It’s official! I am now a plant parent! I got some plant babies and ready to fill our home with indoor plants. Let’s just hope my brown thumb turns to green in 2021!

I’ve been working from home since last March and realized our house was missing a few things, even though it feels very cramped with all of us home most of the time. The past summer, we remodeled our first floor entryway and half bathroom and the boys’ bathroom (future posts on both of those forthcoming). The change felt so good especially knowing that we were investing in the house instead of taking international trips. And in a way, it felt like we had a new house.

Since we still can’t travel and will be staying home for quite awhile longer, I decided to start a new hobby in 2021 – growing indoor plants!

I”m a newbie to this indoor plant thing but have done some research, with the help of friends, on what plants to start out with that work with our home and the natural lighting we get throughout the day. Our home has lots of indirect light as it faces south. We do get some direct sunlight in the mornings but it’s not consistent with Chicago’s crazy weather.

I’ve been researching online and shopping at local plant shops wanting to buy everything I see. This new hobby is getting quite expensive! But to be honest, it’s so fun and exciting as I love watching the plants grow. They add another needed element in our home. Not only are they better for the indoor air but they also make our home feel more warm, if that makes sense.

Indoor Plants for the Starter / Newbie

I started with some house plants that are considered easy to take care of since my goal this year is to keep my house plants alive for as long as possible. Although I want to buy more exotic plants, I’ve decided to start with three indoor plants to help me learn how to take care of them. Moreover, I’ve decided to start with small plants or baby plants since our house is not quite big enough for big plants, and I want to keep the plants out of reach from the toddler twins.

Pothos

I read that the pothos, which is also known as the devil’s ivy, has heart shaped leaves and is ideal for indirect light. I placed my pothos that I got from the Home Depot on our kitchen bar. So far, it’s been happy there. Although I think the pothos I got is quite big….I’m hoping it doesn’t grow out of control. This plant is placed in a fairly high area since I read it can be toxic to kids.

Snake Plant

I read that the snake plant is one of the easiest to care for and that you can ignore it for weeks and it will still be okay. I place this plant in our dining room which doesn’t get much light and so far it’s thriving!

ZZ Plant

Another plant that many have said will withstand anything, even for a brown thumbs, is the ZZ Plant because it can survive months without water. I’ve place the ZZ Plant on our bookcase by the window so it will get more light.

My favorite house plant at the moment – the Swiss Cheese Plant

So…I did purchase an “exotic” plant and I’m actually in love with it. It’s known as the Swiss Cheese Plant. The formal name is the Monstera Adasonii. I got it at Gethsemane Garden Center last week and have thoroughly enjoyed watching it grow. I love the holes in the leaves. I’ve placed it on our bookcase by the window and it seems to love it there as it’s grown by a few inches this past week. I understand this monstera may be difficult to grow but I’m keeping my eye on it everyday.

Where to purchase house plants in Chicago

Although there are plenty of places online that sell house plants, I’ve decided to purchase mine from local businesses to support the Chicago community. I did purchase the pothos from Home Depot but realized I should’ve gone to a local business to help me pick the right plants or get a small one.

• Gethsemane Garden Center in Andersonville.
• B Collective in Lakeview
• Plant Shop Chicago in Albany Park
• Sprout Home in West Town
• Semillas Plant Studio in Pilsen
• Fig and Fern in Bucktown
• The Plantier in East Village
• The SHUDIO in Plisen