Indoor plants for small spaces

Having a green space in your home can benefit your overall health and well being. Learn which indoor plants can work best in small spaces and how to care for them.

Having stayed in apartments for over ten years now, I often get concerned about the lack of fresh air. It can also become more than a bit overwhelmed when the place turns out a tad messy. Don’t get me wrong, I love the pros of being in an apartment. For example, there’s the social aspect of seeing different faces every day, and the convenience of having less space to take care of.

I have come to notice that having a green corner in the house is helpful for the well being of us apartment dwellers. That space that instantly lifts up your mood and makes you feel free. A NASA study found that isolating ourselves from the intricate life-supporting relationship with plants and their associated microorganisms, leads to problems.

Take a look at an indoor plant and a blanket of calmness just washes over you. The greenery makes you feel connected with the pureness of nature and helps take away all the worries and stress.

Arrange a seating space facing the green corner, and this can be sacred self-care space for many of us. A space to sit and contemplate, meditate or maybe just have your morning cup of tea or coffee just living in the moment. Explore your creativity and play with the space, have a few elements of nature set up alongside the plants. I have a few animal-shaped pots and calming Buddha figurines arranged in the space, which I find incredibly calming.

Be proud of the fact that this is your corner, your calming space tucked away within the chaos of the home.

Benefits of having a green space in your home

Increased Oxygen supply

It is essential to recycle the carbon dioxide and boost the oxygen level in a small space with limited air circulation, such as a home. Indoor plants can boost the total oxygen level and absorb carbon dioxide. An increase in the amount of carbon dioxide can cause headaches, impair mental function, and lethargy.

Remove toxic chemicals

Plants and their associated microorganisms purify the air and remove toxic chemicals like benzene, formaldehyde etc. from the air, says this NASA study. These compounds are present in basic items like oils, paints, detergents, grocery bags, etc. These and other Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) can contribute to make indoor air quality truly toxic.

Instant Mood Lifter

A green corner can bring liveliness to our mundane spaces. When we are desperate to connect with nature in this increasingly artificial world, a green corner could be the answer. It creates a space that we can look at every day to increase that feeling of calmness, reduce stress, and improve our overall well being.

Increases feeling of satisfaction

Plants can become a part of the family, giving us a tremendous sense of accomplishment when our plants thrive. It can get a bit tricky taking care of indoor plants in small spaces. Firstly, we have to learn which location in the home works best and to choose plants best suited to the space. Next, understanding how much and how often to water can be like solving a mathematical equation. I have to confess that a few plants have been martyred in my quest to hone my green thumb. That said, the more you learn about ways to keep them alive and see them thrive, the more satisfaction you get out of it.

Mindfulness

Checking for new leaves and brown spots, watering plants or simply watching them grow is a mindfulness exercise. One that helps us focus on our immediate surroundings. It improves our focus and tremendously boosts our overall well being.

Tips for taking care of indoor plants

• The soil should neither be too wet or nor too dry. Stick your finger just below the surface up to the knuckle. If it doesn’t feel damp, you need to water the plant. The signs of a dehydrated plant include brown and dried leaf edges.
• Ferns make beautiful indoor plants, but they need more hydration and more indirect, bright light. This means frequent watering but not overwatering. Succulents, on the other hand, need a lot of direct sunlight (either natural or artificial), but less is more in the case of water.
• Always look for a pot that has good drainage so that the excess water is drained off. This step is crucial. Many decorative vases may not come with a proper drainage hole, and excess water can kill your plant.
• Know your plants well; I usually question whichever nursery I buy the plant from on how best to take care of the plant. Likewise, I also explain the light conditions in my apartment and ask for recommendations on plants which would survive best in the environment.
• If you don’t have a green thumb or working towards having one, ask for plants that are easy to care for. Preferably resilient ones that also work as great air purifiers still.
• Fertilize your plants based on the season and the type of plant, during active growing months like summer; I tend to fertilize more. I use this simple banana peel fertilizer, which I have found very effective.

Best resilient indoor plants for small spaces

Living in an apartment with limited non constant form of sunlight has prompted me to find those plants that work best for my space. This may vary depending on your space.

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• Peace Lily: If you need a flowering plant at home, this can be a good option. They are excellent at cleaning the air and make your space look attractive with bright, vibrant full foliage. They like medium to low light, and need consistently moist soil. Go for the finger rule while checking for the dampness. Watering when you see the leaves droop a bit. In my experience, this may be frequent with this plant.

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• ZZ plant: I love my ZZ (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) plant. This is the most resilient plant of all plants I have, and it is beautiful. It has dark green leaves and is very low maintenance. Moreover, the ZZ plant is an excellent air purifier and removes various toxins like xylene, toluene, and benzene from the air. If you can get only one plant, I would suggest this. Water the ZZ plan once every two weeks.
• Golden pothos: Golden pothos is also good at removing toxins from the air. It can thrive well under indirect sunlight and low light conditions. They like to have their soil dry out between watering. When the trails of pothos grow longer, the roots get more extensive, and then it has to be repotted.

• Cretan Brake Fern: Also called the table fern, this was recommended by the nursery and is relatively easy to grow. As with ferns, they require that the soil be moist at all times as they cannot handle dryness. Mist the plants now and then as they love humidity. Keep them in bright indirect sunlight. Another tip I got from the nursery was to line up the plant holder with rocks and pour water so that the plant is hydrated throughout. Although I found this plant not that easy to care for, as they require constant dampness, mine is still alive. The bird’s nest mentioned below is much easier to take care of.
• Bird’s nest: This is one of the easiest ferns to grow, according to plant experts. This plant looks beautiful indoors with a light green foliage. As with any other fern, these plants prefer indirect sunlight. Check the soil before watering, and do not let the soil dry between watering. Another point to note is that watering right into the nest may encourage mold and rot, so it is best to water the soil than the plant.
• Areca Palm: Areca palm gives me that relaxed tropical vibes, think about it, this plant makes you happy, right? Areca palms need bright indirect sunlight. The soil in the areca palm pot needs to dry out between watering and they prefer a moist environment. It is best to mist now and then. Above all, this plant should have sufficient drainage, so look for a pot with multiple holes. The fastest way you can kill this plant is by overwatering!

Note: Do note that some of these plants contain toxins when ingested, so households with kids and pets should be careful. I have not had have much luck with succulents as they require a lot of direct sunlight, which we lack in our apartment space. That said, artificial light can help this plant group thrive.

Disclaimer: I am not a plant expert, and I am still working on my plant nurturing skills. These are a few tips I have learned on how to keep a small indoor green space and about the benefits that come along with it. This space will be updated continuously based on new techniques that have worked for me.

Are you planning to have some indoor plants which work in your space, either big or small? Let me know in the comments below.