5 Easy Indoor Plants (Even I Can Keep Alive!)

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You guys. People really CAN change.

I mean, I used to kill every blessed plant that entered this house. I wanted so badly to have a green thumb, but I just thought it wasn’t in the cards.

Until two years ago. Our nephew, Jeff, knew I’d been eyeing fiddle leaf figs and lo and behold, he spotted them in his local Safeway and bought me one! (He is Mr. Nature – like, FOR REAL – and knows his stuff. And has excellent taste, clearly;). But can I tell you the level of stress I put upon myself to keep this fig tree alive?! I mean, 1. because it’s gorgeous and looked FABULOUS in my family room, but 2. It was such a sweet gesture and gift, and I was not about to kill this precious thing!

So I bombarded Jeff for weeks with questions.

“Yes, you say water, but HOW MUCH EXACTLY??”

“Yes, you say just put it in a spot where it gets indirect light…but WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU MEAN? Is this corner ok” <sends picture>

“We are going away, is she going to be ok while we’re gone?!”

Yes, people. Jeff is a saint.

But just like any new parent;),  you get used to things and what things you used to stress about, you find yourself laughing over. I started thinking, maybe another one??

And after that, maybe a couple more?!

People, I have EIGHT real indoor plants now and I am here to tell you: if I can do this, ANYONE can.

It’s really pretty simple:

1. DO NOT OVERWATER. This was pretty much always my downfall. Water was always good right?! Nope.

2. Buy easy plants.

Ok, the end.

Seriously.

Here are the ones I have around the house – including the original 2 year old, Miss Figgy. Let’s start with her, actually.

1. Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree

(P.S. I took all of these shots today, cross my heart;)

This is my favorite plant of all time. Half for sentimental reasons, half because of the beauty and life she brings to my family room. I don’t see them for sale often, but our Home Depot occasionally gets them in. Amazon apparently is selling plants now, too, and you can find them there. (here’s an affiliate link – ain’t gonna lie – they’re a little bit pricey!)

But the little guys are way more affordable! I have one and I love it.

Here’s a link to a smaller guy: (affiliate)

You can see I love putting them in baskets – these were from HomeGoods, and I just put a cheap plate on the bottom, to catch any dirt and water.

They are SUCH easy houseplants. Just water every other week or so- I don’t keep track! Whenever it gets good and dry – I’m talking, where I stick my finger in the soil and I don’t feel any wetness. And if you have a pretty bright room like mine, you are good to go! That is IT.

2. Swedish Ivy

I spotted this lovely whimsical plant at Home Depot a few months ago and I was immediately drawn to it. When I read that it was an easy plant, I had to put it in the cart! Perfect for the top of my china cabinet…

And I love how it kinda mimics the wreath on the other side of the room!

Again, I have a fairly bright room, and just water it when it’s dry.

3. Philodendron

I mean, talk about easy. I knew I had to get me one of these guys, because the black thumb I was born with? Got it from my mama. And she always had these in the house growing up. So I knew I could handle it!

4. Pothos

So similar to the philodendron to me, I thought that’s what I was buying at first, until I looked at the tag info!

Just as easy to keep alive too. And here’s a fun little secret – this one below was a hanging plant from Home Depot, I removed the plastic hanging hook thing, and slapped some flat craft paint on the plastic green container! Sanded a few spots and there ya go – no one’s the wiser;)

They’re perfect for shelves. Love a pop of green. Here, there, and everywhere. I *may* have a bit of a problem…

5. Lemon Button Fern

Had to consult Jeff to find the official name of this guy! I have a couple of them around here and always called them “baby ferns” – my daughter was with me a while back at Home Depot and she wanted one for her room. Wasn’t thriving too well up there, so we moved hers to the kitchen and is doing much better. So some indirect bright light, some water when it gets dry, and this one will stay with you! Also – a fun watering trick Jeff taught me: fill up a bowl with some room temp water, and stick the plant in it. It’ll absorb the water so it’ll get what it needs.

Also – forgot to mention – I always remove the plants from their planters when I water them. Not sure if that’s normal or weird or what, but I do it. And I let them get a little dry (not dripping when I pick them up), and then stick them back in their cute planters. (This white one above is from Marshalls)

For as many real plants there are around here, you know I love me a good faux one just as much! I mean, this funky Target one is still everything to me…

(BOO! I just went to find a link for you and it’s no longer available. Hate it when that happens!)

So the lesson here folks is this: if you were born with a black thumb like me – there IS hope! If I can keep a plant alive for two years…anything is possible, my friends.

Anything.

Go find one of these beautiful and EASY indoor plants and keep me posted!

Happy Watering – but not too often! 😉

Comments

  1. Have you had any kind of gnat issues from the plants? That’s always my big reason why I don’t attempt to have any live ones in the house because I can’t stand gnats or whatever the gnat-like bugs are that grow in the soil.

    • One time (back when I was a plant killer;), I had all these fruit flies (or what I THOUGHT were fruit flies!) around the house. I couldn’t figured out what was going, especially since these flies weren’t in my kitchen near any rotting fruit or anything…until I read that wet soil can breed these little gnat things – I went over to my floor plant and the soil was FULL of them! I overwatered the heck out of that thing so not only was I killing it, but I was also bringing bugs into my house, lol! Haven’t had an issue since I’ve learned that overwatering is BAD! 😉

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