We explore how one plant lover in Brooklyn manages to care for over 60 houseplants in her small apartment, even keeping plants in surprising spots like the shower. This article dives into the details of cultivating an urban jungle in limited space, providing tips for watering, lighting, plant choices, and more.
Introduction
For plant parents living in tiny urban apartments, finding space for even a few houseplants can be a challenge. But Brooklyn resident XXXX has managed to accumulate over 60 thriving indoor plants in her small rental, turning every bit of available space into a leafy paradise.
XXXX’s passion for plants began years ago with just a few hardy houseplants. But in recent years her collection has expanded rapidly as she learned how to care for more delicate varieties. Her plants range from easy pothos vines trailing over bookshelves to finicky calatheas with vivid foliage.
Cramming this many plants into a studio apartment may seem impossible to some urban gardeners. But XXXX has discovered clever solutions to common obstacles like insufficient light and limited flat surfaces. Her success offers inspiration and practical tips for plant parents working with a small space.
In this article, we take a deep dive into XXXX’s Brooklyn jungle. We’ll explore how she meets her plants’ needs in ingenious ways, including shower shelves for extra greenery. XXXX’s story proves that almost any space can be transformed into an indoor oasis with the right mix of creativity and plant care know-how.
Choosing the Right Plants for a Small Space
When cultivating an urban indoor jungle, careful plant selection is key. XXXX recommends focusing on varieties that can thrive without direct sunlight and in cramped quarters. Here are some of her top picks for small-space plants:
Low-Light Tolerant Species
Plants like pothos, Chinese evergreens, and philodendrons can grow happily in low to medium indirect light. This makes them ideal choices for apartments or rooms with northern or eastern exposures. XXXX uses these plants in darker corners and hangs trailing philodendrons in front of windows to maximize space.
Small Varieties
Miniature cultivars, such as dwarf snake plants, petite peace lilies, and baby’s tears, are perfect for squeezing into tight spots. Their compact size allows them to fit on small shelves or desktops. XXXX opts for tiny cacti and succulents to add to her windowsills.
Vining Plants
Fast-growing vining plants can quickly cover blank walls and stretch across ceilings to maximize vertical space. XXXX uses pothos, philodendrons, and hoya vines to add greenery without claiming valuable floor area. She runs their trailing stems along ledges and allows them to drape gracefully from hooks.
Air Purifying Plants
Varieties like spider plants, ferns, and dracaenas are excellent air detoxifiers, helping remove pollutants from indoor air. Their air-purifying capabilities make them useful additions to refresh cramped spaces. XXXX clusters these plants in her living room and bedroom where they can filter the air while cleaning toxins.
Easy Care Species
When space is limited, it helps to choose plants that don’t need frequent repotting or excessive pruning. XXXX recommends picks like zz plants, jade plants, aloe vera, and air plants for their easy maintenance. This allows her time to focus on plants that require more attention without becoming overwhelmed.
Optimizing Lighting Solutions
Lack of sufficient sunlight can be a roadblock for urban plant parents. XXXX maximizes light for her plants with strategic room layouts and artificial lighting options. Here are some of the techniques she relies on:
Positioning Plants by Window Light
XXXX keeps her most light-hungry plants like monsteras and palm trees right next to windows so they can soak up maximum sunlight. She angles the leaves toward the panes and rotates the plants occasionally so all sides get illuminated.
Adding Supplemental Lighting
Grow lights and UV lamps provide extra illumination for plants situated in darker spots. XXXX uses clip-on plant lights positioned close to the foliage to give her plants the light levels they need. She leaves the lights on 12-14 hours per day.
Using Mirrors and Reflectors
Mirrors or reflective panels placed near plants can bounce available light back onto the leaves. XXXX mounts small mirrors behind plants to essentially double their light exposure and help them thrive.
Choosing Low-Light Varieties
For rooms without windows, like bathrooms, XXXX stocks up on low-light plants that can survive on minimal illumination. Snake plants and ZZ plants do well in her dim bathroom supplemented occasionally by a portable grow light.
Monitoring Light Conditions
XXXX uses a light meter app on her phone to assess the existing light levels around her apartment and determine the best placements for certain plants. She checks the meter readings about once a month and relocates plants if needed.
Displaying Plants Creatively in a Small Space
With floor and table space at a premium, finding stable spots for dozens of potted plants can be tricky. XXXX has come up with creative solutions for safely displaying her plants using the vertical space available. Some of her display ideas include:
Wall-Mounted Shelves
XXXX installed floating corner shelves and Rail systems on several walls to hold small potted plants. This takes advantage of vertical real estate and gets plants up closer to light sources.
Hanging Baskets
Hanging plants from hooks, rods, and macrame allow greenery to take up air space rather than floor area. XXXX uses hanging wires to display trailing pothos above her kitchen sink and philodendrons in her living area.
