How To Start a Garden in Your Apartment

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As a person who tries to spend hours on end in nature — taking long walks, soaking up the sun, and admiring fresh blossoms — it pains me to say I sadly have struggled to maintain a green thumb. 

My roommate, unlike myself, is the embodiment of a greenhouse goddess. She’s dedicated a section of our living room to housing over ten different plants, each with their own watering schedule and specific sunlight requirements.

Ever since she started the garden, I’ve noticed the air is cleaner, and crisper every time I pass by them, and I am always filled with peaceful thoughts after sitting right next to them. Even my mood and our pet’s mood have improved over time! 

Our plants take home decor to another level! Some of them are not only aesthetically pleasing but are also used in my favorite dishes. By growing root veggies in pots, we’ve saved hundreds of dollars on vegetables and herbs every year.

Living with her has allowed me to learn more than I ever imagined about growing and nurturing plants.

I’ve decided to share some of her tips, along with advice from professionals, on how to maintain a garden inside your apartment— including the benefits of living with a garden, the best plants to grow in different corners of your home, and budget-friendly plants that stay alive with very little help!

Plants, Health and Well-Being

Burning incense, basking in natural sunlight, and opening windows for a light fresh breeze during the warmer months of the year are all-natural ways to increase your mood and positive emotions. According to the National Library of Medicine, you can now add growing an indoor garden to this list! 

Studies show that people who live in large metropolitan areas and spend little to no time in nature report more negative thoughts than those who live closer to nature. If this applies, you should look into creating an indoor garden to help boost your positive emotions and reduce negative thoughts. 

Studies also show that spending time near plants reduces stress over time, which may cause an increase in pain tolerance. Indoor plants are also linked to improving a person’s overall comfort, satisfaction, and happiness — they may even increase your productivity!

Being close to nature at home has other proven benefits, like lowering blood pressure and releasing muscle tension. 

If you’ve heard of photosynthesis, you know that plants help keep the air clean by absorbing and removing pollutants — ozone, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur dioxides — into their leaves when taking in carbon dioxide. 

Caring for plants requires labor but it doesn’t feel like it. I think it can allow for moments of relaxing, repetitive movement in your life, like propagating, transplanting, watering, mulching, weeding and harvesting.

The Affordability of Plant Ownership and Care

We know what you’re thinking: we’re all for these plant-owning benefits, but buying and caring for plants is a luxury—not accessible to everyone. 

Not true! My roommate, myself,  and others invest in good, inexpensive, low-maintenance plants—and you can too!

Our top picks for indoor plants, listed below, don’t require daily watering, are aesthetically pleasing, and keep shading to a minimum. A few of them can also be added to food and drinks, which is a plus!

Pothos Plant 

A first choice for first-time beginner plant growers, pothos plants have been known to grow at record-breaking speeds in the plant kingdom, adding 12 to 18 inches to their vines monthly. They thrive in both direct sunlight and dimly lit areas and are known for having heart-shaped leaves colored with beautiful shades of white, green, or yellow that hang from each vine. It’s safe to leave in various corners of the room or hang from the ceiling. 

Money Tree

Found in Mexico, Central, and parts of North America, money trees have braided stem and luscious green palm tree leaves — a dream for plant owner newbies looking to add more tropical elements to their home. Remember to keep it in indirect sunlight. This plant thrives in 65-80 degrees Fahrenheit and in climates with mild humidity. Great locations in the home for money trees include windows that face south, east, or west.  

Aloe

Though a succulent, there’s no denying that aloes are affordable and beginner friendly plants—the perfect addition to your indoor garden.

Aloes are also fast-growing and easy to care for as they require indirect sunlight. They also have practical uses: aloe juice can be applied topically to the skin to soothe burns, skin infections, and inflammation or added to refreshing drinks and smoothies — truly a multi-hyphenate in the plant kingdom!  

Spider Plant 

One of the most recognizable plants on this list, these plants grow long slender leaves from their roots. 

It’s I mportant to note that overwatering can harm, or even kill it.  To make sure this doesn’t happen, stick your finger in the soil, or use a self-watering globe tool that releases small amounts over time. Low or indirect sunlight is best for this easygoing greenery. They look picturesque at the edge of a container or bed. 

Snake Plant

These plants are gravity defying. They grow straight up in as if they’re slithering up to the sky, and can live comfortably in areas of your home that receive less sunlight. Just avoid leaving them in direct light because it will cause their leaves to shrivel. 

Are you a super busy prospective plant parent? Always on the go? Are you worried that you’ll forget to water your plants for a few days? Then snake plants are the plants for you. It still needs love and care, though. So please don’t neglect it! Water the soil when it’s dry—periodically during the winter and more frequently in the summer. 

Peppermint

A staple in herb gardens, these plants bring a refreshing, clean scent to every indoor or outdoor plant collection. 

Fastest way to grow peppermint? Place a cutting in a cup of water. When it grows roots, plant it in the soil. Want to save money? Get a peppermint cutting from a friend.

Also, do not let the soil dry out in between waterings. Add water while it’s still moist. Harvest peppermint when the peppermint fresh aroma fills the air. 

Plants and Your Pets

Spider plants and money trees are harmless to pets. Not only will they not make your furry friends sick, but four-legged animals benefit from sharing living quarters with plants the same way we do!

Avoid bringing pothos plants, snake plants, peppermint, and aloe plants into homes shared with animals, if pets consume them they can get sick and or worse!

Creating a garden at home should never be costly and can accessible to all. You don’t need a lot of experience (or any) to plant an indoor garden. Before you get started, take the time to learn which plants work best for you. Consider whether the plant is toxic to your house pets, where you want to create your garden in your home, or if your house has a considerable amount of indirect or direct light. 

Once you create your garden, you'll notice the endless benefits that come from living with and caring for plants. All of the work that you put into building your indoor garden will be worth it!