How to Display Hanging Plants in Your Small Apartment

The Many Benefits of Hanging Plants in Your Small Apartment

If you live in a small apartment with limited floor space, hanging plants are a great option to bring some green into your home while utilizing vertical space. As an apartment dweller myself, I’ve come to rely on hanging plants to liven up my small space. Below are some of the top reasons why hanging plants are ideal for apartments as well as tips for choosing and caring for them.

They Take Up Minimal Floor Space

One of the biggest challenges of small apartments is a lack of floor space. Hanging plants let you add greenery without using up valuable square footage. Whether mounted high on the wall or hanging from the ceiling, plants in hoops, macrame hangers, or basket holders make use of space above your head. With hanging plants, you’re not limited by the dimensions of end tables or shelves.

They Improve Air Quality

Plants have been scientifically proven to help filter toxins like mold, chemicals, and other pollutants from indoor air. From my experience, hanging plants placed strategically around the apartment can help freshen the air throughout. Good choices that are great air purifiers include English ivy, pothos, spider plants, and philodendrons. Their long, trailing vines help distribute their air-cleaning abilities around the whole space.

They Brighten Up Small Spaces

The lack of natural light can sometimes make small apartments feel dreary. Hanging plants near windows helps liven things up by adding vibrant colors and natural textures. Their foliage scatters and reflects light throughout the room. Greens, reds, oranges, and pinks enliven neutral color schemes. I’ve found english ivy, sweetheart plants, and hanging baskets of assorted annuals and succulents cheerfully uplift my apartment’s small, dim rooms.

They Are low Maintenance

For apartment dwellers with busy lifestyles, low-maintenance hanging plants that thrive on neglect are ideal. Plants like pothos, philodendrons, spider plants, and peperomias can go several days between waterings and don’t require much else. From my experience, their lush growth habits mean they look great whether you lavish them with attention or simply keep them alive. Their low demands fit well with unpredictable apartment schedules. While higher maintenance plants surely bring their own rewards, maintenance-free hangers can still provide beauty with little fuss.

Choosing the Right Hanging Plants for Your Space

With so many great options of hanging plants to choose from, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Here are some tips for selecting plants tailored to your apartment’s specific conditions:

1. Consider the light levels in your space. Fenestrated plants like pothos and philodendrons thrive in low light, while others such as spider plants tolerate medium light. Save high light plants like peperomias and ferns for bright spots.
2. Check your watering access. Pick plants whose containers can be easily watered from above or removed for bottom-watering. Avoid those trapped high up with no hydration access.
3. Inspect safety issues. Be mindful of pets, toddlers, or drips near fragile items below. Opt for non-toxic varieties positioned prudently out of harm’s way.
4. Think about appeal. Analyze your aesthetic and pick plants with textures, shapes and hues that complement your style. Hanging gardens allow personality and plant passions to shine through.

Some foolproof classics I’ve found that meet most conditions are pothos, philodendrons, spider plants, English ivy, and trailing jades or senecios. Mixed into baskets or combined hanging planters, their varied foliage provides visual interest perfect for apartments.

Properly Caring for Hanging Beauties

To keep your hanging apartment garden thriving, some basic care is key:

1. Water whenever the top 1-2 inches of soil is dry. Bottom water to prevent drips, or remove for watering. Allow soil to fully drain before returning plant to hanger.
2. Feed monthly in spring and summer with liquid fertilizer mixed at half strength. This encourages lush, healthy growth.
3. Prune or trim trailing vines that get unwieldy. You can propagate cuttings to expand your plant family!
   Remove any yellow or browning foliage to encourage new growth.

With some tender loving care, your hanging apartment plants will flourish beautifully for many months to come. Enjoy their calming presence and all the benefits they provide to your small space!

Choosing Hanging Plants for Your Apartment

FAQ

1. What types of plants can I hang in my apartment?

   There are lots of possibilities for hanging plants in an apartment. Some good options are pothos, philodendron, English ivy, spider plants, and peace lilies. These kinds of plants tend to grow well without a ton of sunlight.

2. How do I water hanging plants?

   You’ll need to water hanging plants a bit differently than ones sitting on the ground. Basically, just use a watering can or water bottle to slowly pour water into the planter until it comes out the drainage holes. It’s easy to overwater if you aren’t careful, so only water when the soil somewhat dries out.

3. Do hanging plants require much sunlight?

   It depends on the type of plant. A lot of popular hanging plants like pothos and philodendron can survive with quite little light. At the same time, some plants like wandering dude or flowering hanging baskets may need more bright, indirect sunlight to keep them from getting leggy. Research the light needs of whatever plant you choose.

   

4. How can I arrange hanging plants attractively?

   You can cluster different hanging plants together for an amazing jungle-like look. Play around with Arrange them in varying heights and container sizes until you find an arrangement that you think is stunning. It may take some trial and error, but hanging plants are forgiving. You can also add interest by mixing textures like vines with broad leaves.

5. Is it difficult to care for hanging baskets?

   Hanging baskets may seem high maintenance, but they’re pretty easy overall. As long as you water them consistently, they’ll thrive. But is it worth it? The displays can be awe-inspiring. I’ve heard hanging baskets are well worth a little extra effort for the awesome visual impact. Just be sure to use a water-absorbent liner and well-draining soil mix.

6. Do hanging plants help improve air quality?

   Some studies show that certain foliage houseplants may help filter toxins and purify air to a slight degree. English ivy and peace lily are two that appear to be especially effective, according to research. Having plants in the home, even hanging ones, also seems to lower stress and raise mood and overall well-being. So in that way, they can basically make for a healthier apartment environment.