Help me in gardening! First houseplant?

Discussion in 'Houseplants' started by Dave-Morris, Apr 13, 2009.

  1. Dave-Morris

    Dave-Morris New Seed

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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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  3. eileen

    eileen Resident Taxonomist Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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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!! :stew1:
     
  4. toni

    toni Mistress of Garden Junque Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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  5. daisybeans

    daisybeans Hardy Maple

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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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  6. starface000

    starface000 Seedling

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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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  7. OrganicAlan

    OrganicAlan New Seed

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    Chives as a Houseplant you can EAt

    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
     
  8. jeck

    jeck New Seed

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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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  9. Netty

    Netty Chaotic Gardener Plants Contributor

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    African Violet's are another easy one that get pretty blooms.
     
  10. shmily2046

    shmily2046 New Seed

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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
     
  11. Jewell

    Jewell Incorrigible Gardener Plants Contributor

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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 :oops: ) 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.

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    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.

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    Paphiopedilum Lady Slipper - bi-colored flower ( photo / image / picture from Jewell _2009's Garden )
     
  12. blackrose

    blackrose In Flower

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    dragon tree is a nice houseplant and peace lily is worth trying.
     

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