The Best Indoor Plants For Beginners - Expert Tips

What are the best indoor plants? Certainly, the majority of people place plants inside their houses for their aesthetic appeal, the value could count up to 70%.

However, having plants indoors is not just visually aesthetic. The practice also boosts your health in ways you probably don’t realize.

You’ll breathe better air since plants will purify the air around your home. Plants release oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide.

Here are the best indoor plants for beginners!

The Best Indoor Plants For Beginners

This not only freshens up the air but also eliminates harmful toxins. Thus, for a fresh-smelling space, consider bringing your plants indoors.

Studies have proven that indoor plants reduce stress levels, and increase levels of positivity, concentration and productivity thus, significantly boosting your mood.

After all, seeing greenery and nature always helps us feel more relaxed and calmer.

Indeed, indoor plants improve your well-being.

Plants also soften your space adding a touch of personality. No wonder, plants are the interior decorator’s best accessory for injecting life into any space.

And the process of being able to grow and nurture plants makes you exude pride in this accomplishment.

In this article, we will discuss different types of real, living plants.

But if you would rather get a realistic fake plant instead, we can recommend the Tik Tok famous faux olive tree that everyone is raving about.

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You can learn more about the best articifial plants here.

But back to living plants...

While one may think in terms of "what are the best indoor plants for my house?"

It really comes down to your personal preference and your lifestyle.

Some things to consider:

Whether you’re just getting started with indoor gardening, or have a green thumb already.

Or whether you live in a small apartment, or a large house, introducing certain plants into your home allows you to start noticing improvements to your health, and overall happiness.

So, there are key components that come into play if you're a beginner and would like to choose the best indoor plants for your apartment or office, etc.

Let's learn about them:

How To Choose The Best Plants For Your Space- Beginner's Guide

There is an almost limitless choice of plants for indoor use and there are no rules for the kinds of plants that can be used to decorate a home.

The selection is largely a matter of personal taste, but certain guidelines can prove useful.

Just to name a few:

 

1. Lighting

Lighting is the most important factor in indoor gardening, and often the biggest financial investment.

The two main types of lighting for indoor gardens are:

• fluorescent lights and,
• high-intensity discharge lights.

Different plants have different light intensities.

Fluorescent lights are excellent for starting seeds or rooting clones.

The disadvantage of fluorescent bulbs is the low light intensity-they can grow a plant that is less than 10 inches tall but then the light simply can't penetrate any further.

If the bulbs are raised high, lower sections of the plant will not receive adequate light.

High-density discharge lights include Metal Halide lamps and heavy pressure sodium lamps.

Metal Halide lamps are the best single source of artificial light for indoor gardening. Their balanced light spectrum contains wavelengths that plants need for rapid growth.

You can grow your plants from start to finish under a metal halide lighting system.

High-Pressure Sodium lamps emit light that is heavily concentrated in the region of the spectrum that promotes excellent fruit or flower production.

2. Size of the room/floor space.

The size of the floor space varies from small to medium to large.

If for example your apartment is fully stocked, one can opt for the use of small brightening plants. In every interior place, there is a small space in need of brightening up with some kind of ornament.

Plants can do the bidding for you here, and there are plants to suit almost any situation, no matter how restricted.

Flowering pot plants, in particular, can add color and vitality to an otherwise dead spot.

As for medium-sized areas, most rooms have two are three areas too small for a functional piece of furniture and yet too large to be ignored.

It is these gaps, whether they are walls, floor, window, or corner spaces, that plant life seems virtually born to fill.

Of course, this is not to suggest that every available space should be occupied.

The best way to display medium size plants is probably on a plant table or in a planter box. You will find these plants effectively breaking the monotony of the pattern in a room.

Open-plan living rooms, studios, and offices are perfect settings for large plants.

A floor-to-ceiling window can provide an almost open-air background for some such large plant such as a Philodendron.

But beware of scorching sunlight.

Never crowd a room with large plants. One or two well-positioned specimens will be far more effective than an overwhelming collection.

3. Scale and proportion

The size of the plant against the intended space of occupancy matters.

Your plant should not be too small not to be noticed or too large to lose the sense of appeal.

4. The color scheme and type of furnishings

This should certainly be considered when you are choosing plants for a given position.

For example, if you have a patterned wall it is not advisable to place variegated plants or plants with patterns. The best option for such is to have a plain plant.

For brightly colored rooms, dull plants do best and vice versa.

In more conventional settings graceful palms blend well with decorative or old-fashioned arrangements.

