You can get all the revitalizing benefits of a park from the comfort of your couch by turning your home into a green space with indoor plants. It’s not as hard as you think. With this beginner’s guide to indoor gardening, you’ll come to understand environmental conditions, plant types and houseplant care.
What is indoor gardening?
You don’t need a sunroom dedicated to plants to start indoor gardening. Whether you’re bringing the plants in for winter, have a small yard, or just want to bring more life into your home, indoor plants are a great way to start a new hobby, feel connected with nature, and relieve stress.
Conditions for an indoor garden
When creating an indoor garden, it’s not enough to throw plants in pots, water them occasionally and hope for the best. It’s important to understand what plants need to thrive, then create the conditions that ensure that happens.
You’ll need to keep four main things in mind:
- Sunlight
- Temperature and humidity
- Space
- Containers
Sunlight
All plants have different sunlight needs, but few plants can thrive without sunlight. Most plants need between low and high levels of light, and some prefer indirect over direct sunlight.
- Low-light houseplants need very little sunlight and thrive in rooms with artificial light but no windows — just make sure not to leave them in the dark. Low-light plants can be great for small apartments, windowless offices, and bathrooms.
- Medium-light houseplants typically need several hours of bright or indirect light from windows or skylights.
- High-light houseplants require at least five hours of bright light, within 6 feet of a window. These plants are great for sunrooms or rooms with south-facing windows.
- Direct (bright) light is light coming directly from a window.
- Indirect light is light that comes from artificial lightbulbs or sunlight that’s filtered through your curtains.
Where should I put my plants?
- East-facing windows are the ideal spaces for most plants to receive bright, indirect light in the morning.
- South-facing windows supply harsh light for most plants, and you’ll probably need to install light curtains to filter the light and keep your plants from getting too much sun. This is a great spot for plants that require bright or high levels of light.
- West-facing windows will not provide morning sunlight but usually provide plenty of afternoon and evening light.
- North-facing windows aren’t ideal for most plants, so you might want to consider choosing low-light plants or investing in grow lights.
If your living conditions don’t allow for lots of natural light, you can choose low-light plants or you can adjust your environment to be more welcoming to plants by installing artificial grow lights.
What are the best grow lights for beginner gardeners?
You can buy LED lights for plants in dimly lit rooms or grow lights that are shaped like regular light bulbs.
The two best kinds of grow lights for indoor plants are:
- LED lights: energy efficient with a low heat output and a spectrum of light.
- Spiral CFL bulbs: fluorescent light with a light spectrum designed for enhanced growing.
If you’re growing vegetables indoors or are putting all of your plants in the same area, you’ll need about 100 watts of light for every 18 by 18-inch section of your garden.
Temperature and humidity
Temperature
Tropical plants tend to be popular for indoors, but they can’t handle cold temperatures. Research each plant you intend to grow to learn more about its temperature requirements and whether it can survive the typical environment in your home. Generally, most indoor plants thrive in the same temperature range:
- Daytime temperatures: 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit
- Evening temperatures: 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit
Keep plants away from air conditioners and air ducts that could blow hot or cold air on them.
Humidity
You’ve probably walked into a greenhouse before and felt an instant change in temperature and humidity. Humidity is a very important factor in plant care, and is easily overlooked.
Since most indoor plants are tropical or subtropical, they’re naturally used to hot and humid conditions. Medium relative humidity for indoor plants is between 40 to 50 percent, and most homes have between 10 and 20 percent relative humidity, which is considered low. You don’t need any fancy equipment to ensure that your plants are getting the right level of humidity, though.
How can you boost the humidity around your plants without turning your home into a sauna?
- Arrange plants so they’re close together.
- Fill a shallow container with gravel and water, and place it next to your plants. The evaporation from the container will increase relative humidity.
- Buy a humidifier.
- Mist your plants. This is not as effective since, ideally, you would need to continuously mist them throughout the day, but misting them a few times a day can help.
Pro tip: Don’t mist or spray plants with hairy leaves. Water can get trapped on top of the leaves and allow spores or diseases to germinate.
Space
You don’t have to give up your gardening dreams just because your space is tight.
