If you're trapped at home, like so many people, and quarantined due to the spread of the coronavirus, it can be difficult to find something to be busy with so you don't go crazy. You can exercise, play board games, or improve your cooking skills - there are tons of things that will keep you busy and calm in these uncertain times.
But a solution is also to grow and care for houseplants. Plants are beautiful decorations for any room and besides that you can support small plant shops that now have to rely on online sales. We know that choosing what to buy can be a little distressing, especially if you are inexperienced, so we contacted some plant experts for advice on the easiest plants to care for.
“Indoor plants are an easy way to add color, texture, and dimension to a space,” says Erin Marino, director of brand marketing at The Sill. Additionally, studies have shown how houseplants can be beneficial to your overall health and reduce stress. "Caring for my houseplants is my weekly form of meditation," says Marino. "It feels great to disconnect from a screen, be it my computer, phone or television, and reconnect with nature."
If you are looking to add some green to your home, there are a few things to check before buying. Indoor houseplants for beginners can survive in natural light from a window and infrequent watering, but you'll want to make sure you find the right plant for your space. "Houseplants are generally about the diameter of your nursery pot," says Marino. "A '4-inch snake plant' is not a 4-inch tall snake plant, but a snake plant that comes in a 4-inch-wide growth pot."
Summer Rayne Oakes, author of "How to Make a Plant Love You" and host of the YouTube channel "Plant One On Me," also emphasizes the importance of finding the perfect-sized plant. "If you are just buying plants because they 'look good' then they are less likely to survive," she says. If you have pets, you should also check the ASPCA site to see if a certain plant is pet friendly.
Once you have your space resolved, Oakes recommends starting with plants like the Chinese evergreen, the ZZ plant, the golden pothos, the satin pothos, or the philodendron, because they don't have intense lighting and watering regimes.
Roy Paar and Milana Naumenko, founding partners of Water & Light, love snake plants, ZZ plants, pot plants, and rubber plants as first plants. But just because they are easy does not mean they are boring. "We are especially interested in variations that are hard to find or unique for some reason," they say. “We have a ZZ crow plant in our collection, which is a completely black variety. Plants are amazing in their variations, and the deeper you go, the more fascinated and addicted you become. ”
If you're ready to make new leafy friends and train your gardener skills, check out our list below of the easiest plants to care for.
The best indoor plants for beginners
Pink Anthurium ($ 65; thesill.com)
The flowers of this beautiful plant are waxy leaves, not flowers, and can last up to eight weeks. It works best in indirect light, watered once every one to two weeks.
Marble Queen Pothos ($ 37; thesill.com)
"I can't say enough about the potos plant," says Marino. “There's a reason you see it almost everywhere, from shopping malls to doctor's offices and your friend's living room: it will tolerate almost any environment. This fast-growing plant grows best in bright indirect to medium indirect light (but can tolerate low light), watered once every one to two weeks when the potting mix is dry. ”
Black Echeveria Preta ($ 55; thesill.com)
"Succulents are great low-maintenance plants if your space gets bright light," says Marino. “One of my favorites with the adaptations to survive the drought is the rosette-shaped Echeveria. It works best in bright direct to bright indirect light, watered once every three to four weeks when the potting mix is dry. ”
ZZ Plant ($ 44; thesill.com)
"I love the lush vertical growth of the ZZ plant with its thick stems and waxy leaves," says Marino. “It may not be a plant that you would normally consider succulent, but you will see large potato-like rhizomes below the surface of its potting mix, which, having evolved in dry conditions in Africa, store water to help the plant survive the drought in their native habitat. It lives best in bright indirect to medium indirect light (but can tolerate low light), watered once every three to four weeks when the potting mix is dry. ”
Sansevieria ($ 150; bloomscape.com)
This large species of snake plant is hardy and can handle low light and low water, but works best in indirect light, watered when the ground is dry every few weeks.
Peperomia Ginny ($ 35; bloomscape.com)
This leafy plant can survive in low light, but it does best in bright, indirect light. It's small, pretty, and even pet-friendly, making it the perfect plant for any small space.
Bloomscape ToughStuff Collection ($ 65; bloomscape.com)
These three hardy plants are perfect for a beginning gardener. With a green leaf, a sansevieria, and a ZZ plant, you will be fully supplied with plants that are easy to care for.
Hedgehog Aloe ($ 35; bloomscape.com)
If you have a lot of sunlight, this aloe plant is forgiving and beautiful. It doesn't need much water, and its sap can even be used to calm burns and skin irritations.
Bloomscape Mojave Collection ($ 80; bloomscape.com)
Cacti are also easy to care for if you have enough sunlight. They don't need a lot of water and can turn your room into your own little desert.
Pots
Maya Hanging Planter on a Swing ($ 83; etsy.com)
Is there a cuter way to plant a plant? Yes, we have not found it either. Crafted from speckled stoneware clay sheets, it is the perfect home for your new plant.
Set of 3 small succulent plant pots ($ 35.30, originally $ 44.13; etsy.com)
These geometric pots are made from wood and a bioplastic made from corn. Three are coming, so there is enough for all your plants.
Flower pot with feet ($ 12.40; etsy.com)
Your plant will smile when you put it in this pot, which is super adorable and big enough for any plant. Just be careful when watering or moving it, because the legs of these types of pots are small and fragile.
Hexagonal Wall Planter ($ 16.90; etsy.com)
This hexagonal planter hangs on your wall, allowing you to place plants wherever you want. With a modern look and space for multiple small plants, it is a wonderful ornament in any room.
Flowerpot figure ($ 12.40; etsy.com)
These little ones are a nice way to plant your plants. They are placed in different positions to sit and rest.
Note: The above prices reflect the price at the time of article posting.