-
Step 1
Consider your skill level with houseplants. If you are a beginner, consider starting with types of houseplants such as cacti and succulents. Easy-to-grow tropical plants include the spider plant, pothos, the snake plant and the rubber tree.
-
Step 2
Evaluate the lighting options in your home. South windows provide the most light for houseplants, followed by east windows, then west windows and then north windows. Plants requiring low light can be placed away from a window if the room is bright.
-
Step 3
Consider how your lifestyle matches up with your plants. All plants need consistent watering, but some can tolerate long dry spells. If you can not water your plants consistently once a week, avoid tropical plants and grow succulents. If you can not water your plants consistently once every two weeks, grow cacti which can survive three weeks or sometimes more without water.
-
Step 4
Choose houseplants carefully if you have cats, dogs or small children. Many types of houseplants, such as Dumbcane, Philodendron and spider plants are poisonous. Go to TheGardenHelper.com, click on "house plants" and then "toxic house plants" for a list of types of poisonous plants.
-
Step 5
Consider your space. Ivies do best if placed in hanging baskets, small upright plants do best on tables and trees often need to be placed on the floor and require their own window when they are several years old. Remember trees such as Rubber Plants, Jade Plants and Crotons will eventually require a lot of space. If it looks like a tree, research how big it might get before you bring it into your home.
-
Step 6
Determine whether you can accommodate houseplants needing high humidity. Cacti and succulents do not require high humidity, but most tropical plants do. You can provide humidity by placing plants in groups, placing them on trays of pebbles or running a humidifier in the room. Bathrooms are great places for tropical plants.