High Ledges and Ledges
XXXX added repurposed wooden boards and brackets to create ledges near the ceiling for displaying plants. She also uses her existing bookshelves and cabinets topped with plants.
Windowsill and Mantle Displays
XXXX arranges small pots and planters artfully along her windowsills and fireplace mantle for an elevated plant display. These spots get good light which benefits the plants.
Bathroom Shelving
Unexpected spots like inside the shower provide additional options for tucking in plants. XXXX installed floating shelves in her shower lined with minisucculents and orchids that thrive in the humidity.
Watering Strategies and Systems for Numerous Plants
Keeping up with watering is one of the top challenges of having a plant collection in small quarters. It takes strategic systems to ensure so many plants get hydrated properly. XXXX developed some effective methods:
Grouping by Water Needs
XXXX groups together plants with similar watering needs, such as cacti and succulents that prefer less frequent watering. This makes hydration schedules easier to manage.
Setting Up Sub-Irrigation
For large clusters of plants, XXXX uses sub-irrigation systems like self-watering pots that wick up water as needed. This automates some of the watering tasks.
Implementing a Schedule
XXXX developed a strict watering schedule with reminders for when to hydrate each plant grouping. This helps ensure every plant’s needs are met consistently.
Using Soil Moisture Meters
These handy meters tell XXXX exactly when her plant’s soil is dry enough to require more water. They take the guesswork out of deciding if a plant needs hydrating.
Allowing Bathroom Shower Moisture
XXXX positions some plants like orchids and bromeliads in her bathroom intentionally, allowing the ambient moisture from showers to supplement their humidity needs.
Using Hydrogels and Water Retention Crystals
Mixing these acrylamide polymer crystals into potting soil helps it absorb and retain more moisture so plants need less frequent watering overall.
Battling Pests in a Densely Planted Space
With so many plants together in a confined area, pest invasions can spread rapidly. XXXX employs these organic defenses to protect her plants:
Quarantining New Plants
Any new plant additions get isolated in a separate room for a few weeks before joining the main collection. This prevents bringing in new pests accidentally.
Setting Sticky Traps
Yellow and blue sticky traps help catch adult fungus gnats and thrips flying around seeking plants to infest. XXXX places several traps nearby susceptible plants.
Using Beneficial Insects
Releasing ladybugs, lacewings, and other beneficial predators in her apartment provides free pest control. XXXX orders these handy helpers online to patrol her plants.
Pruning Away Infested Plant Parts
At the first sign of pests like spider mites, XXXX prunes away the infested stem tips and discards them immediately to prevent spreading.
Treating with Horticultural Oils and Soaps
These organic oil sprays smother soft-bodied pests on contact. XXXX uses them preventatively against scale, mites, and mealybugs. They help limit chemical pesticide use.
Setting Trays of Beer
Traps filled with beer or apple cider vinegar tempt and drown fungus gnats seeking a spot to breed. XXXX keeps several near potted plants to curb gnat populations.
Best Practices for Fertilizing in Tight Spaces
Proper fertilization is tricky but essential when cultivating a high-density plant collection. XXXX follows these tips to fertilize effectively with limited space:
Focus on Foliar Feeding
Spraying diluted liquid fertilizers directly onto leaves allows precise application with minimal mess, unlike top-dressing the soil. XXXX foliar feeds every few weeks.
Use Controlled-Release Options
Granular fertilizers that slowly dispense nutrients through the soil over months are perfectly convenient for her crowded space. XXXX mixes them into soil as needed.
Lean Toward Organic Options
XXX avoids chemical fertilizers that could harm her or her plants in confined quarters. She prefers gentle organic choices like compost tea, worm castings, and wood ash.
Spot Treat Certain Plants
Rather than feeding everything uniformly, XXXX takes care to target fertilizing only plants showing signs of nutrient deficiencies or special needs.
Flush Soil Between Applications
To prevent buildup and salt damage in potted plants, XXXX irrigates thoroughly to flush out mineral deposits between fertilizer applications.
Air Circulation Strategies for a Small Space
Proper airflow is critical for the health of indoor plants but can be difficult to maintain when space is tight and plants are abundant. Here are XXXX’s solutions:
Operating Fans
XXXX runs ceiling fans and portable fans on low speed during the day to keep air gently circulating around her plants. Stagnant air encourages pests and diseases.
Opening Windows
During appropriate weather, XXXX widely opens her windows daily to exchange stale indoor air for fresh breezes. This provides periodic blasts of air movement.
Arranging Plants Strategically
XXXX spaces her plants adequately, avoiding overcrowding so air can flow freely between them. She also prunes and thins dense foliage to enhance penetration.
Using Air Duct Vents
Where possible, XXXX positions plants near air return vents so they benefit from the intermittent airflow. But she avoids hot forced-air outlets that could damage plants.
