10 Tips for Houseplants for Low-Light Apartments

We have all lived in a cozy apartment with windows that face...well, another brick wall. It can be disheartening to scroll through Instagram and see sun-drenched urban jungals. You may be tempted to give up gardening since you don't have a greenhouse, but there is no need to give up yet! With a bit of effort, you can be a successful plant parent too!

Here are 10 tips that will help your plant friends Survive and thrive in your low-light apartment.

1. Pick the Right Crew

The first thing you need to do is leave the succulents at the nursery. Plants that do well in low-light conditions include: snake plants, ZZ plants, cast-iron plants, and pothos.

2. Put Them on a Water Diet

Since your plants will "drink" their water slower in low-light conditions, you will need to water them less. To check if the soil is dry, stick your finger two inches into the soil and see if it is dry. If it is still moist, then you don't need to water that plant. Overwatering is a common mistake that people make with low-light plants.

3. Dust Those Leaves

Since there is less light, your plants will need to absorb every bit of light that they can. Dust will block light and prevent photosynthesis. To remove dust, you will need to wipe the leaves with a damp cloth.

4. Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

A low-cost way to increase the available light in a room is to hang a mirror opposite your window. The light will bounce off the mirror and increase the available light in the room.

5. Keep ‘Em Clean and Yellow-Free

Remove yellow and brown leaves. Your plant spends energy trying to save dying leaves, and you want it to save that energy to help the healthy parts of the plant.

6. Rotate for Even Tans

Plants tend to grow long and lanky in the direction of the light source. This creates an unsightly effect called etiolation. To avoid this, simply quarter turn your pots every week.

7. Think White and Bright

When painting or buying pots, choose light colors. Light colored walls and pots reflect light and help to brighten dark corners.

8. Fake It with Grow Lights

If you don’t have any natural light, you don’t have to worry about your plants dying. You can buy desk lamps with embedded LED grow bulbs to fool your plants.

9. Ditch the Heavy Fertilizer

Plants that don’t get a lot of light grow really really slowly. Fast plant growth means they need more food, so during the growing season in the spring and summer you can fertilize them, but not during the lazy winter months.

10. Group Your Greenies

Plant grouping is not only cute, but creates a microclimate with more humidity. When plants evaporate water, it helps prevent the brown, crispy edges.

As you can see, having a sunroom is not a must to have lots of plants. Happy planting!

Weekend Bathroom Renovation Guide

Although structurally changing coherent parts of a small bathroom over a weekend is virtually impossible, updating the appearance can definitely be achieved over a more condensed time period. Here is a guide to help you utilize the next 48 hours.

Friday Night: Prep and Demo

In order to have the greatest impact over the next two days, you will first need to remove everything including towel rugs, and decorative items. If you are putting in new fixtures, shut off the water supply and remove old caulk around the tub, sink, and toilet base using a caulk removal tool or utility knife. You can also improve the appearance of your bathroom by removing and replacing hardware such as towel bars and cabinet knobs and Light fixtures. Just make sure to turn off the power to the circuit before removing the fixtures. Give all the surfaces a good cleaning to remove grime, this will help the new paint and caulk adhere better.

Saturday Morning: Paint and Prime

Use a moisture-resistant paint that is either semi-gloss or satin and is formulated to be used in bathrooms. Make sure to tape off all the trim, outlets, and fixtures before painting. If your bathroom needs a lot of work, and you are replacing a lot of fixtures, now would be a good time to do so while you are waiting on the paint to dry. After the primer dries, you will need to apply two coats of the bathroom paint you have chosen, making sure to follow the drying time in between each coat.

Saturday Afternoon: Flooring and Fixtures

If you’re doing a peel-and-stick vinyl tile floor or a click-lock floating floor, this is your time to shine! These types of floors don’t have a drying time and can really change the look of a space quickly. With these types of floors, you want to start in the most visible corner and work out. After the new floors have been installed, you can reattach the toilet and reconnect the sink and new vanity if you purchased a pre-built one.

Saturday Evening: Hardware and Accessories

You can also install any new towel bars and toilet paper holders as well as any new cabinet hardware. You can also hang a new mirror or make an old one look new with a new frame and molding. You can also use caulk to give the tub and sink a finished edge and then smooth it with a wet finger or a caulk tool.

Sunday: Final Touches

You can also reconnect all the plumbing and test for leaks. You can also deep clean the bathroom and remove dust and tape residue. To finish off the new look you can add a new shower curtain and bath mat as well as new towels. You can also add a new light fixture for a new look and new storage for a more organized look to the bathroom.

Pro Tips

• Stay with cosmetic changes, moving neither plumbing nor electrical

• All material purchases are to be made prior to the start of the project

• Paint and/or adhesives use should be done in well-ventilated areas

With focused effort, your bathroom can feel brand new by Sunday night!