Plants can lift your mood and make your student apartment feel like home. You may also find that it’s relaxing to take care of plants. However, the last thing you want is to end up with high-maintenance plants that you struggle to keep in good condition or that die when you’re away for a few nights. For this reason, it’s best to choose plants that are perfect for student housing. Here are a few options to try.
1. Succulents
Most succulents are easy to care for and look attractive, which makes them ideal for brightening up your apartment. You have a wide range to choose from in a variety of colours and shapes. If you buy miniature succulents, they’ll be particularly easy to take with you when you move out.
Succulents typically require a sunny spot, such as on a window ledge or in a hanging pot near a window. You only need to water them twice a month at most during the winter and once a week the rest of the year. Give them plenty of water in one go and then leave them be.
2. Aloe Vera
One type of succulent that’s particularly ideal for a student apartment is aloe vera. A medicinal plant, it treats mild skin complaints like burns. As an alternative to buying aloe vera creams, you can cut the leaf of your plant and apply the gel directly to your skin. Since aloe vera grows in warm climates, you’ll need to keep the plant inside. Water it infrequently, allowing the top layer of soil to dry out completely before watering it again.
3. Bamboo Palm
A top choice for improving air quality is a bamboo palm. This is a great choice if you’ve recently purchased new furniture and you want to remove the fumes from your apartment and improve the smell of the air. To keep your bamboo palm healthy, place it somewhere out of direct sunlight. You’ll need to water it regularly, but avoid allowing the soil to become too wet. The only other care the plant will require is frequent trimming — otherwise, it can become too tall and wide for your apartment.
4. Spider Plant
A popular houseplant for cool climates is a spider plant. It’s easy to keep alive, provided you place it in the shade and ensure the pot has good drainage. With its long, green leaves bordered with white and white flowers when in bloom, this is an aesthetically-pleasing plant. Best of all, it will eventually grow spiderettes, which you can keep hanging from the original plant or cut off to start new plants, such as to give to a friend.
5. Orchids
For a plant with dramatic flowers, choose an orchid. The flowers come in a wide range of colours and some interesting shapes. Orchids are also ideal if you want to increase the humidity in your apartment. Although they’re native to tropical regions, they’ll stay alive and thriving if you ensure the indoor temperature is always warm. They also need soil that drains well and remains moist. You can achieve this by using fir bark soil or a combination of charcoal and peat moss, or by adding sand to potting soil.
Something else to consider is whether you have enough room for plants in your student residence. Waterloo students at MyRez receive a spacious suite with a private bedroom where they can have many plants without running the risk of making the apartment feel cramped. Book a video tour to see where you could be living.