How to make the most of a cramped space:
- Think vertically — use ladders, backless bookshelves, and accent tables.
- Hang plants from the ceiling. Just be sure to place them so your taller friends won’t hit their heads the next time they visit.
- Spacing your plants out away from the center of the room can help make your space look larger.
- Put plants on shelves, on window sills, on desks, or in corners.
If you have limited space, you’ll want to be extra mindful about which plants you’re choosing. Not only to avoid picking plants that will grow to a large size, but also for the benefits of the plants you’ll be growing.
Do you want your plants to be decorative or edible? It might be more worthwhile for you to grow herbs instead of succulents if you enjoy cooking. If you don’t cook much, you might prefer a flowering plant with more flair.
When you’re looking for plants, research how tall they can get. You don’t want to unknowingly purchase a small plant that later grows into a tree. Learning about the plant’s size will also help you find the right kind of container.
Containers
Plant containers can be stylish and show off your personality, but it’s important to make sure that you buy the right size and the correct kind of container for your plants.
When shopping for containers, keep in mind:
- Durability – is it classic terracotta or flimsy plastic?
- Weight – will Fluffy knock it off the shelf with her tail?
- Design – does it have drainage holes?
- Size – will my plant have enough room to grow?
Unless you’re growing aquatic plants, every container should have a drain hole on the bottom. The soil around your plants needs the opportunity to drain. Soil that stays wet for too long can lead to diseases and mold.
If you want to use a pot without a hole, you can place the plant inside a smaller container that has holes, and then put that inside the larger pot. Fill the bottom of the larger pot with rocks so that the water has room to fully drain out.
Beware of planting a small plant in too-big of a container. Too much soil around the plant can hold in excess water and lead to unhealthy, wet conditions.
Containers come in many materials, but terra cotta is an indoor gardener’s best bet. Terra cotta pots have porous surfaces, which help fresh air pass through and circulate around the soil. If you don’t trust yourself, you can purchase self-watering containers to get the job done for you.
Pro tip: Label your containers with the name of the plants inside. You can apply a temporary label, paint it onto the pot, or even paint the outside of your container with chalk paint to easily re-label and add some flair to your plant containers.
Soil, water, or air?
While shopping for plants, you might discover that some don’t need soil at all. Some plants are aquatic, can grow using hydroponics, or can just grow in the air.
Aquatic plants
There are three types of aquatic plants:
- True aquatic plants: plants are totally submerged in water.
- Semi-aquatic (emergent) plants have roots that grow in water, but foliage grows into the air.
- Floating plants are shallow-rooted and live on the surface of the water.
Most aquatic houseplants you’ll find are semi-aquatic, which are easy to grow in glass vases or jars. Most aquatic house plants will need their water to be changed every few days.
Common houseplants that can grow in water:
| •Philodendron • Lucky • bamboo • Pothos • Spider plant | • Snake plant • English Ivy • Purple Heart • ZZ plant | • Monstera deliciosa • Tradescantia • Dieffenbachia |
Hydroponics is a process of growing plants with water and mineral/nutrient solutions. Plants grow with their roots submerged or in material like gravel. Hydroponic systems are becoming more and more popular among gardening beginners, allowing people to easily grow plants and vegetables indoors quickly with no mess and a high yield for edible plants.
These systems can be expensive to buy, but you can try to build your own more simple version at home more cheaply.
Air plants
Air plants (Tillandsia spp.) are a trendy, easy option for beginner gardeners. In nature, they are typically found growing in tree branches or other plants. They are known as epiphytes, and there are hundreds of varieties being sold.
Air plants aren’t like other plants. Their roots are short and only meant to hold onto the water it comes into contact with. In nature, air plants get enough water from humid conditions and rainfall.
Air plants can be watered about once a week by submerging them in water for half an hour before being placed upside down on a towel to drain. They also love being misted with water. Since they’re naturally found in trees, air plants should receive low, indirect levels of light.
Soil plants
Most plants you’ll encounter at the store will require soil. You’ll almost always need a high-quality indoor potting mix. Different plants have different soil requirements.
