Five low-maintenance plants for busy college students

<p>Because college students have busy schedules, they may not have the time to properly care for their plants. Consider these five low-maintenance plants to bring the outside into your homes. Unsplash, Photo Courtesy</p>

Because college students have busy schedules, they may not have the time to properly care for their plants. Consider these five low-maintenance plants to bring the outside into your homes. Unsplash, Photo Courtesy

Students can find plants at home and garden stores like Home Depot and Lowe’s.

As you’re thinking about how to decorate your dorm, apartment or house for the school year, consider adding a few small plants to your bedroom or living room. According to The Sill, a website aiming to educate and connect people with plants and nature, having plants in your home can have positive effects on one's mood, enhance creativity and reduce stress levels. 

From studying at the library to participating in student clubs and organizations, some college students may not spend a lot of time at their homes to take care of their plants. Consider these five low-maintenance plants to brighten your home when you return after a day full of college activities. 

Chinese Evergreen

Chinese Evergreens are one of the better suited plants for beginners or those who are too busy to keep their houseplants alive. Most Chinese Evergreens have a pattern of rich green and silver leaves with calla-lily-like blooms in spots where the plant gets the most sunlight. According to Costa Farms, a Florida-based horticulture company, a Chinese Evergreen is a slow-growing plant that students can enjoy watching grow from their desk, tabletop or as shelf decor. 

Growing instructions for Chinese Evergreen plants include watering once every few weeks and low-to-medium fluorescent lighting. Fertilizer is not needed, but evergreen plants grow best if fertilized once or twice a year in the spring or summer with a general houseplant fertilizer. 

English Ivy

English Ivies are an evergreen vine that can grow on trellises, fences and other places suitable for climbing. Dry, air-conditioned environments aren’t best for an English Ivy, but this plant can thrive when placed outside on an apartment balcony or on a porch. 

According to The Spruce, a gardening advice website, English Ivies require bright light in both the winter and summer. Students should avoid putting the ivy in direct sunlight as the hot weather and strong sunlight could burn the foliage. 

Parlor Palm

Parlor Palms are a tropical, slender plant known for their popularity in the Victorian-era sitting rooms. Their fronds can grow up to 4 feet in height indoors and grow best in medium light. According to Apartment Therapy, a home and decor website, direct sunlight can cause Parlor Palms to wilt and have overly dry soil, but light that’s too low can stunt the plant’s growth. 

Peace Lily

Peace Lilies are an easy-to-grow indoor plant known for their air-purifying abilities. These tropical, evergreen plants enjoy low-light spaces as they are known to thrive in shaded areas. According to HGTV, Peace Lilies are great at breaking down and neutralizing toxic gases like carbon monoxide and formaldehyde.

Snake plant

Snake plants are one of the most popular, easy-to-grow houseplants with their nearly indestructible stiff, sword-like leaves. Snake plants can vary in color but are most commonly known for their green banded leaves and yellow border. 

According to The Spruce, snake plants can grow to heights of 6 inches to 8 feet tall. Snake plants prefer indirect sunlight, but increasing the exposure of light can boost the plant’s growth in a few hours.

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