Today’s skyscrapers dot the skylines of most major cities in the world, with space becoming more and more of a luxury. Due to this vertical style of living which people have been becoming accustomed to, it is important to plan wisely and to know the best strategies for growing one’s own urban jungle. This is because living in an apartment or condominium does not mean that you cannot enjoy the qualities and reap the benefits of growing plants. You just need to think a bit differently than if you had your own backyard or space with lots of soil and access to sunlight and water to grow your garden in.
How To Make Urban Jungles Thrive
Planning It Out
Space becoming more luxurious as time passes means that it would be inconveniently expensive for some people to buy additional lot spaces just to have a place to grow their plants in. It could also be that this is simply not possible in the case of those who live in condominiums where there are no available areas for this type of undertaking. What you can do though when faced with these challenges would be to think and plan vertically. This means that you would have plants that cascade down from shelves and window sills with their vines and stems. You could also consider placing plants on narrow windowsills, wall shelves, or even from containers hung from the ceiling. Not only would you be able to make the most out of the air space inside your home, but cascading plants would have that effect of softening and hard edges and filling up any bare corners inside one’s house.
Keeping Things Practical
One reality of growing plants is that inevitably, some of those you planted would not survive. Not all plants need and require the same level of maintenance and care from you, and with the limitations of creating an urban jungle, it would be suggested to avoid growing plants known to be high maintenance ones. Give yourself a break and start growing those plants that are known to be easy to grow and can adapt to various natural lighting conditions. Also, look for those plants which could visually tell you if they’re thirsty and need watering. Examples of these include the Devil’s ivy and Peace lily. Other types of plants to look out for are those which are resilient and low maintenance. Gardening is quite a personal pursuit and it’s entirely up to you how much time you would want to spend caring for your plants. However, do know that you don’t need to commit tons of time to this if you don’t want or need to. The Cast-iron plant and Split-leaf philodendron are some of these types of plants that would continue to grow even under difficult conditions.
Keeping Things Practical
Tips and Techniques
Besides finding the best types of plants to grow indoors, and planning where and how they would be placed, there is also a multitude of hacks you can do to make your urban jungle thrive and look dynamic. Open spaces in the living area or bedrooms would be where most people would start hanging or placing their plants high, but you could also look into the bathroom as a viable space for the same purpose. There are even a few tropical plants such as Orchids or Aloe vera which would benefit from the high humidity present and give your bathroom a spa-like feeling. When arranging your plants together, do not forget to create different layers and textures as well. Place the trailing plants up high, the tall and small trees on the floor, and small or compact plants at all levels to fill up any remaining gaps or spaces. Most importantly, try to understand what your plants need in terms of humidity, watering, temperature, and the amount of fertilizer they need so you can help them thrive, making your urban jungle dream a reality.