- Cacti and succulents: Soil mixes for cacti and succulent plants typically include peat moss, perlite or pumice, and sand. These ingredients help keep the soil dry and prevent the plants from being overwatered.
- Other container plants: Potting mix is lighter than potting soil, which is typically reserved for outdoor gardening. Potting mix has a lighter texture to prevent the soil from becoming dense and saturated. They often contain some combination of peat moss, sand, perlite, vermiculite, wood fiber, and coconut fiber.
When choosing a potting mix, it’s important to know your plants’ ideal soil pH and make sure the mix is the same.
Easy plants for indoor gardening
You can try to start your plants from seed, but it’s generally better for new gardeners to try their green thumb with a plant that’s already mature. In general, smaller-leaved plants fare better indoors than plants with larger leaves, but the following plants are all indoors and beginner-friendly.
Plants for windowless rooms:
| • Snake plant • Cast iron plant • Spider plant • ZZ plant | • Hens and Chicks • Peace lily • Dracaena • Chinese Evergreen | • Pothos • Philodendron |
Easy-to-grow indoor herbs and vegetables:
| Herbs | Vegetables |
| • Rosemary • Mint • Basil • Chives • Oregano • Parsley • Sage • Thyme • Cilantro | • Lettuce • Arugula • Kale • Spinach • Radishes • Beets • Carrots • Microgreens • Scallions |
Cacti and succulents:
| • Aloe vera • Jade • Christmas cactus • Hoya heart cactus • Burro’s Tail | • Panda plant • Orchid cacti • Barrel cactus • Prickly pear cactus • Tiger jaws |
Indoor-friendly flowers:
| • Anthurium • Bromeliad • African violet • Jasmine | • Begonias • Chenille plant • Purple clover • Kaffir lily |
Non-flowering Houseplants
| • Asparagus fern • Peperomia • Arrowhead vine • String of pearls | • Ficus • Hoya • Parlor palm • Albuca frizzle sizzle | • Tradescantia • Plectranthus • Dragon tree • Lady palm |
Where should I buy plants?
It’s becoming popular to order plants online, thanks to trendy sites like plants.com. But in most cases, it’s best to shop locally when looking for any kind of plant. Buying your plants from a local garden center helps support your community and gives you have access to expert knowledge in case you have any questions about the care requirements.
Buying plants online can be risky; you never know what condition they will arrive in. Going to the store and physically finding the plants you want allows you to ensure they’re in good condition.
But how can you find a high-quality nursery? Look for one that:
- Has good reviews from your local community
- Receives shipments regularly
- Has knowledgeable and attentive staff
- Keeps plants in pots with drainage holes
- Carries indoor plants year-round
- Has a wide selection
- Has healthy-looking plants
If you’re looking for a unique plant or need to shop online for any other reason, check for online reviews, images from satisfied customers, and descriptions of the packaging and shipping methods.
How to take care of your indoor plants
Once you get your plants home, it’s time to start befriending them. Keep an eye on them to see how they react to the conditions of your home. Plants need to become acclimated to their new environments and will usually tell you what (if anything) needs to be adjusted.
“Listen” to your plants’ needs by looking out for:
- Dark spots on the leaves – may be getting too much sun.
- Light spots on the leaves – may be getting too much sun.
- Dark, erratic leaf growth – may be too much fertilizer.
- Yellow, wilting leaves – may be overwatered.
- Young leaves turning brown – may be overwatered.
- Dead or dry, brown, wilting leaves – may be underwatered.
- Slowed or stopped growth and pale leaves – too little sun.
- Crispy leaves – low humidity.
How to water your houseplants
It may seem simple, but knowing how to properly water your plants will make the difference between a beautiful indoor garden or the untimely death of your plants.
| Too much water | Too little water |
| • Suffocates plant roots • Causes erratic or stunted growth • Creates an environment where fungi and bacteria thrive • Disrupts photosynthesis • Causes drooping • Causes root rot | • Causes slow growth • Decreases rigidity • Causes the plant to drop leaves and flowers • Causes the plant to fail to flower • Makes lower leaves yellow and curl |
Not all plants require the same amount of water, so be sure to research the watering requirements. Make a watering chart or calendar and be sure to stick to it. You can even add repeating weekly watering reminders to your phone.
