Want To Be A Plant Parent? 10 Easy-to-Grow Plants For First-Time Gardeners

Bring home a snake plant. It may be ornamental but it’s also a great air purifier. It thrives in low light, needs minimal water and absorbs toxins and chemicals from the air. It’s almost impossible to kill a Snake Plant; and it stands upright with crisp, sword-like green leaves that only need to be watered once a week. You can buy a small pot from Ugaoo and begin building your indoor garden.

Here are more indoor plants (and planters for them) if you're looking to pick up more. 

Known to improve air quality and also commonly grown for Feng Shui reasons, the Money Plant is another indoor plant that’s low on maintenance and easy to grow. Each green, heart-shaped leaf has beautiful variegations and is glossy; and the best bit is of course that the plant needs watering only once a week. Get a pot from Ugaoo and place it in bright indirect sunlight, and let it grow.

You think growing fruits or vegetables requires expert gardening skills? Not if you’re growing tomatoes! You can grow (and cook) tomatoes from your own little garden, which we bet will taste sweeter after all the hard work you’ll put into it. It’s hard to ruin a tomato plant, although you may have to be mindful about birds plucking them once the tomatoes grow out. You can shop for GMO-free seeds from All That Grows; or get a Tomato Plant Kit from Ugaoo, which comes with manure and soil, cow dung disc, seeds, a spray bottle, drain tray and instructions on how to care for the plant. 

If you love to cook, why not sprout your own herb garden? Basil is an easy herb to grow, and very aromatic also, no? Basil needs ample sunlight, so ensure you’re placing your pots on a terrace or a balcony. You can easily grow a plant that yields two-three-inch long, dark green fragrant leaves that are also flavorful and can be used in salads, to make pasta sauces and more. It grows in all seasons but needs to be watered daily. Grab 600 basil seeds in one pack by All That Grows. 

An Instagram and millennial favourite, Monstera has become increasingly popular in recent times. Its shredded big wide leaves add LOTS of green to any home and they look great making a statement in any living room corner. And, they’re effortless! All you need to do is water them twice a week in the evening. But, be sure to prune it as this plant can grow to monstrous proportions. You’ll also have to keep it away from any other plants as Monstera can grow roots across pots and drain other plants of their nutrients.

A hanging Grape Ivy could make any room look alive! And, it’s a plant with a lot of character too. With quirky shaped leaves that are both fleshy and glossy, this climbing vine grows with stems that have reddish hair and the leaflets usually have silky brownish hair beneath. In summers, few greenish flowers followed by dark berries may appear too. This indoor plant looks best in a hanging planter and it needs bright indirect sunlight, water three times a week, and of course lots of admiration. Order a pot from myBageecha and let it grow!

If you pick up this Grape Ivy, here are planter options to plant it in. 

A plant that looks good, purifies the air and is easy to grow; need we say more? Peace Lilies are beautiful white hooded flowers that bloom with minimal care, and their large, glossy, oblong leaves add to the plant’s beauty too. Keep them in bright indirect sunlight and water them twice a week. Your plant will keep blooming! These look great in planters made of jute, cane, and the like, and here are some options to consider.

Commonly found in most homes, Anthurium is quite exotic looking and blooms all through the year. It has large, leathery, arrow-shaped green leaves and heart-shaped red flowers. So it also doubles up as decor around the house and looks great in any living space. Place it in bright indirect sunlight; ensure that you water this plant once a week.

Also called the ‘Song of India’, Dracaena is a slow-growing houseplant that’s ideal on a tabletop! You can easily grow this and it’s a plant that’s easy to maintain too. Its main attraction is its leaves, which are glossy, arch over and grow up to one foot long and a couple of inches or so wide too. You can get yourself a pot of it from myBageecha and place it under direct sunlight and water it once a week. While this plant is not poisonous to humans, it is highly poisonous to dogs and cats; so get this only if you don’t have any pets. 

Need a compact planter for this?  Here are the options below under INR 499.

A perennial flowering succulent, Kalanchoe comes with a choice of pink or red flowers (we personally love the pink!). And, this plant is an absolute showstopper! Place its pot in direct sunlight and watch it put on a show. You can place it on a tabletop, but if you give it room to grow it can easily stand up to 1.5ft tall. Water it twice a week and let this diva grow outdoors. You can get a pot of it from Nursery Live and have it bloom in your home.

Also, you must check out this list of air-purifying indoor plants. If you're still feeling dicey and get these artificial plants.