Hello there! This forum is fantastic, and your plants look gorgeous.
I’m seeking advice on picking some plants for my home. I just moved into a 45 square meter flat, and at the moment, I only have one plant, which is actually made of plastic.
What three plants do you suggest for me? I live in Finland, so we don’t get much sunlight throughout the year. I would prefer to take care of them once a week, maybe twice if necessary, but not every day!
I’m looking for something simple and green, without flashy flowers. I’m not sure what I like. If you can suggest some plants, I’ll look for them locally when I go shopping in a few weeks. Thank you!
Honestly, just walk into a flower or plant store and look around. Pick one that catches your eye and bring it home. If it dies, it dies, and you can just get another, but if it thrives, you have a nice addition to your space.
Taking care of a plant isn’t really hard. Most houseplants you find for sale don’t need direct sunlight, and you just water them when the top part of the soil is dry. Depending on different factors, that could be once a week or twice a week, but no one can say for sure. The key thing is to use a pot that has holes in the bottom for excess water to drain out.
I mention this as someone who started growing houseplants just last year. I spent so much time reading blog posts and advice on this forum and looking everything up to be sure I could manage it, and in the end, none of it mattered because my first plant was just something I saw in the flower shop at the train station while heading home. I bought it and now I have over 20 plants of different types and only one has died.
So, don’t stress about it. Just grab one that looks nice and see how it goes
Edit: If you have an IKEA nearby, that’s also a good spot to look. I’ve bought a few plants there.
The plants I really enjoy in my collection are the ones with bigger leaves, like the philodendrons. The large leaves just appeal to me.
@Zuri
I see plants as more of a decorative tool than most users here, I think. You’re right, the looks do matter, but mainly the color and vibrancy they bring. I’d prefer to find a few that are easy to care for, which is why I’m asking.
@Timber
Sure, I understand that. But my point is that most plants are pretty easy, so just go with what looks appealing to you. Mine are all mostly for decoration too, so I tend to choose larger or taller plants like philodendrons, palms, and those dragon plants (forgot the name) available at IKEA.
Edit: To give you some perspective, I don’t do anything special like artificially raising humidity. My flat is about 18 degrees when I’m home and drops down to about 7 degrees when I’m not. When a plant looks uneven from the sun, I just turn the pot around. I mostly ignore fertilizer instructions and apply it once a month or so. The one thing I do is check the soil moisture once a day by sticking my fingers in a few plants’ soil to see if they need watering, and that’s it!
@Zuri
Great advice. You sound similar to me, haha. After looking through various options, I think I like the money tree. I’ve recently taken an interest in investing, so it feels meaningful to me. Plus, it looks nice. It should fit well on my kitchen table while it’s still small.
@Timber
Lol! About the philodendron, I’m biased because my mom has a huge one and struggles with plant care, yet it has survived with her for over 20 years. They’re nearly indestructible!
Definately go for a pothos plant. It was my first houseplant, and it made it through all my beginner mistakes - overwatering, neglect, poor light, too much light, fertilizer problems, and even tap water.
Timber said: @Remy
Thanks. What do you think about using fertilizer? What was your mistake? How often do you apply it, and what would you say is the minimum?
If you want an easy way to do the bare minimum, get an all-purpose liquid indoor plant fertilizer to mix with water each time you water, but just use half the amount it suggests. Only fertilize during the growing season, like March to September where I live. Or you could repot your plant each spring with a mix of soil and worm castings, and maybe add some worm castings on top of the soil halfway through the year.
Timber said: @Dale
Okay, sparingly with the fertilizer makes sense. We only have about three warm months each year, so not much growing time here, haha.
It’s still around 5 degrees where I am right now, but my plants are putting out new growth, so I’ve started fertilizing again and watering a bit more. You may be able to have a longer growing period than you think. The rule of thumb is to cut whatever the box suggests in half.
Timber said: @Remy
Thanks. What do you think about using fertilizer? What was your mistake? How often do you apply it, and what would you say is the minimum?
A while back, I made a mistake with a tiny bit of seaweed fertilizer on my pothos plant and it responded super well. New vines and leaves appeared, and the plant became very full. Then I got too excited and added a lot more, and the plant got sad.
Only fertilize during warmer months, and I can’t really advise how much and how often; I think it depends on the temperature, light amount, and how rootbound the plant is. The warmer and more light it gets, the more nutrients it can use. It’s also likely that the water you’re giving it contains nitrates and minerals.
@Timber
I know it was a while ago but your post appeared in my Google search for easy houseplants and this forum. I’m curious, how did it go? What plants did you end up choosing?
Bliss said: @Timber
I know it was a while ago but your post appeared in my Google search for easy houseplants and this forum. I’m curious, how did it go? What plants did you end up choosing?
I got a snake plant and a jade plant, but I tossed both last month because I adopted a cat
Bliss said: @Timber
I know it was a while ago but your post appeared in my Google search for easy houseplants and this forum. I’m curious, how did it go? What plants did you end up choosing?
I’m curious, how did it go? What plants did you end up choosing?