Saucers can become built up with soluble salt from the fertilizer sinking down. If too much soluble salt is built up in the saucer, it can damage the plant roots. Make sure to empty left over water from the saucers after watering to prevent
When should I water my plants?
Follow the plant’s watering instructions. Generally, however, you can tell if a plant needs to be watered by sticking your finger one inch into the soil. If it’s still moist at a depth of an inch, there’s no need to water. If it’s super dry, you might want to water it, unless it’s a succulent.
You can also buy devices such as water meters to help keep track of the watering needs and moisture levels of each container.
How to fertilize your houseplants
Fertilizer comes in powder, liquid, and tablet form. Each type of fertilizer will dissolve when the plant is watered and forms salts in the water. Beware of over-fertilizing, because it will make the soil too salty and will burn your plants.
You can see if you have a problem with soluble salts because they will clump together and form a white crust on top of the soil or around the rim of the container.
Make sure to research your plants to learn about their fertilization requirements. Plants don’t need as much fertilizer during the winter months, but often need it more in the summer as they grow. The key to fertilizing indoor plants is typically to add small amounts of fertilizer as the plant grows.
Every plant has its own fertilizing needs. But generally, houseplants follow similar growing seasons, and you can follow a fertilization schedule that looks a bit like:
- Spring: Lightly fertilize eight weeks before the last anticipated frost.
- Summer: follow the instructions on your fertilizer. Liquid fertilizers usually need to be applied bi-weekly or monthly, granular typically should be applied once a month, and one application of slow-release fertilizer can last up to three months.
- Fall: decrease fertilizer applications 8 weeks before the first anticipated frost.
- Winter: no need to fertilize.
If you live in a region that doesn’t experience winter frost, you can continue to fertilize during the winter at a lower rate. If you live in a tropical climate, follow the summer schedule throughout the year.
You can use compost to fertilize your plants, just be sure not to add too much. Blend compost in with the potting soil, with a ratio of 30% compost and 70% soil. Do this once or twice a year to keep your plants full of nutrients.
What happens if you don’t fertilize your plants?
It’s usually not the end of the world if you forget to fertilize your plants. Fertilized plants are healthier and will produce more blooms and stems than unfertilized houseplants. Unfertilized plants are also more sensitive to environmental conditions and diseases.
How to prune your houseplants
You should usually prune your houseplants at the end of winter, before the growing season begins. Flowering plants should be pruned after they’re finished flowering, and woody plants need to be pruned throughout the year.
Use pruning shears to cut off any dead or diseased growth. You can also prune plants to a certain size or to balance their growth. Make sure not to prune more than 25% of the plant.
- Pinching is when you remove plant shoots when they’re small to maintain a certain size. This increases the number of branches that emerge from the stem and can lead to a fuller-looking plant.
- Root pruning is done when your roots begin to outgrow their container. Cut the roots down to fit better, usually within an inch of the container border.
- Deadheading is when you remove all of the flowers from a blooming plant. Dying flowers don’t usually look very pretty and use up energy that could be going to fresh blossoms. Lawn Love has an excellent guide on deadheading.
How to repot your houseplants
Repotting does not necessarily mean you’re putting the plant in a new container. It can also mean just replacing the potting mix in your container. Repotting provides fresh nutrients for your plant, helps you check out the health of its root system, and can give your plant more room to grow if you are upgrading to a larger container.
Make sure to not upgrade to too big of a container. Large floor planters should not increase in size by more than four inches, and tabletop planters shouldn’t increase by more than two. Putting your plant in an oversized container can lead to overwatering.
Steps for repotting your houseplants:
- Tap or squeeze the container while it’s on its side, gently grab the plant’s base and gently pull.
- Loosen the roots and unbind them if they’ve become tangled.
- Trim the roots if needed.
- Remove at least one-third of the old potting mix.
- Add a layer of new potting mix and pack it down.
- Add the plant and gently fill potting mix around it, leaving some air for the roots to breathe.
- Even out the top, water, and return to its sunny spot.
When should I repot my plants?
Most plants need to be repotted every 12 to 18 months. Keep an eye on your plants’ growth and you’ll likely notice when they’ve begun to outgrow their space.
