Once you’ve set up your power source, a water well, and your survival garden, it’s official – you’re successfully living off the grid! Now that all the essentials are out of the way and all your hard work has started paying off, it’s time to decorate!
By decorating, we don’t mean the fake bouquets, crystal centrepieces, and fancy chandeliers – we’re talking about plants here! One of the reasons for going off-grid, after all, is letting yourself closer to nature, away from the glimmers of urban living. If like most plant-lovers, outdoor greenery isn’t enough to feed your passion, fill up your space with indoor plants!
Here’s a list of some easy-going indoor plants that’ll happily thrive in a corner, adorning your off-grid living space, without asking for much in return:
1. Pothos
Pothos, commonly known as devil’s ivy, is a popular houseplant that can survive almost any environment. You can set this undemanding plant literally anywhere in your off-grid home since it can even withstand nearly dark conditions. Don’t put it in direct sun, but bright or low indirect light will do perfectly. Most people like to have it on their side table or in the bathroom. The foliage grows fast, with variegated leaves adding a spark to your off-grid living space.
2. Chinese Evergreen
Living off the grid, growing your own food, will teach you a lot about gardening. But even if you were a newbie, you couldn’t go wrong with Chinese evergreen. It makes the perfect houseplant for novice gardeners since it’s tolerant of most kinds of conditions. Low watering, poor lighting, and low humidity won’t bother your off-grid houseplant.
3. Jade Plant
Jade plant is another low-maintenance plant you can opt for. Its fleshy leaves retain moisture, and the plant can even go a month without water. However, proper watering will enhance its growth and keep the plant healthy. Place the plant on the brightest windowsill and water it whenever the topsoil feels dry. Include a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer to their drink twice a year to keep them fresh. That’s all the care they’ll ask for to add color to your off-grid home and to bring good luck, as many believe.
4. Asparagus Fern
Its feathery, light green foliage makes it an attractive houseplant. If you have asparagus fern growing on your farm outdoors, you can bring it indoors for the winters. Other than the visual appeal, it will also help keep the indoor air clean.
Growing asparagus fern barely takes any effort. Just keep it in bright or low indirect sunlight, water it regularly, and mist it every day to maintain humidity around the foliage. If the surrounding air is too dry, the leaves start turning brown and drop. As long as you keep these few things in mind, you’ll have a thriving indoor fern to beautify your off-grid living space. To further enhance your living space, have canopies installed from canopies-shelters.co.uk for outdoor areas, creating a comfortable and well-shaded environment. Give canopy near me company a look for your canopy needs.
5. Spider Plant
The spider plant is another one of the easiest houseplants to have off-grid. It’s so named for the tiny spider-like foliage that hangs from the mother plant on all sides. These little plantlets can be separated from the main plant and rooted in the soil for a brand new plant! With the unique look, you’ll find spider plants in different varieties, with variegated to green leaves.
Thankfully, it’s not very particular about its growing conditions, and very few problems are found in this plant. Even if living off the grid didn’t teach you much about gardening, the spider plant won’t let you down. Just plant them in well-drained soil and give them a bright spot with indirect lighting to rest and they’ll thrive. Water it regularly, but give a chance to the soil to dry out between watering.
6. Snake Plant
Add an architectural appeal to your off-grid living room or bedroom with a snake plant. With tolerance to almost all conditions and very few problems that affect it, a snake plant will literally take an effort to kill. According to NASA, snake plants improve your indoor air by removing toxins, including formaldehyde and benzene. With a reduction in toxins, you can make the most out of your time living off the grid and enjoy clean, fresh air that’s obsolete in urban living.
You can easily start snake plant from cuttings. Plant them in free-draining soil and place them in indirect sunlight. Remember not to overwater your snake plant, especially during winters. Let the soil dry out between waterings for the best results. You can offer it a balanced liquid fertilizer prepared at half strength during the growing season, or mild succulent fertilizer. However, don’t fertilize them in winters.
7. Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is another easy-going, attractive succulent for your off-grid indoor space. It’s not just a stylish addition to any room, but also a natural air purifier. Purifying the air of common pollutants like formaldehyde and benzene, it gives you a chance to truly appreciate the beauty of off-grid living. The gel from the leaves is another one of the perks you get with it. It’s popular in topical uses, including skin moisturization and treating minor cuts and burns.
Plant them in well-drained potting soil, preferably in a terra cotta pot, and place it on a sunny window sill. Water it once every two weeks, but do let the soil dry out completely before offering it the next drink.
Conclusion
If you want to live off-grid to the fullest of its potential, cram your space with plants, both indoors and outdoors! One of the nicest things about greenery is you can never overdo it. The more plants you have, the better. You’ll have something fresh to heal an eyesore whichever direction you turn your head in. Not to mention, the clean, fresh air you gave up your urban life in search of in the first place.
