Between your 9-5 job, Tuesday Yoga classes and drinks with that online date, plant upkeep is at the back of your mind. However, your apartment isn’t just a place to crash—it’s your home. And every home feels livelier and friendlier with a little greenery. If you don’t consider yourself a Green Thumb, don’t be intimidated—there are voluminous solutions even for the serial plant killers out there!
Here are just a few ways to bring the beauty of nature into your living space with this selection of some of the finest and easiest plants for your high-rise apartment at 300 Main.
Cacti
If you love variety, cacti are the way to go. Cacti are available in all sorts and in an abundance of shapes and sizes, making them the perfect plant to help your apartment look “sharp.”
The upkeep of cacti is as simple as it gets. These easy-to-care-for plants can endure the desert, so if you have a window available, it is more than likely your apartment will be an equally equipped environment to provide these plants with everything they need to thrive. These prickly fellas only need to be watered weekly and need at least four to five hours of direct sunlight a day. Placing them on a window sill will ensure their proper growth—and you’re out of the prick zone!
Quick Tip:
During our sub-zero months here in Winnipeg, take care not to place your cacti right up against a window. Choose a higher table or stand by a window to ensure your cacti are still receiving sunlight but able to bask in your heated apartment.
Succulents
Succulents are resilient, low maintenance, and come in a variety of structures and colors, making them ideal candidates for your own planted arrangement! While succulents do enjoy light, think of them as small children at the beach: Watch that they’re not in direct sunlight for long periods of time (for example, on a window sill). Contrary to common belief, these colorful beings do not thrive when met with scorching temperatures and full-on sun exposure. Succulents need a deep watering once a week during their active growth period, but do not mistake this for drowning the vibrant plant.
Indoor succulent pots do not require a drainage hole because they should never be watered so much that water leaks from the base. This attribute makes them the perfect plants to put in a hanging pot. You can let their greenery reach the highest of corners of your apartment for an aesthetically pleasing display; or consider showcasing your succulents in a terrarium. A terrarium is a fun addition to your apartment décor.
Mint Plants
You don’t need your own garden to harvest herb—mint plants flourish indoors. Place these minty seedlings on a window sill in your kitchen (or a window sill of your preference) and water them
four times a week. This may seem like a hassle, but once a mint leaf has fully blossomed, you can snip it off and throw it into your tea or add some fresh flavour to an old recipe.
Basil Plants
Like mint, basil plants grow well indoors. Plop them next to your mint plants on the window sill, water every three to four days, and you’ve got your own herb garden in the making. Just like mint, basil leaves are a great resource to have in your kitchen. Chop fresh basil into your sauces or sprinkle onto your homemade pizzas. A little bit of basil tastes great in soups and stews, too.
Quick Tip for Mint and Basil Plants:
You can purchase fully-grown mint and basil plants at any local garden centre, or you can buy the seeds and grow them yourself. For the latter option, be prepared to wait two weeks before you see growth above the soil line. When you do see your own little plants popping up, the waiting will pay off!
Aloe Vera
If you’re looking for a plant with function, look no further than aloe. It may be an odd-looking plant, but it provides a useful balm that is handy for sunburns and scrapes. Of additional value, aloe helps purify your stuffy apartment air.
It thrives in moist soil, so be sure to water it regularly and give it plenty of bright, indirect light.
Bamboo Plants
If the spaces near your windows are becoming crowded, consider a bamboo branch. Bamboo plants only need water and shade to survive, making them ideal houseplants for hallways, corners of rooms or areas that lack sunlight at all hours of the day.
If your newly purchased bamboo plant is at the initial phases of its growth, water the young plant twice a week for the first six months. For an aged bamboo plant, watering every seven to ten days will be enough to keep your bamboo nourished and healthy.
Fiddle-leaf Fig Trees
The upkeep of a fiddle-leaf fig tree is a bit trickier, but not so much that you shouldn’t enjoy its essence in your home. A fig tree is not unlike an angst-filled teenager: Give it space when needed!
Place a fiddle-leaf fig tree at least five feet away from a window. This should be a space in your apartment where sun rays will hit it, but not constantly throughout the day. The watering routine will depend on the moistness of the soil. Touch the soil and if it is still wet from its last watering five days ago, leave it alone. The tree only needs to be watered when the top few inches of the soil are dry; then it’s time to give your plant a drink.
Quick tip:
Just like teenagers, fiddle-leaf fig trees have growth spurts. If you purchase the fig tree when it is just budding, expect rapid growth in the beginning. Fiddle-leaf fig trees grow as tall as six feet, but in most cases, the plant tops at four feet while indoors. If you have low ceilings in your apartment, you can trim the leaves to accompany your space.
Anthurium
If you are looking to add a pop of colour in your space, anthurium is the perfect indoor flower for apartment living. This flower can tolerate all types of light but will grow best with bright, indirect light. If you have a window with a constructed view of the sun or a surface close enough to a source of light, these are ideal locations for anthurium.
Enjoy your Urban Jungle!
Indoor pants help transform a space into a home. Adding plants is literally adding life to your home! Being intentional about bringing nature into your space will make your downtown apartment an oasis of rest from the hustle and bustle of urban living.
