Hello š Iām a college student interested in nature and I love learning. Iāve always wanted to get into planting, gardening, etc. but it wasnāt until recent and that my cat passed away, that I decided that I should try and figure out how to take care of a plant. I was just curious if anyone could give me some ideas for good plants to get for beginners and maybe some basic information on them. Thanks so much and god bless!
Sorry to hear about your cat! So hard to lose a companion, especially the innocent four-legged kind. I always recommend pothos plants to people who are new to houseplants. Theyāre inexpensive and easy to find, and theyāre very forgiving as youāre learning to care for them. Plus, theyāre easy to propagate from cuttings. I have one pothos that keeps growing, and every time I prune it back, I have a few new pothos plants. My house is full of them. Itās crazy. Remember that too much water can be just as bad (sometimes worse) than too little water. Plantaās advice on pothos care is pretty spot on in my experience.
2 likes Also worth mentioning, if you do get another pet some day, many houseplants are toxic to cats and dogs. Pothos is one of them, itāll make your pets pretty stomach-sick if they eat any.
3 likes This is good to know, I have another cat in the house lol. All very good information so thank you for that!
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So sorry to hear about your kitty š„ŗ I know one of my easiest plants to care for is my Chinese Money plant. It grows quickly and will also grow baby plants that you can give to friends- its nickname is also the friendship plant. Itās okay if youāre a little late on watering, be careful not to overwater, and will thrive in bright but indirect sunlight. I think one of the biggest learning curves is making sure your plant has the right kind of soil and drainage, so its roots are happy and healthy! Your plantsā leaves are key to knowing its health. Thankfully thereās a lot of good videos and articles on the specifics of taking care of many different plants. Good luck!
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Somewhat agreed. Chinese money plants are always forgiving and u always have backups, but i will say, with these they like a little extra light, and truly thrive with extra humidity, otherwise leaves drop and it turns leggy. I agree tho, they are nontoxic and very forgiving otherwise. If ur house is very low light or if you tend to overwater, I'd skip this one. I gave my gma one she managed to kill it unfortunately.
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So sorry for your loss! What a beautiful cat! Definitely agree that if you do intend to get another pet, pet safe plants are very important, especially with cats, as theyāre more likely to try eating or knocking plants over. You could put less safe plants in a room with a closable door to keep pets from getting to them, but as for some non-toxic options, I really love my sedum morganianum, faucaria tigrina, holiday cactus, and especially my peperomia. Iād say peperomia are a great beginner option for lower light conditions. Thereās a ton of different varieties and as long as theyāre in a well-draining soil mix, theyāre as low maintenance as my succulents. Theyāve become a very fast favorite for me. If youāre not looking for a new pet, and okay with plants that arenāt non-toxic, I adore the humble jade. They last decades and are my go-to beginner plant for anyone looking for an easy starter without much maintenance. Succulents are also great starters, but if youāre more into tropical plants or something with lots of big, beautiful foliage, maybe try an aglaonema. Hope this helps!
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my biggest tip for beginners is to not repot as much as you think you need to. i used to repot my plants every couple of months because it would look to big for the pot, not understanding that itās about the size of the roots not the plant that matters. better to leave them in a too small pot than a too big pot, ive lost a lot of plants to root rot from this and find it too be the hardest thing to keep under wraps when it starts to happen. Iām sorry to hear about your cat:(
2 likes Thank you lots, totally something I wouldāve overlooked and i appreciate your condolences š
0 likes Idk it rly depends on if you're an overnurterer or a neglecter. Snake plants do rly rly well in low light conditions and love a lack of watering. Peace lilies can handle a lot more water in a partial sun situation. Uhh pothos is v hardy but that's usually the first ppl say along with snake plants. Jade plants r nice, a nice monstera deliciosa has never done me wrong when I bought in poor condition, but they can get big. I'd skip *some variegated* plants for now bc they are a bit less hardy and require extra light bc the white doesn't absorb light.
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So sorry to hear about your cat passing, but this is a very healthy coping hobby. Pothos, snake, spider, cacti, rubber tree, all these are different types and fairly straightforward. Things to consider: if you buy from a box store know it likely comes with a pest of some sort so do a lil research, and change the soil out on whatever you get. Type of soil is usually easy to find out, light is also something people struggle with so consider how much natural light you have or get a grow light or a low light plant. Watering is a common problem because people over water so often. Good luck and happy growing!
1 like Thank you bro, youāre a goat for thisš
1 like No problem, let me know if you run in to something you have a more specific question about.
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