You may think gardening has to be done outdoors.

But with advances in gardening technology, that simply isn’t the case.

You can create your indoor greenery paradise in your home, apartment, loft, flat…anywhere!

Let’s dive into how to get started with your indoor garden.

How Do You Garden In An Apartment?

Gardening in an indoor space can present a few challenges for those without the famous “green thumb.”

Here are a few examples:

Challenges

• Too Much Light: Have you ever picked up a plant from the Home Depot and tried to keep it alive with the best possible ratio of water and care only to see it die a couple of days later? (Yeah, we have as well). Your issue might be that indoors, if you put a plant in direct sunlight it can have a negative effect because of how the light diffuses.
• Overwatering: We know that plants need water and light to grow. We also know that if we don’t water our plants they’ll fail. What you might not know is that if you overwater a plant it can be just as bad (if not worse) than forgetting to water it. Root rot and other afflictions from flooding your plants can warp your plant’s lifespan.
• Confined Space: If a plant doesn’t have the room to spread out it can be a problem. With larger potted plants, they often serve as a decorative piece, however; they require a lot of care, especially if it’s a plan that will grow significantly in height/width. If branches end up hitting the corners of rooms or are being crunched up at all, it can bend the plant and end up killing it.

If you’re able to overcome these challenges, indoor plants can have many benefits to both physical and mental health.

Let’s go through a few:

Benefits

• Mood Booster: Having greenery around just makes people happier, point-blank period. It’s a nice way to brighten up your space and give yourself a bit more of that outdoor feeling from the inside. It’s interesting because we are working mostly from home these days, so plants have become increasingly important to our daily lives.
• Better Air:  It’s no secret that plants and wildlife improve the quality of our air. Literally, they take our breath and turn it into oxygen! If you keep plants around, don’t be surprised if you experience the added health benefits of being a part of nature!
• NASA Recommends Plants: According to American Forests, a nonprofit organization that helps plant trees and slow climate change, “Research conducted by NASA shows that indoor plants play an important role in air quality improvement.” NASA recommends having one plant per 100-square-feet of indoor space.
• Hobby Help: Gardening indoors or outdoors can be a great way to spend your time. Raising something from the ground up can help with self-confidence, happiness, and provide routine to your day. In the world of remote work, it’s good to have some greenery around you in your workspace.

What Can You Plant In An Apartment?

What are the best plants to grow in your apartment? Which ones will give you the least amount of headaches?

Here are our top 10 picks:

1. Pothos: This is one of the most natural-looking plants on this list. It looks like an assortment of healthy green leaves if you really take care of it. They are resilient and can survive in almost all indoor conditions. Just don’t make it 100 degrees in your apartment and you should be alright. Add this plant for a touch of the forest floor in your apartment.

   

2. Bamboo: This is one of the more surprising ones on our list. Bamboo needs two things to survive – water and shade. Soil isn’t even a huge deal for bamboo plants who thrive off of the three feng shui elements which are water, wood, and earth (soil). If you want to take your feng shui practice to the max you should add some kind of metal to the arrangement of bamboo. If you want to place it in a metal pot that could create the kind of feng shui you need.

   

3. Succulents: Succulents require little light and even less water. They can last a really long time inside, however; if you put them outside there is a good chance they will dry up and die. Make sure to be careful if you repot them or throw them away because they can be composted!

   

4. Aloe: This plant requires some diffused sunlight and some tiny sprinkles of water to thrive. Even those who are irresponsible and have a short attention span can take care of one of these plants.

   

5. Ficus: This tree is not for small spaces but it is easy to take care of. If you’re able to fit one of these in your apartment or home, you’ll be able to deal with a gorgeous, large indoor plant that can help purify your air and also make you feel like you’re at a resort. There’s nothing wrong with that!

   

6. Cacti: Cactus. Water. Not too much. Enough said.

   

7. Snake Plant: This slithery plant is instantly recognizable and can create a tropical oasis for you in your apartment or small home. These can grow pretty tall but typically are more mid-sized. If you are NOT a plant person, get one of these. They can survive even if you neglect them for weeks, yes weeks. They can purify the air with specific talents like removing toxins such as formaldehyde and benzene. They can do well in low light and no water, so go grab one and pop it inside! You can get them at pretty much any store where plants are sold.

   

8. Iron Plant: This dark green plant is not only beautiful and exotic looking, but they do great in soil that isn’t top-notch and doesn’t need a ton of water and light. Talk about a low-maintenance plant!

   

9. Spider Plant: The spider plant adds a bit of a tropical vibe to your space. It’s another plant that you can take care of easily. They don’t want to be in direct sunlight, so keeping it in a corner where there is diffused light is best. Make sure that you keep it in a small pot. Don’t repot your spider plant if you think it needs more room – the roots do the best when they are smushed together, oddly enough.
10. Peace Lily: Regardless of its gorgeous name, the peace lily has beautiful dark green leaves that almost shine like an emerald. They do not need a ton of sun and even do well in smaller, darker places. Direct sunlight is not this plant’s friend. Make sure to keep it in the darker parts of your home. The most important thing is to watch how much you water you give your peace lily because too much and the leaves will fall off within a day. If you see brown in any type of leaf on a plant you know you’re probably watering it too much.

    

What Fruits and Vegetables Can I Grow In An Apartment?

Here are just a few fruits and veggies that you can grow from an indoor space. You have the ability to use a variety of grow kits to make things like basil, thyme, lavender, and even arugula and spinach.

You don’t even need a large space to create your own spice garden.

1. Herbs
2. Meyer Lemon
3. Lettuce
4. Spinach
5. Arugula
6. Basil
7. Strawberries
8. Chilli Peppers
9. Sweet Peppers
10. Tomatoes

Now, are you ready to make your own home garden oasis? It’s an easy job for anyone to pick up a cactus or succulent from the grocery store and make it into your next hobby.

If you don’t want to commit as hard, you can always find a nice bouquet of flowers for your kitchen table and call it a day. What will you do with your newfound gardening knowledge?

Our gardening section has a lot more tips on how you can get the most out of your home and your landscaping.

Written By Sarah Thomas

Sarah Thomas is a Master Gardener who edits and writes content for websites and magazines. Over the past two decades, she has been writing for The Doorstep about houseplants and indoor gardening. Since she started writing about plants, Sarah has been collecting rare and tropical plants. The Berkshire Botanical Garden awarded Sarah a certificate in horticulture in 2017.