Indoor Gardening Tips
Let me be clear about one thing – my fear of plants! They seem alive with life, whispering their secrets late at night. However, my apartment often felt too much like an urban jungle for comfort, so against my better judgment I decided to try indoor gardening for plant haters with limited exposure. Here are the indoor gardening tips from a man who’s very scared of plants:
1. Get to Know Your Foe (Plant)
Understanding your plant can be challenging. Check out Gardening Habits’ beginner guides for some great information on its light requirements, water needs and even potential threats (don’t worry though; most are harmless!). Snake plants, ZZ plants and air plants tend to thrive under neglectful care conditions!
2. Strategic Plant Placement
Think of strategic plant placement like playing hide and seek. Keep those leafy nightmares out of direct view by hanging them from the ceiling, perching them on high shelves or hiding them away in corners – Gardening Habits has some amazing space-saving indoor gardening ideas if this approach doesn’t appeal.
3. Watering Can Lead To Woes
Overwatering plants is often disastrous – inviting unwanted guests. Allow the soil to completely dry between waterings – one method is sticking your finger into the soil; when dry to the first knuckle then water sparingly! For your plant types Gardening Habits offers useful guides detailing watering schedules tailored specifically to each variety.
4. Welcome the Artificial
Artificial plants make an effective addition to any decor without the risk of shrivelling or dying over time, providing a vibrant splash of green without needing maintenance. Simply make sure they look realistic (dust them regularly to avoid dust-covered leaves!).
5. Proceed Stepwise
Take it slowly when adding plants into your apartment environment. Begin with one (preferably non-threatening) plant and observe how it does for one month without any unusual activities taking place – remembering that steady wins the race to make your apartment seem less haunted mansion-esque!
Final Thoughts
Even I, as someone with no particular gardening enthusiasm whatsoever, am confident with these tips that even someone like myself – an admitted plant-phobic! – can inject some greenery indoors – hopefully without losing sleep along the way!
Bonus Tip: If your plant moves unexpectedly, simply blame it on the wind!
Ciara Konhaus
I’m Ciara and I’m a gardener and agricultural educator in zone 6b. I’ve farmed and gardened all over the Appalachian mountains and love to empower people with the tools they need to start their own gardens.