Hello, Wednesday! I’m back on the blog today with a brand new post about something I absolutely love: PLANTS! Ever since I bought my first cactus two years ago, I’ve been a dedicated plant mama. I often get asked how I keep my plants alive and which ones are best for living in an apartment, so today I’m here to share all the details!
First off, the key to giving your plants the best life is choosing ones based on your personal lifestyle and where you live. For me, I’m a relatively busy person, so by having plants that only need to be watered a few times a week, I can remain accountable for their care. Cacti, succulents and Aloe Vera plants are some of the easiest to take care of in a small space, so that’s a good place to start!
Point number two: make sure that you have a legit set-up for your plants near a window that receives direct sunlight at some point during the day. The nice thing about cacti and succulents is that they don’t need consistent sunlight, but they do need a decent amount of it. Just be aware of how the sun rises and sets in your apartment, that way you can map out the best place for them to live.
Here are some general care tips that I’ve found to be super helpful!
- When you’re watering your plants, use a liquid measuring cup. This helps you get a visual for how much water you’re giving your plants.
- Cacti, succulents and Aloe Vera plants don’t need to be drenched in water. When watering, pour about a teaspoon of water to cover the surface of soil surrounding your plant. If the soil looks particularly dry, you can always add a little more water.
- Be conscious of what you’re putting your plants in. I’m all for trying to use found objects as pots for my plants, but that’s not what they’re designed to be. I’ve found that over time, your plants are best suited in a pot that allows them room to grow.
- To follow up with No. 3, be gentle when re-potting your plants. They are super fragile, especially if they’ve already made roots in the pot they are currently in. Wear gardening gloves and make sure not to pull the plant out of its current pot being as you could rip the roots entirely.
- Don’t over water! This has to be the biggest reason why plants tend to die. If you have cacti, succulents or Aloe Vera plants, there is no reason you need to be watering them all the time. Just be aware of their color and soil quality every day and play it by year.
Living in a small space doesn’t mean that you can’t have plants. You just have to be a little bit more wise about where they are placed and how you care for them! Today, I’m going to be sharing about the different types of plants that I currently have.
Aloe Vera
Planter: World Market
I’ve been wanting an Aloe Vera plant for so long, and I finally took the plunge when I was at Lowe’s this past weekend. It was only five dollars, so I couldn’t pass it up! Aloe Vera plants are a little more difficult to care for than cacti or succulents. Of all plants you don’t want to over-water, it’s this one. It won’t last long if the soil is flooded.
They’re really dependent on having enough sunshine each day, so it may be difficult to keep one looking lively if you live in a colder climate. I’ve heard of people up north using LED lights to keep their Aloe Vera plants alive in the winter, but you’ll just have to see what works for you and your apartment.
Also, if you’re interested in getting an Aloe Vera plant for the purpose of using the aloe inside of the leaves, make sure that you give it time to grow before removing any leaves! Yes, there really is aloe in there and it’s awesome, but let it grow a little bit first!
Balloon Cactus
This lil’ guy was my first cactus ever! I bought it at The Cleveland Flea from one of the plant vendors whose name I wish I remembered! The cactus is inside a hollowed log, which was the main reason I bought it. I’ve moved three times with this cactus just chilling in the cup holder of my car, so it’s been around for the long haul!
It hasn’t grown much since I bought it, but it’s still healthy and living its best life!
blue barrel cactus
Planter: Anthropologie
Another favorite in my cactus collection! This one has definitely been a little more temperamental to take care of in comparison to my other cacti. For some reason, it has some issues staying in the center of every pot I plant it in. I’ve tried using stakes to keep it growing straight up, but it’s just doin’ its own thing at this point!
Cactus No. 3 & No. 4
Planters: World Market + Anthropologie
These two cacti were actually siamese twins when I bought them! They were sold as two cacti growing from the same set of roots in one pot. This past weekend, I realized that they were growing apart from each other, so I decided to take it upon myself to separate them into individual pots! I did some serious research for you guys to try and figure out what type of cacti these are, and I believe that they are Pilosorcereus Lanuginosus.
Cactus No. 5
Planter: World Market
I purchased this cactus with the siamese cacti I mentioned above. I was obsessed with the little pink flowers on it! I initially had this one growing inside of a terrarium, but decided it would probably be better off in a pot. It’s actually grown quite a bit since I bought it, so I’m wondering what it will look like a year from now! Once again, I tried researching the type of cactus this one is and I think that it’s Mammillaria Guelzowiana.
I hope you enjoyed this post about different plants that you can make work for your apartment! It’s possible to be a great plant parent with a little knowledge on watering and finding the right window full of sunshine! If you have any questions about my plants or how I take care of them, don’t hesitate to comment below!
See ya Friday, friends!
Alicia <3