two weeks. To avoid overwatering the plant you can use the finger or wooden chopstick trick to determine how saturated the soil is.
5. Mint Plant
The mint plant is the best plant for beginners to get started on their own herb collection, not only are they easy to manage but their fragrant leaves make for a great garnish in deserts or a pinch of flavour in drinks. They also happen to be extremely easy to propagate making them cheap and easily available at nearby supermarkets.
Lighting: Compared to the plants we’ve seen so far, mint plants thrive best in direct sunlight. We recommend placing it directly on the window sill in areas where you hang your laundry. While they can also grow in partially shaded areas, at least half of the day should be spent in the morning light or the afternoon sun.
Soil Type: Mint plants need well-draining soil to survive. To achieve this, you can mix in materials like leca or charcoal chips to improve drainage. Avoid planting your mint in pure compost because it tends to stay wet too long.
Watering: Mint plants require large amounts of water and need to be watered daily, especially on sunny days. Your mint plant will visibly droop if it doesn’t receive enough water, so this can act as a key indicator for watering. We recommend bottom watering or watering the plant until it drains from the bottom of the pot.
An additional step you can take is to regularly clip the leaves of your mint plan weekly. By doing so two new leaves would take their place giving your a fuller bush and a loftier plant.
6. Peace Lily
With its green, waxy leaves and creamy white pointed flowers, the Peace Lily is a marvel to behold. But beyond its looks, the Peace Lily is easy to care for that it can even be left in the bathroom to thrive!
Lighting: Peace Lilies are best for low-light spaces as they only require partial shade to grow. They are also tolerant to fluorescent lights, making them a great choice for a desk friend to liven up space.
Soil Type: Peace Lilies are susceptible to root rot, thus using well-drained soil is crucial to helping them survive. A terracotta pot with drainage holes and a saucer from Far East Flora or Fair Price will do the trick.
Watering: Plant lilies are a lot more tolerant of under-watering than overwatering, thus never water Peace Lilies on a schedule. Begin by bottom watering your Peace Lily or watering it until the bottom drains before neglecting it for a week. To determine when you need to water them you can use the chopstick/finger trick or simply watching to see if your Peace Lily droops. As these plants are extremely drought tolerant, under-watering causes the least damage to them.
7. Zanzibar Gem
The Zanzibar Gem is an exotic plant that is native to Eastern Africa and characterized by its shiny, oval-shaped leaves. Originating from a fairly arid region, these plants are best known for being drought tolerant because of their ability to store water under the soil.
The Zanzibar Gem comes in two different varieties – Zamioculcas zamiifolia ‘Raven’ which is recognized by its dark purple-maroon foliage. And the other Zamioculcas zamiifolia ‘Variegated’ is characterized by green foliage that is variegated with white, and yellow.
Lighting: This plant does best under bright, indirect light and can become leggy when not given enough. While they can thrive in shady conditions like in a living room or in a bedroom, you should avoid placing the plant under direct sunlight.
Soil Type: The Zanzibar Gem thrives in any type of soil, even cactus potting mix! In general, the soil needs to be well-draining to prevent root rot and allow the roots to grow.
Watering: Infrequent watering is required for the Zanzibar Gem and should only be watered when the soil dries out. This could take up to a week or two depending on the weather condition of that month. You can start by watering the plant until it drains from the bottom or bottom watering before leaving it to grow. Similar to the Peace Lily, it is better to underwater it than over water this plant.
Spruce Your Space
If you struggle to keep to a routine and often have a long list of errands to run, these plants could be perfect for you. Not only will they thrive under neglect, but they’ll also help to spruce your space!
If you’re looking for more ways to revamp your area, why not check out 6 Inexpensive Ways to Redecorate Your Room.
