Penlify vs Walter Writes

Living in a cramped flat where your only window faces a solid brick wall? We've all been there. Instagram makes it look like everyone lives in a sun-drenched jungle, but honestly, you don't need a greenhouse just to keep a few plants alive.

Start with species that actually prefer shade. Forget succulents (they will just rot and wither). Instead, grab a snake plant, a ZZ, cast-iron plant, or a simple pothos. They are tough enough to handle dim light without throwing a fit.

Low light changes how you water. Roots drink moisture much slower without full sun, so poke a finger two inches into the dirt before grabbing the watering can. Still damp? Wait a few days. Overwatering kills way more indoor plants than darkness ever will.

Dust is a sneaky thief. Grimy leaves can't absorb photons, so wiping them down with a damp cloth every couple of weeks lets them breathe again.

You can actually cheat the system with mirrors. If you hang one right across from the window, it bounces whatever daylight you do get deeper into the room. It is a cheap trick, but it gives your foliage a solid extra glow.

Notice a yellow or brown leaf? Chop it off. Your plant wastes energy trying to salvage dying parts, so cutting them away frees up resources for fresh growth.

Rotate your pots a quarter-turn every week or so. Stems instinctively reach toward whatever light exists, but regular turns stop them from ending up totally lopsided.

Go bright when picking pots or painting walls. White, cream, or pastel surfaces reflect what little light you have, brightening up the whole corner.

Zero natural sun? Not a problem. Screw a sleek LED grow bulb into a regular desk lamp and your plants won't even notice the difference.

Feed them sparingly. Dim conditions slow down growth, so fertilize once or twice during spring and summer, then skip it entirely through winter.

Try clustering your greens together. Grouping them creates a tiny humid microclimate, and that shared moisture keeps leaf edges from turning crispy.

See? You don't need a sunroom to have a green thumb. Happy planting!

**Low Light Apartment Plant Tips #1 – 10**

We've all seen those beautiful Instagram posts of lush, tropical spaces that seem impossible to replicate indoors due to lack of sunlight. Yet, this shouldn't stop you from having your own mini jungle. The following 10 easy-to-implement ideas will assist you in growing happy houseplants even when you're living in an apartment with very little natural light.

### 1. Choose Low-Light Plants There's no need to bring home a cactus if your home is dark most of the time. Use plants which do better in low light. Examples include snake plants, pothos, cast-iron plants, and ZZ plants. They love being left alone in shady spots.

### 2. Water Less Frequently Since your plants receive less sunlight, they will also need to drink their water less frequently. To determine whether your plants require a drink, insert a finger two inches deep into the soil. If the soil feels wet, wait until it has dried slightly before watering again. Remember, overwatered low-light plants will likely die.

### 3. Wipe Down Those Leaves When plants are receiving low amounts of light, it becomes necessary for them to use what little light they can get. A dusty leaf acts as a barrier to light absorption by the plant. Each couple of weeks gently remove dust using a damp cloth. This allows your plants to photosynthesize normally.

### 4. Place Mirrors Wisely You can increase the amount of light entering your space by placing mirrors across from your windows. These mirrors bounce the available light around the room allowing additional areas of your space to receive some benefit from the minimal lighting present.

### 5. Remove Dead/Dying Leaves A dead/dying leaf takes a lot of energy from a plant. When a leaf changes color to yellow or brown, remove it. Allow your plant to allocate its limited resources to the healthy leaves.

### 6. Rotate for Symmetry Plants may develop uneven growth patterns by stretching towards any available light. Every week give each pot a 90-degree turn so they develop evenly throughout.

### 7. Choose Light Colors Choose white or lighter colored paint for walls and furniture to create a brighter atmosphere. In addition, choose white or pastel-colored planters/pots. Both types of surfaces allow reflected light to illuminate darker areas of your home.

### 8. Add Artificial Lighting If you cannot provide adequate natural lighting for your plants, you now have options beyond expensive commercial artificial lighting systems. Today you can purchase fashionable and modern LED grow bulbs that fit into existing table lamps. Your plants will have no idea where their supplemental lighting came from!

### 9. Reduce Fertilizing Frequency In comparison to plants grown outdoors in full-sun conditions, indoor plants typically grow significantly slower and thus require fewer nutrients. As such, reduce fertilizer frequency to once or twice per year (spring/summer) and eliminate fertilization altogether in the winter months.

### 10. Grow More Than One! Although aesthetically pleasing, grouping multiple plants together does something else beneficial for your plants. Indoor humidity levels are increased due to the transpiration process of plants releasing moisture through the stomata located on the underside of their leaves. By clustering several potted plants near each other, you’ll create an environment conducive to healthier-looking plants with fewer brown leaves.