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Apartment Living: what type of plants do well in an apartment?

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Forum: Apartment LivingReplies: 6, Views: 119
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irishwhiterose
Abilene, TX
(Zone 8a)

September 25, 2007
02:59 PM

Post #4016092

I live in a apartment in texas and I cant plant anything outside so I was wondering what type of plants do well with minimal light?
art_n_garden
Colorado Springs, CO
(Zone 6a)

October 26, 2007
12:14 AM

Post #4124589

Hi white rose,
I lived in an apt in Lubbock for many years, how funny! I always had good luck in a north facing window growing...african violets, dracaena, schefflera, pothos, and philodendron.

I guess it depends on how minimal the light really is. If you have a window for plants, you can grow all sorts of things in the indirect light like orchids, even succulents and tropicals. If the spot is going to be on the opposite side of the room from any natural light, you have to be more careful with what you chose.

If you can find a company called 'Exotic Angels' which is sold at most big box hardware stores- they are really good at marking low- med- high light plants. You never really know the shape or the species of plant they'll have...but sometimes I find some really cool low light plants by doing it that way.
Also, I would mist the plants from time to time with how dry it is there, especially if you use heat during the winter.
Hope this helps!
Susanne
Zanymuse
Scotia, CA
(Zone 9b)

October 26, 2007
02:37 PM

Post #4126185

This plant will thrive indoors under low light conditions where almost no thers will prosper. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/168626/

It is a foliage plant with lovely mottled leaves and a silvery coloring.

Many of the small leafed ivy plants also do well in medium low light in hanging baskets or cascading off the top of a shelf or table.

Depending on the humitity some ferns also grow well in containers. I had great luck with boston fern years ago in Los Angeles but it required turning it twice a week so each side recieved ample light and misting with a spray bottle to keep it happy.

edited to add:
Coleus also thrive in low light indoors but I found them impossible to keep the bugs off. They seem to grow spider mites and a cotton looking thing that would kill them. It was the only houseplant I have ever had that suffered from that mess and it happened many times before I gave up on the idea of having the beautiful Coleus plants in my home.

This message was edited Oct 26, 2007 10:43 AM
lovmyplants
Aurora, CO

November 17, 2007
11:39 PM

Post #4205410

It is not that hard to keep Coleus bug free indoors just plant a clove of garlic in with the plant. As the garlic shoots come up keep them cut back even with the soil it will keep Coleus as well as many other plants bug free and it is not hazardous to dogs cats or birds plus it is much cheaper then bug spray
Zanymuse
Scotia, CA
(Zone 9b)

November 17, 2007
11:44 PM

Post #4205432

Garlic! Now that is something I wish I had known before! Coleus are so simple to start from cuttings and have so many color variations that they can really add a wonderful accent to a room. But those cottony bugs always ruined them no matter how many Qtips and bottles of alcohol I used up.
rasham
new delhi
India

January 28, 2008
10:26 PM

Post #4467352

wow. thats so cool. no chemicals and green shoots of garlic accentuating the colourful coleus without any bugs. great tip
lorelei65
Cawston, near Norwic
United Kingdom

April 28, 2008
03:19 PM

Post #4877844

Hi,

I have lived in ground floor apartments - in England we call them flats - and I've found that cactus and succulents survive well if you can give them a sunny windowsill to stand on. Also they don't need much looking after (though mine get fed with tomato fertiliser every other week) and watered the week between. They are the first houseplants I have any luck with.

If you want to grow plants indoors you cannot have net curtains since they block/filter the part of sunlight that the plants need to survive.

Going away on Wednesday 30th so will only be able to use a computer net cafe to access any mails. Will report progress as time goes on...

Lorraine

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