It’s unlikely that you haven’t noticed the new trend of indoor plants in New York. Let’s have a look at the best suited plants for your flat.
Over the past few years, many of us have been reminded of the value of having access to nature. You don’t have to fully abandon the beauty of mother nature just because you don’t have a garden or the time to spend a few minutes traveling to the nearest park. Not when you can improve your NYC apartment with beautiful indoor plants.
The majority of rental flats in New York lack gardens, and many plants that require full light, space, and other conditions more often seen outside cannot be grown there either. The plants listed below, however, will flourish in the most of apartments and just need occasional watering. Look closely at a handful of the top plants for New York City flats.
How Can I Grow Plants in New York City?
We know that life in New York is busy and people usually don’t have time for gardening and stuff. But taking some time to focus yourself at home will help you stay centered throughout the quickly passing days when every second feels like a New York minute. A terrific idea to include regular meditation into your day and liven up your apartment in the city is to grow and take care of plants.
Although it might not be the first that comes to mind when you think of New York City, the city’s chilly winters and hot summers have nurtured a variety of unusual native plants. The native plants of New York City thrive in a lot of sunlight and sandy, low-nutrient soils. They are also fairly hardy. Sadly, many of these native plants are disappearing altogether. Thinking about incorporating native plants into your indoor planting ideas and gardens is one of the finest ways to contribute. We have lists of simple-to-grow plants for your New York City apartment, some of which are native. You can now enhance the vibe in your apartment and preserve local plants!
The Ideal Plants for Newbies to Grow Indoors
We found several plants that thrive well also in smaller apartments without much natural light. Let’s bring a little bit more nature into your home.
Snake Plant
The snake plant is an attractive plant with little maintenance needs because of its fashionable spikes. Being succulents, they only require watering once every two to three weeks, which is fantastic for those who lead busy lives. Low light and mild to bright indirect light also make them happy.
On rare occasions, snake plants will bloom with lovely white blossoms that smell like jasmine. Additionally, they are among the top 10 air cleaning plants according to NASA. Don’t limit your search for Manhattan rental apartments to imagining where you’ll put your stuff. Imagine a spectacular snake plant where you may admire its remarkable shape and serpentine patterns!
Zz Plants
The Zz Plant is another popular and excellent indoor plant. The Zz is able to retain a lot of water and nutrients thanks to its rhizome root’s structure, an underground root system marked by somewhat bulbous nodes. Although they are usually brilliant green, but also provide a deep purple Zz Plant type known as the Nova Star. When completely grown, the leaves turn a nearly-black tone, adding remarkable aesthetic value to any house.
Pothos
The Pothos is commonly referred to as “the cubicle plant” since it can survive in unfavorable conditions. The Pothos doesn’t require direct sunshine, but it doesn’t tolerate low light as well as its buddies the Snake and the ZZ do. Also, if you don’t have much space, it looks lovely whether hung from a hook or exhibited higher up on a shelf with its leaves cascading down. It needs watering every week or two, but if you forget while traveling for two weeks, it really recovers with a good watering. As an alternative you could also think about getting a Mishima Plant. It likes more humid environments but is very resistant to pests and spider mites.
Marimo Moss Balls
Marimo moss balls, a unique indoor plant, are excellent for people living in apartments. It is simple to take care of them by placing them in a bowl, jar, or glass of water in a location with low indirect light. Plus, they look amazing in fish aquariums. Remove the moss balls, rinse the container, add fresh water, and then replace them when the water begins to seem dusty or murky.
Cacti And Succulents
Small to medium-sized succulents and cacti come in a wide variety of oddly beautiful shades and patterns. Choose a few distinct varieties, plant them in a pot, terrariums, or recycled containers, and then place them in warm locations with bright or direct light, depending on the plants you’ve selected. Because they are cacti and succulents, they don’t need much water or upkeep. Haworthia, echeveria, crassula, tillandsia, and air plants are a few kinds to think about.
Peace Lily
These houseplants are well known for being attractive and simple to care for. They don’t need much water to keep healthy, which is perfect for people who don’t have a nice garden. According to NASA studies, Peace Lillies are the best plants for eliminating airborne pollutants. To avoid the leaves becoming brown from direct sunlight, simply place them in a shady spot. They only need to be watered once a week, but to maintain the leaves healthy, you should often mist them with water vapor. The main drawback is that they can be poisonous to both people and animals if consumed.
Bamboo Palm
Because of its tropical appearance and insect-repelling properties, the bamboo palm is another well-liked purifying houseplant. Bamboo Palms commonly called “reed palms,” enjoy strong indirect light and temperatures between 60 and 70 F (16-21°C). As they adjust to the circumstances inside, they frequently lose some of their foliage, but this is natural. The new growth will be slowed or even prevented if you pinch the tip of the new stalks, so remove the dead fronds instead. This houseplant is also very effective at removing pollutants from the air.
Gerbera Daisy
Gorgeous Gerbera daisies not only make your house prettier, but they also improve the air in your apartment. Because gerbera daisies are a unique plant that releases oxygen at night, put them in your bedroom for peaceful sleep. As soon as the soil in the container dries out, they need sunlight and water, therefore they need some maintenance.
Iron Plant
It thrives as an indoor plant and gets big enough to be noticeable without taking over your entire living space. The cast iron plant thrives in low-light environments and is ideal for indoor settings. The cast-iron plant needs indirect light since direct sunlight might burn its leaves. This indicates that it may be cultivated inside close to windows that face north or even far away from windows in a deep chamber. The cast iron plant’s capacity to enhance the air quality is another benefit. A thorough NASA study shows that indoor plants have the ability to absorb dangerous pollutants like benzene and formaldehyde that are present in homes and office buildings.
New York Planting Zones
Depending on where you live in New York City, you are either in Zone 7a or Zone 7b according to the USDA’s classification of plant hardiness. Zone 7 can grow a lot more plants because it has a longer growing season. Many plants can withstand the cold as well. Hardy fruiting plants like peach and apple trees are also excellent choices, as are herbs that can survive the winter. Strawberries and blackberries are only two examples of berries that thrive in New York City. Tropical plants that require a lot of heat all year round won’t do as well outside, and you could have trouble providing them with adequate light indoors.
The final frost typically occurs around April 5th in New York City. You should start your seeds inside at the end of January if you intend to grow herbs like thyme or rosemary. Midway through March is the ideal time to sow seeds inside for crops like watermelons, pumpkins, cucumbers, or zucchini. The first fall frost in New York occurs around mid-November. Remember that May is often when New York City experiences the greatest rainfall. Zone 7 has forgiving weather, so you may easily cultivate a variety of fruits, herbs, and vegetables to enjoy every year by being mindful.
The Final Words
In New York City, space is always a concern whether you are gardening indoors or outside. Thinking vertically is one way to get around this! If you just have a little outdoor space, growing trellis plants might make it feel greener without taking up all of your gardening space. If you want to save room while still enjoying new plant buddies indoors, think about hanging plants that will look good and also save up space.
After choosing a plant, it’s time to ensure its success. Although the three elements of light, temperature, and water are essential for a healthy plant, there are ways to improve them regardless of your surroundings or lifestyle. For instance, you may choose a grow lamp if your home receives little natural light. If your apartment has a lot of windows, think about when the sun is at its highest point and whether anything is in the way of its direct light. Above all, relax and enjoy yourself with your plants.