Indoor plants are an amazing addition to any home. Not only do they add a fresh aesthetic, but they also offer many health benefits! But where do you start with indoor plants? Well, you could start with how I did, where I bought one plant from a local farmers market that quickly turned into about thirteen different plants. However, I say this with sarcasm because I had absolutely no clue what I was doing. In my mind, plants needed direct sunlight (wrong) and everyday water (also wrong.). It’s safe to say, I was more a plant murderer than a plant lover at the time.
Through the years, an endless amount of plant-killing, and luckily a new job at a greenhouse, I quickly learned where I went wrong. I didn’t realize different plants required different lighting situations and watering schedules. (It’s embarrassing to say now that I know better, but that’s the truth). I also learned which plants really are hard to kill plants that would’ve been the perfect ones to start off with. I’ve gathered a list together of what I would consider hard-to-kill plants which would be a great place to start.
Without further ado, here are my tips and tricks when it comes to starting with the right indoor plants.
Plants That Require Once-a-Month Watering
Ponytail Palm, Elephant Foot
This plant is extremely easy and it’s actually not a palm at all but part of the succulent family. It takes anything from part-shade to full sun. As far as watering goes, because it’s part of the cactus family, it only needs to be watered every 2 weeks to once a month! When I had them inside businesses with low light, I only watered them once a month and they were more than happy. These guys are also slow growers, so you don’t need to worry about repotting it until the tree’s base breaks the pot (or fill it to reach the sides) (or trunk) star. It will be roughly every 4-5 years.
ZZ Plant, Zanzibar Gem
The ZZ Plant is also an extremely easy plant to care for. It’s native to eastern Africa and drought tolerant. This makes it the perfect plant for travelers because it still grows without constant care! It takes anything from extremely low light to thriving in full sun. As far as watering goes, it’s quite similar to the Ponytail Palm, it only needs water every 2 weeks to once a month. They’re perfect for dark corners or offices with fluorescent lights rather than natural light as you’ll still see growth in either environment. With repotting them, if you have a young ZZ Plant, you may want to repot once every Spring (which is easy when they’re little). After their first five years though, you shouldn’t need to repot until the roots start growing out of the bottom of the pot.
Snake Plant, Sansevieria
A Snake Plant is another hard-to-kill plant that takes a variety of different environments. They will tolerate low light or dark corners and thrive in medium to bright indirect light. They’re also drought-tolerant succulents. Which means, once a month watering! Again, this is a great plant for travelers or forgetful individuals like myself. When it comes to repotting, this is another plant that loves to be snug in its pot. Wait until you start to see its roots pushing through the bottom holes of the pot, or if it’s a plastic pot, watch for bulging spots. Both of these signs are indicators, it’s time for a new pot home.
Cactus
The Cactus are great indoor plants to have for almost any environment given. They come with hundreds of different varieties to choose from. They do enjoy quite a bit of sunlight too. Ideally, a south-facing window. However, east or west sunlight will work as well. They also do great in fluorescent lighting, which makes them great for office spaces. It’s important to know they store water in their roots and stems to get them through times of drought. Smaller cacti will need to be watered a bit more frequently than larger, more mature cacti. With that being said, just check the soil! About knuckle deep into the soil and if it’s dry, give it water. It should be watered about every 2 weeks to once a month. When it comes to repotting, it’s the same as the others. Wait for the roots to start showing through the bottom as they enjoy a tight and cozy pot. Most of these cacti will stay in the same containers for years.
For More Information
If you have questions concerning what each lighting term means, especially for indoors, see my post about lighting.
For questions about how to properly water your indoor plants or how to tell when they really need watered, see my post about watering.
If you have questions about how to repot your indoor plants or when to know it’s time to repot, see my post about repotting.
