A succulent on the windowsill and a money plant by the bed. Having plants in our homes just makes a space feel so much cozier, and there’s no question that foliage brightens up a room. Flowers, cactuses, bonsais, or whatever else floats your boat, having greenery around is one of the best ways to make your home more inviting. Especially for younger generations who don’t have children yet or don’t plan to have any, it can be rewarding to become a mother or father to a few little shrubs. According to Garden Pals, 70% of millennials identify as “plant parents”, and demand for houseplants shot up by 18% during the pandemic.

Unfortunately, we don’t all have a knack for taking care of these little, green children, as the average plant parent has killed 7 of their babies, but we continue to adopt more. Two thirds of American households own at least one plant, and the average household spends over $600 on gardening goods every year. But it makes sense to dedicate so much time, energy and effort to our plant babies when we realize how beneficial they can be. It only takes 15 minutes of interaction with houseplants to reduce your stress levels, and having plants around can even increase your productivity by up to 15%.  

If you’re trying to get your health on track, it might be wise to invest in some houseplants as well, as people who have more plants in their workspace actually take fewer sick days. This might be because houseplants remove up to 87% of airborne toxins in only 24 hours. Plus, having plants around can even benefit your cooking, as two thirds of adults grow or are planning to grow edible plants. Speaking from personal experience, there is nothing better than topping off a meal with some fresh basil or dill from your own garden!

If you’d like to invest in some houseplants but just aren’t sure which ones will suit your home best, it might be helpful to know the most commonly purchased indoor plants. Based on Google searches, some of the most popular houseplants appear to be snake plants, philodendrons, aloe vera, peace lilies, pothos and peperomia. If you’re in need of a durable plant, my partner has a snake plant that has survived various moves over many years in several different countries, and it’s still standing tall!

To gain more insight on houseplants from an expert, we reached out to author and journalist specializing in plants and gardening Jane Perrone, who was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda. We were curious how Jane first got into houseplants, and she shared that she’s actually been growing them since she was a small child. “I just loved them from a very young age. I find them fascinating and love watching them grow and change.”

Jane also happens to be an expert in potting plants in creative ways. “I hate spending money on pots, so I tend to buy cheap containers from thrift stores and reuse things from my kitchen cupboards,” she told Bored Panda. “Salad dishes, casserole dishes, terracotta wine coolers and china bowls can all be pressed into service as pots. I add drainage holes using a drill with a ceramic tile bit.”

“I also love potting plants in terracotta pots, especially cacti and succulents which tend to prefer this porous material as it ensures the roots do not get waterlogged,” Jane continued. “You can buy these new, but often if you look on sites like Craigslist and Freegle, you can find people selling terracotta pots cheaply after having a clearout of a garden building.” 

When it comes to what the most important things to keep in mind are when potting plants, Jane says, “Make sure that the size of pot you choose matches the size of the root ball. If you use too large a container, you end up leaving a big area of unrooted potting medium that can lead to root rot. So make sure that the new pot is just a little larger than the existing one - you should be able to get just one or two fingers between the pots when you nest them one inside the other.”

“I also encourage people to try combining several plants with similar care needs in a single container,” Jane added. “It reduces that 'muddle of pots' look and cuts back on the amount of watering needed! This could either be done by placing individually potted plants into one large shallow container with a layer of expanded clay pebbles at the base to absorb water overflow, or by putting plants' root balls into a single reservoir of potting compost.”

Jane also recommends that all prospective plant parents do their research before making purchases. “Find out what conditions they like and consider whether you can supply those conditions in your home,” she says. “Most of the time, we underestimate how much light plants need, but if you think plants aren't getting enough light, move them towards a window gradually to prevent sunburn.”

And if you find yourself with a plant that's struggling, Jane warns not to place it on a high shelf. “Put it somewhere you can observe it on a daily basis. This will help you to spot problems quickly before they get out of hand.”

If you’d like to gain more insight from this plant-loving expert, be sure to check out Jane’s book on houseplants, Legends of the Leaf, right here or her website right here!

Are you feeling inspired to turn your own home into an urban jungle, pandas? Even if you’re not a natural at keeping plants alive and thriving, I’m sure you can find something you can manage to take care of, plus a pot that helps the plant shine. Keep upvoting the pics that you find to be true works of art, and let us know in the comments if you have any more tips for creatively potting houseplants. Then, if you’re interested in checking out another Bored Panda article featuring adorable plants, look no further than right here!