Installing Air Plants
Small tillandsia air plants hung in her bathroom add lovely greenery without impeding air movement much. Their minimal soil requirements also help air circulation near the floor.
Maintaining High Humidity for Lush Growth
Many desirable houseplants originate in tropical locales and appreciate elevated humidity. In dry indoor air, their foliage can suffer. XXXX uses several humidifying techniques:
Grouping Together
Having many plants in one space inevitably increases transpiration and humidity. XXXX clusters moisture-loving plants to take advantage of this effect.
Using Pebble Trays
Placing potted plants on trays filled with pebbles and water creates localized humidity through evaporation. XXXX uses this for her foliage plants.
Regular Misting
XXXX hand mists her plants a few times a day, focusing on those requiring higher moisture like ferns. This temporarily boosts humidity levels surrounding the plants.
Operating Humidifiers
XXXX runs humidifiers in her living room and bedroom to raise the ambient humidity, especially in winter when indoor air is driest.
Showering Nearby
XXXX’s bathroom plants soak up humidity from daily showers. The moisture helps attenuate drying heat from the bathroom’s grow lights.
Conclusion
XXXX’s densely planted Brooklyn apartment demonstrates that limited space need not limit your horticultural pursuits. A passion for plants can transform even the most cramped rental into a leafy oasis. With the right mix of plant choices, adaptive methods, and a dash of creativity, your indoor garden can flourish!
The key is selecting compact, low-maintenance plants suited for low-light and low-humidity conditions. Seek out miniature varieties, air-purifying species, and resilient plants that can readily adapt to suboptimal indoor growing environments.
Your displays can become more vertical, tucking plants into hanging planters, wall mounts, upper shelves, and any other elevated spots with decent air circulation and lighting. Watering and fertilizing will take some coordination, but establishing set schedules and leveraging convenience tools like sub-irrigation and moisture meters can simplify the process.
Stay vigilant against pests, implement air circulation techniques, and boost humidity where you can. Your plants may not always look perfectly lush, but their tenacity and singular beauty emerging from cramped urban conditions will bring joy and a sense of connection with nature. With some flexibility and dedication, plant parents can find room to nurture their personal indoor Edens no matter the square footage.
Frequently Asked Questions about Caring for Plants in Small Spaces
Q: What are the best plants for small spaces with limited light?
A: The top low-light plants include pothos, Chinese evergreens, ZZ plants, philodendrons, snake plants, peace lilies, ferns, and dracaenas. Focus on low-light tolerant plants if your space lacks bright natural light.
Q: How can I provide enough humidity for tropical plants in my apartment?
A: Use humidifiers, cluster plants together, place pots on pebble trays, mist frequently, take advantage of nearby showers, and avoid excessive heating and AC which strips humidity from the air.
Q: What are some good tips for watering numerous plants efficiently in a small home?
A: Group plants by similar watering needs, establish a strict watering schedule, rely on soil moisture meters, use self-watering pots or passive sub-irrigation, and make use of ambient humidity from bathrooms.
Q: What fertilization methods work best for potted plants in crowded indoor spaces?
A: Look into organic liquid fertilizers you can apply foliarly, slow-release granular fertilizer blends to mix into soil, and occasional gentle organic feeds like compost tea and wood ash. Flush salts between applications.
Q: How can I maximize airflow and circulation for indoor plants without taking up more space?
A: Operate fans continuously on low speed, open windows when possible, space plants adequately, prune dense growth, position plants near HVAC vents, install air plants, and avoid overcrowding.
Q: What are some effective organic methods to control pests when you have limited space between plants?
A: Employ yellow sticky traps, release predatory insects, prune away infested parts immediately, use horticultural oils/soaps preventatively, set out dishes of beer or vinegar, quarantine new plants, and regularly inspect for early signs.
Key Takeaways: Caring for Plants in Small Urban Spaces
- Select small, low-light, low-maintenance plants suited for cramped indoor conditions. Prioritize air-purifying, miniature, trailing, and low-light varieties.
- Maximize vertical space with wall shelves, hanging baskets, high ledges, bathroom shelving, and creative displays along windowsills and mantles.
- Supplement with grow lights and carefully place plants in optimal natural light. Use mirrors and reflective panels to increase illumination.
- Group plants by watering needs and utilize methods like sub-irrigation, schedules, and moisture meters to simplify watering.
- Promote air circulation with fans, temporary windows, careful spacing, pruning, and positioning near HVAC vents. Avoid stagnant air.
- Boost humidity through grouping, pebble trays, misting, humidifiers, and shower moisture. Protect plants from heating and AC.
- Control pests organically via traps, beneficials, quarantines, prunings, horticultural sprays, beer/vinegar, and vigilance.
- Fertilize carefully, focusing on organic foliar feeds, slow-release options to minimize buildup. Flush salts regularly.