If there is one thing that refuses to grow in my own house, it is houseplants. Because I live in a wooded landscape, with large roof eaves (4 foot), houseplants do not like me. And I will not change out the lighting in my home to grow them. But I have cared for them at my mom’s airy home, plus past residences and the office.
Houseplants can help gardeners get through the winter in climates where it is too cold to grow anything outdoors. If you are in Zones 3 to 6, possibly 7, you know what I am talking about. Winter weather drives us indoors for at least 4 months of the year, giving many of us a depression like state of mind. But houseplants can help relieve that pressure.
If you can get the right lighting, humidity, and watering schedule, then you can grow the following 10 houseplants with relative ease.
- Pothos Vine
- Rubber Plant
- Fiddleleaf Fig
- Birds Nest Fern
- Boston Fern
- Snake Plant
- Jade Plant
- Peace Lily
- Parlor Palm
- Spider Plant
Lighting for Houseplants
Getting the right lighting depends on what houseplants you want to grow. This is similar to growing in a landscape. You would not put a hosta in full sun, nor a coneflower in deep shade. So it goes with various houseplants.
Take note of the size of windows in your home, along with the direction they face and how much sunlight enters during the winter months (October to April). This is the period of time they will be inside, if you plan to take them outside in summer. Some, like my Mom, choose to keep houseplants in all year, to help avoid insect problems. It is also less work to keep them in all year.
If you need to, you can add special grow lights for specific houseplants. But it is better to use the light you have been given in your home. The plant will be happier for it, if it is placed correctly.
Providing Humidity for Houseplants
Many of the tropical houseplants prefer a higher humidity for best growth. In winter months, the air is dried out by the heating systems of most homes. To keep your plants happy, place those that prefer a higher humidity on trays of water and pebbles. Also, misting your plants daily with room temperature water helps.
If you keep your houseplants in a heated porch or sunroom during winter, use a humidifier to add moisture to the air.
Watering Your Houseplants
There are 3 main cautionary words when it comes to watering your houseplants; sparingly, moderately, and plentifully. Watch for these words when getting new houseplants.
Sparingly
Two-thirds of the potting soil or mix should be allowed to dry out in between waterings. This usually takes about 2 weeks during winter and every week during winter, unless the humidity is higher. Check for soil moisture with a small wooden stake. Push the stake in carefully, wait for 10 seconds, then pull out and check for moistness.
Moderately
Let the top half-inch dry out in between waterings. This is about every 2-3 days in summer, and every week in winter. Check for moisture with your finger, probing the soil gently for moistness.
Plentifully
The soil should be damp, but not water-logged at all times, even near the surface.
Top 10 Easy to Grow Houseplants
Pothos Vine
This is the houseplant that I keep growing above my at my desk. It is possibly the easiest houseplant to grow. My grandmother kept one in her window between the kitchen and porch for over 20 years. Also known as the Devil’s Ivy, this plant prefers partial sun during the summer and bright, direct light in winter. It is happy under fluorescent lighting in an office.
Water it moderately during the summer and sparingly during the winter. I water mine weekly in the summer and biweekly in winter. It thrives in high humidity.
Rubber Plant
The rubber plant and the fiddleleaf fig are both members of the ficus genus, or figs. There are many species of ficus in the tropics and many are used as houseplants. Rubber plants have dark, glossy leaves that can be maroon or green.
This houseplant prefers bright filtered light. Place it where it can get sun for 6 to 8 hours of the day. Water it moderately and feed with a liquid fertilizer every 2 weeks during the growing season. Water sparingly during the winter.
Rubber plants grow best at temperatures above 55o F. Keep your rubber plant in a place where it can have a higher humidity.
Fiddleleaf Fig
This houseplant has large, fiddle shaped leaves. It grows up to 4 feet tall. Place your fiddleleaf fig in bright, part sun throughout the year. Water it moderately and feed with a liquid fertilizer biweekly during the growing season. It grows well in standard room temperatures.
Keep this houseplant in a high humidity location or mist the leaves often.
Birds Nest Fern
The birds nest fern is a very easy to grow houseplant. Its leaves form a basal rosette, giving the inner structure the appearance of a birds nest. Leaves are shiny, bright to medium green. This houseplant needs bright, filtered light, aka part sun through the year. If you put it outside in summer, avoid a location that gets west-facing sun.
During winter months, water your fern every other week as needed. During the active growing season, water weekly and feed with liquid fertilizer every 2 weeks.
The birds nest fern grows best in temperatures above 60o F during winter. It prefers high humidity (above 50%) to avoid brown leaf tips and margins.
Boston Fern
This large fern is quite popular among florists and homeowners alike. It is used in hanging baskets and container both outside and inside. Boston ferns like full direct sunlight during the summer and winter, but can also grow in direct filtered light as well.
Water moderately during the growing season and sparingly during the winter. Feed with a liquid fertilizer every other week during the growing season.
Boston ferns prefer a high humidity spot in the house, so place accordingly. They can survive in lower temperatures, but prefer to grow in temps above 55o F.
Snake Plant
Also known as the mother-in-laws-tongue, this easy to grow houseplant is quite striking in appearance. With sharp, tall leaves that can be green and white mottled or green mottled with yellow stripes, it grows 3 to 4 feet tall. I have used this houseplant in outdoor containers for years.
It prefers direct to bright filtered light all year. Water moderately and feed with a liquid fertilizer every 2 weeks during the growing season. Water sparingly during the winter. Keep your snake plant in a lower humidity location.
Jade Plant
This succulent houseplant is often used outdoors during the summer and can get quite large. I have seen older specimens that were over 5 feet tall and wide. Grow jade plant in direct sunlight, all year round.
Water your jade plant moderately and feed with a liquid fertilizer once every 2 weeks during the growing season. This houseplant grows best in temperatures above 50o F during the winter. It is tolerant of a wide range of temps during the growing season.
Put your jade plant where it does not get too much humidity. It needs no extra humidity during the winter months.
Peace Lily
The peace lily or white sails houseplant has dark green leaves and white flower spathes. It prefers to grow in indirect filtered light, or part shade. Water it moderately during the growing season and sparingly during the winter.
This plant prefers warm temperatures, a minimum of 55o F during the winter. It needs high humidity during all months. This can be one of the best plants for a low-light placing.
Parlor Palm
The parlor palm is a popular houseplant because to gives a truly tropical feel while staying under 5 feet tall. This houseplant prefers to grow in part sun during the growing season, but in full sun during the winter months. Parlor palms may need to be transferred from one spot in the house to another if you are not taking it outside.
Water your parlor palm weekly during the summer and feed with liquid fertilizer monthly. During the winter, water sparingly, every other week. It will grow inside in temperatures from 55o F to 75o F. It needs higher humidity, so place the plant on a tray filled with pebbles and keep water in the tray.
Spider Plant
Many gardeners love the spider plant because it is always giving out free plants. There are green, white, yellow-green striped, and white-green striped varieties of this houseplant.
Grow the spider plant in a hanging basket or hanging container, in bright part sun during the growing season. In winter, move the plant to direct sunlight, such as a south or southwest facing window.
Water weekly during the growing season and feed with a liquid fertilizer every 2 weeks. Water every other week during the winter. This plant prefers higher humidity, so keep it near other houseplant that prefer a higher humidity (parlor palm, birds nest fern).
Conclusion
Adding greenery by way of houseplants to your home can relieve stress, boredom, and pressure from the winter months. Houseplants also clean the air and provide extra oxygen, making you healthier overall.
Happy planting!