This said any plant is the best plant for indoor landscaping: according to personal interest and how one plays around with the arrangements.

The Best Indoor Plants For Beginners

The following mentioned plants are ideal for indoor spaces for they do not like direct sunlight, some may prefer light from open windows and spaces while for some fluorescent light is enough.

Their watering regime also varies from 4-7 days, for as long as the media is kept moist.

To check moisture content, deep your finger up to the first lining and if the soil is dry then add water.

a) Aloe Vera

Grown for its health benefits, aloe vera is also very easy to maintain.

The plant has bright green leaves in a rosette arrangement and these leaves can grow to up to 20 inches in length.

Beginners are advised to grow the aloe vera in sandy soil.

Additionally, aloes grow well in a potting mix for succulents, and only water the plant until the soil is completely dry.

However, you can always water the plant infrequently, once at least half of the potting mix is dry.

Since the plant does not do well in standing water, use a pot that drains for your aloes.

Aloe plants need lots of light to thrive so set them close to a window that gets plenty of sun.

Your aloe will also enjoy being outside in the summer. However, remember to bring them in at night and even before the winter frost starts.

b) Cacti

Cacti come in lots of colors and sizes; they also have spines and interesting leaf structures.

Among the best indoor plants that require little to no maintenance, cacti will do well with lots of sunshine and bright light so position them in a bright or sunny spot where they can receive this benefit.

Cacti appreciate a warm room and very little water.

Thus, plant them in soil that is well-draining. In fact, the cactus potting medium can be bought ready-to-use. Also, use well-drained pots and water them infrequently.

They are slow-growing, can thrive even when neglected, and will withstand tremendous abuse.

For those who forget to water and care for plants, cacti are a better option for you!

c) Pothos Plant

This plant is easy to grow. However, when picking the plant, it is important to note that the lighter-colored plants will require more light than the dark green-leafed plants.

When watering the plant, do it thoroughly yet sparingly, and when the soil has dried enough, and the leaves look droopy to avoid the roots rotting from too log a period of sitting in water.

The Pothos plant also likes a lot of humidity, so, you should ensure there is reasonable humidity in your home.

No wonder, many people will also locate the Pothos in a bathroom, or use a whole house humidifier.

d) Spider plant

It is ideal to place spider plants in direct sunlight for them to thrive.

However, they can survive in a variety of light conditions.

They also add patterns to the room.

Since these plants are tough, they don’t need a strict watering schedule.

As long as the plant is given time to ‘settle’ in any environment, it can grow well. Thus, a highly adaptable houseplant.

While they do best in hanging baskets, these plants also thrive when placed on a table or shelf in a bright room.

e) Snake Plant

Can’t you just keep any plant alive? Try the snake plant.

This low-maintenance plant features striking lines that add appeal to your home.

When picking the plant, go for one with dark green leaves since pale green leaves could be indicating a sign of poor health already.

Snake plants do well in soils with adequate drainage since the plant’s roots can rot when over-watered. Thus, allow the soil to dry completely before watering, and ensure you don’t overwater in winter.

While watering, try to also avoid getting the leaves wet when you water.

Place your snake plant in indirect or low light, however, the plant can tolerate a variety of light conditions.

When propagating your snake plant, make sure to plant your cuttings facing up, in the same way, they were growing.

2. Best plants for low maintenance

For those who forget about their plants then these are for you:

• Cactus- They only require watering once a week while growing. Place them away from direct sun.
• Aloe vera- For the love of natural medication, you will not only have a green world in your home but also a cure for burns and skin deferments.

• Rubber plant- For anyone starting out with this plant parenting thing, this plant is the way to go because you don't have to worry in case you forget about having a plant.
• Snake plant- 'Sansevierias', commonly known as Snake plant can survive nearly any environment. It's a no-stress plant.

• ZZ plant- They are drought tolerant and incredibly low maintenance is needed.

3. Easy plants to grow indoors

These plants grow easily and independently in indoor environments:

• Philodendron - It's also one of the easiest indoor plants to grow. Water it at least twice a week and you're good to go.
• Pothos - They thrive indoors where lower light and dry air make conditions less than ideal. This plant is also easy to grow.

Monstera deliciosa- It can survive a thirsty season every now and then.

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Pro Tip: The best way to water most houseplants is to wait until they dry out a suitable amount, and then water thoroughly, rather than giving the plant a little water on a more regular basis.

Also, during winter, watering can be reduced further as plant growth will be minimal.

It's your turn now, feel like a beginner? Go ahead and get the best plants for your indoor garden!