Dave-Morris
San Diego
Posts: 2
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| Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2009 6:18 pm Post subject: Help me in gardening! First houseplant? |
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My girlfriend is an avid gardener and I know nothing about gardening at all. I want to learn a bit so that I can be helpful. I want to start by having a few houseplants. What is an easy plant for me to start with?
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Last edited by Dave-Morris on Fri Jun 19, 2009 8:09 pm; edited 3 times in total
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eileen
 Forum Moderator
Scotland
Posts: 18013
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| Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2009 7:32 pm Post subject: |
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I think that a Peace Lily is one of the easiest house plants to have. It requires very little attention apart from watering and even enjoys being a bit root bound. Another one is a Jade Plant or maybe you could try a Clivia Lily - all are easy to keep. Good luck!! 
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toni
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Plants Moderator
Regular Plants Contributor
North Texas, Zone 8a
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daisybeans
annapolis md
Posts: 3675
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| Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2009 9:13 pm Post subject: |
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Wow, are you ever sweet to want to share her interest in gardening. Big points for that. Peace lilly is really a good choice but remember that it doesn't like to be really hot (so not DIRECTLY in front of your brightest window) and if you forget to water it and it droops all over like it has died, don't panic. Just water it and it will perk backup. It's a great choice if you don't have a lot of light too.
I think a spider plant (some people call it an airplane plant, chlorophytum) is easy too. It will give you little plantlets too, so you could pot one up for your girlfriend!
Or, I like the Snake Plant (Sansevieria). A lot of people don't like the look of it, I happen to like it, kind of different. I don't think it is possible to abuse it too much.
Good luck!
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starface000
Western New York
Posts: 71
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| Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2009 3:21 pm Post subject: |
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Daisybeans and toni are right. Sansevieria is a very easy plant for beginners. It was my first plant and it never was unhealthy. They are very forgiving if you over or under water, and they don't require a specific light to live. However, the brighter spot you place them the more striking and contrasting the stripes will be.
My sanseveiria's pot was getting crowded with new growth, so last spring I broke it up and replanted it. Every chunk lived, even a single blade with one inch long strand of root. It took that blade about half a year, but I was pleasantly surprised when new growth appeared. This is what it looks like now, you can probably tell the oldest blade for how scraggly it is:
 
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OrganicAlan
Boring, Maryland
Posts: 26
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| Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2009 7:12 pm Post subject: Chives as a Houseplant you can EAt |
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Dear Dave,
Thanks.
I like to plant stuff in doors I can EAT. Chives are almost impossible to kill.
And you can chop off pieces of the green pointed stalks and use them to season almost any dish.
Alan
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jeck
San Diego
Posts: 1
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| Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 11:50 am Post subject: |
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Easy
The easiest house plants, in my opinion, are Devil's Ivy. They have them every where, Walmart, Home Depot, Lowes, They are usually in a hanging basket, can be all green leaved or varigated. They are a low light plant, so there is no need to find a sunny location. Water them occasionally, if you forget and see that the leaves are starting to droop, stick it in the tub and soak it for about 15 mins. (Make sure it's done dripping before you hang it back up!) The vines grow extremely quickly and can be drapped anywhere making your home look so much nicer. And if you accidently break a piece off, just stick it in a glass of water and watch it reroot itself! Good Luck!
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Last edited by jeck on Sun Apr 19, 2009 5:45 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Netty
Regular Plants Contributor
Southern Ontario zone 5a
Posts: 9959
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| Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 12:22 pm Post subject: |
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African Violet's are another easy one that get pretty blooms.
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shmily2046
Posts: 5
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| Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2009 5:40 am Post subject: |
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In my opinion, the best should be raised, such as cacti, especially the kind of non-regular watering, but also the sun and water the plants are not very picky about good support, and this is my opinion,
good luck
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Jewell
Regular Plants Contributor
Puget Sound Region of the Pacific NW (Washington State, US)
Posts: 1590
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| Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 5:20 am Post subject: |
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Philodendron ( photo / image / picture from Jewell _2009's Garden )
Philodendrons have to be the easiest plants (for me)in low light areas. They can be over watered or under watered and do just fine. (I drowned mine and then forget to water them until they wilt...poor things  ) What's really nice about them is that they can have big leaves if you fertilize them or small leaves if you only give them a small pot and no food.
Aloe ( photo / image / picture from Jewell _2009's Garden )
Aloes like sunny/bright light locations and are great if you are forgetful with the watering. I like their structure.
If you want to try a easy orchid the paphiodedilums (lady slippers) are the easiest. They like an eastern window and take only weekly watering. The only orchid that I have been successful with multiplying, blooms regularly and long. It is also the only plant that I have given my son that he hasn't killed or sent back to me for nursing. His has bloomed regularly for him also.
Paphiopedilum Lady Slipper - bi-colored flower ( photo / image / picture from Jewell _2009's Garden )
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blackrose
Posts: 269
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| Posted: Tue May 12, 2009 4:13 am Post subject: |
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dragon tree is a nice houseplant and peace lily is worth trying.
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