need help with indoor plants

[abharrington]

so what can i get? i know we need some green around here. our house is surronded by HUGE trees...so no really sunny rooms or windows. TIA!!

[SageR]

Ferns are happy in low light.

[Buzzer Beater]

Sansieveria does great, as do pothos, philodendron, and spider plants. I have all 3 of these nowhere near a window happy as clams. Good luck!

[abharrington]

thank you!! now...can i just go to the hardware store and buy these?

[rainbowmoon]

all the ones mentioned above. just go to your local nursery and you can get better ideas there for your area. usually anyone working there will have good ideas for you.

I have had good luck indoors also with ficus, ivy, prayer plants, wandering jew, rubber trees and an array of other green ones I am not sure the names of. Also a bunch of pots of aloe..oh and I have tons of tropical plants too..but they do need some sun they do well in shady areas as long as it doesn't get too cold..you could also grow herbs indoors too..

I have a ton of plants..I am not even sure how many!

[abharrington]

thank you so muh!! this is just the info (and encouragement) i need. as far as the herbs...what does well indoors?

[rainbowmoon]

I have had good luck with growing basil, chives, catnip, mints, oregano, thyme and rosemary indoors. Many from seeds. This time of year it's hard to find starter herbs plants in the nursery, so a good tip though is to use cuttings from the produce section. This works well with mints, basil, thyme, rosemary and such. Just put your bought cuttings in a glass of water for a week or so (until it forms stringy roots) then put in pots of dirt!

[rainbowmoon]

oh the best thing I found...Ask on your local Freecycle or Craigslist for free plant clippings or unwanted houseplants. I have received a TON of good plants (free) this way!

[sunnysandiegan]

I agree with all of the above and wanted to add that dracenas (many varieties) grow well in low light.

I have two small ficus trees indoors and they have been with me for a long time. When I first move them, they get petulant and drop all their leaves until they adapt to the new lighting conditions. They've always come back and been happy again.

Indoor air quality is better with plants growing.

[Magelet]

I highly recommend spider plants. They are super easy plants. They will take very low light, or high light (such as the shade outdoors which is always more light than indoors). They aren't fussy about watering, or food. They reproduce in a year or two from "birth" (from spawning one of those adorable little babies on runners). (you can take one of those little babies off the stem, pop it in some water, and when it grows roots, plant it.)

Make sure that if you are planting a plant or replanting it, get it in soil that is meant for pots, and not for mixing in the earth. there is a great deal of difference.

Ficuses are great too, lots of types, however the leaves are poisonous. A lot of people don't know this, and its something to keep in mind with babies around. Sometimes they do lose their leaves when you change where they are, or change much of anything, but they grow back fine.

philodendrens are good, as are peace lilies (they aren't quite as easy as spider plants, being slightly more prone to bug infestations (if the plant comes home clean it isn't too likely to pick it up at your house if you don't have a problem) (also known as spathiphylium.)

Go to your local plant nursery. They should have a good selection, healthier plants than the hardware store or home depot, and be knowledgeable enough to help you pick the right plants for you.

[Pinoikoi]

For me, ivy is fickle. I have never had good luck with it.

[luv-my-boys]

pothos are great and they grow great in those conditions and will continue to get bigger. I have several in my home to "green" it up a bit and I lvoe that I can basically ignore them and they look great, oh and aloe vera plants.

[EnviroBecca]

Coleus is a shade plant that can thrive indoors with low sunlight. It may not be possible to buy seedlings of it this time of year (since it's normally used outdoors as a landscaping plant) but you could try growing some from seeds. I got two little coleus plants as a gift and managed to keep them and their offspring (you can take a cutting and grow roots on it) going strong for 4 years until they caught some sort of stem-rotting disease and died.

I also want to add a vote for spider plants. They are so easy, and if you ask around I bet you can get some free baby ones! My mom gave me one 18 years ago, and I now have 7 of its offspring and have given away dozens. In addition to rooting the babies, you can divide a plant that's too big for its pot by whacking the roots apart with a trowel; the plant really doesn't mind and will soon be filling the pot again! Oh, and they thrive on coffee grounds and tea leaves; I put those on top of the soil all winter since spider plants "eat" dirt and eventually their roots become so exposed that they can't hold water well.

[babycarrier]

What other house plants divide well?

[Pinoikoi]

raspberry bagonias? strawberry bagonias? They give off tons of tiny babies... not sure if they were mentioned.

I have found that if a plant doesn't give off babies, or if a snipping doesn't root, then I take a whack at its root ball and see if I can divide it that way. One way or the other usually works.

[Theia]

I wanted to offer that african violets also do well in low light (they don't want direct sunlight) and generally divide well. They are pretty low maintenance, especially if you use self watering pots.

[Pinoikoi]

Bamboo does well in low light also, and will thrive in sitting water, so they are pretty easy to care for. They can be pricey though depending where you get them. (especially the curved ones). I have a small one in my office and a HUGE one in my bedroom.

[*bejeweled*]

I use ice to "water" the plants. It's the best advice I was ever given regarding plant care. It melts slowly and the plants thrive.