FIVE EASY-TO-CARE-FOR HOUSEPLANTS

Hey, friends! We have had LOTS of requests for this post, and I am really excited to share it with you today! 
Over the past few years, I've gone from a plant killer to a borderline-crazy plant LOVER. They really are my favorite thing about our home and what makes it feel like HOME to me. 
Now, some are easier to care for than others! And there's nothing worse than buying a special plant only to have it die on you when you are trying your best to care for it (I'm looking at you fiddle leaf fig trees!). So today I've rounded up five types of plants that are on the easier side to care for, that can live in mixed lighting and are pretty low maintenance. These are the ones that are thriving and growing like crazy in my home. 
Hope you enjoy! 



 1. Philodendron – I have a lot of these in our spaces. They can live in high light, but don't need it, and they do pretty well with my slight over-watering tendencies. They grow very large. The one above is newer, and the one below we've had for about six months. 
 (It's almost twice the size of when we bought it!) 
 I also love the split-leaf philodendron. It's slightly prettier (to me) and just as easy to care for. 
 We have four of these in the house and the oldest one is almost TOO big. They grow really quickly.








 2. Cactus – It's no secret that I REALLY love Cacti. There are endless varieties. I am trying to buy more of the spineless ones from here on out, just to keep the house a little more safe for children (we have a LOT of kiddo house guests and visitors around here). I love the huge variety they come in! 

 These prickly pear cacti are probably my favorite to collect. Mine have been growing REALLY well. You can see here, all the bright green pieces are new growth. They're so pretty. There are even some varieties (not these) that can live outdoors in Tennessee through the winter. SUPER excited to plant some outside.
 This huge eight foot cactus is super low maintenance. I'm only supposed to water it once a month (that's pretty normal for cacti). 
 3. Snake Plant – These snake plants are very easy to keep alive and work well in low light rooms. In rooms with high light (like our sunroom) they do well too, they just grow more. I love the shape they have, good for variety!








 4. Ponytail Palm Trees 
A type of bonsai tree, these little guys have SO much personality and are very easy to care for. I have three in very different sizes (the mini is the cutest, though, I have to say!), and they live in rooms with high and low light, even though they are recommended for low light. 

Here's the big one...
 I love that their leaves look like hair. So adorable!! 
5. Ivy – These are my favorite for hanging planters because they can grow really long and pretty. This one is growing like crazy in our kitchen right now.
When it comes to watering and keeping them alive, here are the two tricks that help me!
Water on the same day every week. My day is Sunday. We usually tidy up on that day too, so that's the first step in that process. It's really good to get into a consistent routine so you don't forget about watering. When I buy new plants, I always check the tag or ask how much much to water and what kind of light, but after a while, it's up to you to use common sense and tweak things if your plant seems unhealthy.
Move them around. If you notice brown leaves or a lot of dropped leaves and you know you're watering the correct amount, then move them to a different lighting situation. Sometimes the smallest changes (like one room over) can be the difference between dying and thriving for my plants. Just pretend they are people who can't talk and keep trying different things until they seem happy.  :)
I hope these suggestions are helpful! If you have any questions, I am happy to answer them. And I would love to hear YOUR suggestions for any houseplants that have been easy to care for! xx- Elsie

Credits// Author and Photography: Elsie Larson, Photos edited with A Beautiful Mess actions.
SOURCE:abeautifulmess.com

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