I bought my first ever plant back in 2018 after wanting to buy one for a long time. I always thought I’d probably end up killing it as I lacked the knowledge or skill to look after one properly. At a time where I was reflecting more about my life and what makes me happy, I decided to do a bit of a bedroom makeover, I went to none other than Ikea and bought more than I should have but I came away with my first ever plant.
Two years later I’d definitely say I have a green thumb. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve killed some plants along the way but I’ve also learnt a lot, like which plants are less fussy and easier to look after.
Spider Plants
This plant is unkillable and also my first ever plant. I still have it and since then I’ve created more spider plant babies out of it and gifted it to others. It’s very forgiving if you forget to water it here and there. I honestly think I’ll have this plant for the rest of my life which makes me happy.
Spider plants remind me of when my mum used to do my hair when I was in primary school, she’d part my hair in the middle and split each side into 3 sections, plait them and then tye each with one colourful hair bands.
Golden Pothos
You can’t go wrong with a golden pothos, just like spider plant’s they’re quite forgiving and they look amazing as hanging plants. They love bright indirect light, just don’t put them too close to the window as the leaves with brown/burn. This is often the first plant people propagate as it grows roots easily. I grew mine till it was my height in length and then decided to give it a haircut!
Cacti and Succulents
I remember also buying some cacti and succulents after doing some research and being told they’re so easy to look after. No, they are not! I am an experienced succulent killer, after killing 2 I haven’t bought another one. The only plant from the succulent family I’ve been able to keep alive is my sedum burrito, it’s definitely just surviving and not thriving at the moment. They’re still worth including in this list as you might be someone who finds them easy to look after depending on your space and light conditions.
They are best kept right by a window in direct light, be careful not to overwater them as they can easily rot and die. With succulents, I’d recommend getting ones with green leaves and not the blue/purple ones as these are more difficult to look after. For cacti as rule of thumb, unless you’re giving them full direct sun, don’t water them as they easily start to rot. During winter months you don’t need to water them at all since they are not getting the required level of sun.
ZZ Plant
ZZ plants have a really interesting root system and they’re able to store water in their large roots for longer than most houseplants so you can go weeks without watering it and it will be fine. The main thing is to not overwater it by watering when the soil has completely dried out.
Rubber Plant
Great for newbie plant parents, especially if you’re looking for a larger statement plant. They are trees so if you manage to look after it well for years you’ll have your very own indoor tree.
Hardy Herbs
At the start of lockdown, I started growing some herbs since I knew I’d be cooped up at home a lot more. I planted thyme, rosemary, sage and oregano as they tend to survive even in harsh conditions. Bare in mind they do need a lot of light so keep directly by a window or somewhere outside.
Air plants
I got my first airplant last year, they live off the air and don’t need soil to be kept alive so one less thing to think about which is a bonus! These can be a little tricky to look after but they’re pretty easy once you get used to them. You submerge them in water for a couple of hours every 10–12 days and then let the water drip off them before placing them back where they were. Air plants are also susceptible to rotting so just make sure you shake off all the excess water, you can sit them upside down to help with this.