You can tell if a plant should be repotted if the:
- Plant is top-heavy or easily falls over
- Plant appears dry and needs more frequent watering
- Container is full of new shoots
- Roots are growing out of the drainage holes
- Plant growth has slowed
- Salt and minerals are collecting on the plant or container
Pro Tip: Dust dulls the color of your plants, lessening their value. Big-leafed plants can also become suffocated by dust that clog their stomata, which are involved in transporting water. You can remove dust from plants by wiping their leaves down with a damp sponge.
Benefits of indoor gardening
Plenty of research has been done to prove the many benefits of gardening and keeping plants in your home. A few of the many benefits include:
- Stress reduction
- Increased focus
- Better sleep
- Boosted productivity
- Horticultural therapy
- Better job satisfaction (if you work from home)
- Improved indoor air quality
- Adds a personal touch to your home decor
- May speed-up recovery from illnesses
Pros and cons of indoor gardening
| Pros | Cons |
| ✓ Better climate and pest control compared to outdoor gardening ✓ Allows apartment dwellers to develop their green thumb ✓ Fewer problems with weeds and diseases ✓ Improve humidity levels in your home ✓ Access to fresh herbs year-round ✓ No need to worry about pesticides or pollinators with most common houseplants | ✗ Many plants, especially vegetables, prefer natural, outdoor environments ✗ Poor indoor lighting can lead to limited plant options ✗ Many plants are toxic to domestic pets like cats and dogs ✗ They can be messy ✗ Lack of sun can alter the taste of herbs |
Dos and don’ts of indoor gardening
| Do | Don’t |
| • Move plants away from cold windows • Move plants away from air vents • Snip herbs to keep them growing • Dust plants with large leaves • Research carefully | • Beat yourself up if a plant dies • Use leaf shine productsIgnore a plant’s change of appearance • Overwater your plants • Forget to check the roots |
FAQ About Indoor Gardening
Many people enjoy taking care of plants and watching them grow in their homes. It can be a very rewarding hobby, but it can also be challenging if you don’t do your research.
Anyone can improve their green thumb, so don’t be afraid to try and see if you enjoy indoor gardening. You can start with one plant, and get more as you get used to taking care of it.
There are a few things to keep in mind before putting the cash down for a plant:
Read the plant label – this will let you know how difficult it might be to take care of the plant, and whether you have suitable environmental conditions for it to survive.
Check the plant over – is it wilting? Does it have any spots? Be sure to check for pests and signs of ill health.
Compare plants – look for the most full or lush plant, and make sure each stem and stalk is in good condition.
Yes, most houseplants do not need access to full sun like many outdoor plants do. Indoor houseplants typically prefer indirect sunlight from an east-facing window. It’s important to research the plant ahead of time and read the plant label to ensure that your plant is getting just enough sunlight, not too much or too little.
A plant that has been exposed to too much sunlight will show signs of bleached or dark-looking spots on the leaves. The soil will also usually be hard and dry.
The bathroom is not the typical location for plants, but it has become an increasingly popular spot for plants that can handle that kind of lighting and humidity. Some plants that can fare well in the bathroom include:
• Philodendron
• Spider plant
• Pothos
• Ferns
No. Pet owners should be extra vigilant about the kinds of plants they bring into their home, whether they’re bringing home houseplants or a gifted bouquet. If you can’t bear to part with these plants, keep them far out of your pets’ reach, and be sure to wash your hands carefully after handling them.
Common houseplants that are poisonous to pets include:
• Aloe vera
• Devil’s ivy
• Chinese evergreen
• Chives
• Dracaena
• Asparagus Fern
• Mother-in-law’s tongue
• Peace lily
• Rubber tree plant
• Hydrangea
• Cyclamen
Popular gifted flowers that are poisonous to pets include:
• Lilies
• Tulips
• Easter Lilies
• Tiger Lilies
• Calla lilies
• Poinsetta
Need a hand taking care of your outdoor landscape? Reach out to a Lawn Love pro to help with all your lawn care and landscaping needs.
Main photo credit: Huy Phan / Pexels
