5 Easy To Maintain Houseplants

If you like houseplants but can’t seem to keep them alive, try some of these easy-to-care-for plants – they are difficult to kill and need very little maintenance. However, if your home doesn’t have enough humidity, it will be difficult to keep anything alive. If your home is too dry, you can use a humidifier. Be sure to choose the proper size humidifier for the space you have; otherwise, it won’t make the air humid enough. The plants will also provide some humidity, but not enough to keep them alive, especially in larger rooms.

Aloe

Aloe doesn’t like a lot of water. If you overwater it, it will die. Aloe prefers bright, indirect light. Let it dry out completely between waterings – you might water it a little bit once per month. Aloe is toxic to pets, so be sure to keep it out of your pet’s reach.

While this plant is toxic to pets, it’s good for you. When you get a cut or a burn, you can cut an aloe leaf open and wipe it over the cut or burn. It will heal faster and discourage scarring.

Snake Plant

If you don’t have a lot of lighting because of the way your house is positioned, snake plants might be the best plants for you. The snake plant is also known as the “mother-in-law’s tongue.” They do well in bathrooms with no windows, but they will also grow in bright, indirect light.

Water snake plants monthly, letting them dry out completely between waterings. Snake plants are toxic to pets, so be sure to keep them out of reach.

Succulents

Succulents come in many forms. They do need bright, indirect light and water about once per month. As with aloe and snake plants, water them once per month, letting them dry out between waterings.

If succulents die, try moving them to a room with more light, as long as it is not direct sunlight. The other way you can kill them is to water them too much. Most succulents are toxic, so keep them out of reach of kids and pets.

Spider Plants

These plants will thrive in just about any condition, but it is the happiest hanging in a window. They need bright, indirect light, misting every couple of weeks, and watering every week. They are not toxic to pets.

Spider plants make “babies” that hang over the edge of the pot. If you want more, just snip one of the babies off, put the bottom of it in a glass of water, and plant it in potting soil when it starts to root.

Pothos

Sometimes referred to as devil’s ivy, the pothos is very forgiving. They come in many variations and colors, including marble green (variegated), bright yellowish green, and golden (green and yellow pattern).

Pothos prefer bright, indirect light or low light. You will need to water these plants every week. You might get away with watering them biweekly, but if you notice them wilting in the second week, give them water and then water every week. Pothos are toxic to pets, so keep them where your pets can’t get them.