How much does it cost to maintain houseplants?

Growing houseplants provides many psychological benefits. Low maintenance option For those who are lazy and forgetful). But as anyone who has acquired a few of them will tell you, once you find yourself enjoying the experience of caring for houseplants, it’s hard to stop collecting more of them. location, time and money.

Houseplants are natural, but not free. If you’re thinking of buying some for your home, or expanding an indoor garden you already maintain, here’s how much your plants will cost you in the long run. Do you have a guideline for what to do?

plants take time

Anyone who thinks plants need only air and sun to survive will probably be disappointed (and some very dead plants).Some houseplants require little maintenance, but most do. A few Maintenance—watering, feeding, repotting, pruning, etc. Maintenance takes time.

how long? Generally, per plant she can expect 5 to 10 minutes of her time per week, according to Artine Mmouni, who runs the Houseplant Enthusiast site, depending on the plant you choose. increase. plant heavenIt doesn’t sound like much, but if you have 12 houseplants, it could take an hour or two of work each week. This is also different.As pointed out by thriving plantSome weeks are just watering and light pruning, others are repotting plants and setting up supports for creeping vines, which takes even longer.

So if you’ve never cared for houseplants before, it’s a good idea to start in moderation—one low-maintenance houseplant takes just a few minutes a week.

plants take up space

Every inch of your home that you allocate to plants cannot be used for anything else, so you need to consider your “space budget.” Again, the type of plant you choose will affect the amount of space you need, but in general: minimum of 1 square foot per plant.as described in plants in my cityhouseplants need little space around them for air flow, and typical round pots can’t be slotted together like a giant living game of Tetris.

However, that minimum amount of space is not exact. Once you reach a half-dozen or so plants, you’ll realize that the actual space requirement is 1-2 square feet per plant, unless you stick to something compact like a small succulent. This is because the growth pattern differs depending on the Some spread, some grow straight, and some crawl everywhere. If you’re planning a full-fledged indoor garden, estimate about 2 square feet per plant.

Finally, plants growing up, you may need to allocate more space in the future. It is up to the individual to decide how much of their living space to give to plants. If you have more plants than space, try hanging them. This opens up floor and window space…perhaps for more plants. .

plants are expensive

Houseplants are costly, both in terms of initial investment and maintenance. They are commitments, especially since many can live for decades with proper care.

Houseplants have a wide range of prices.according to simplify the plantyou can expect a single plant to cost anywhere from $6 to $150, depending on the variety you choose. On average, you can estimate $25 per plantYou may be able to avoid this initial cost if you know someone I will gladly give you some cuttings Of course, or bulbs from your own plants.

Once you have plants, you need to maintain them. Sunlight is free and tap water isn’t too expensive, but you’ll also need more advanced equipment like fertilizer, soil, pots, and even grow lights.The average cost to maintain a plant is about $23 per year per plantmost people say about hobbies for $75 a year—but that number can grow rapidly as you add more plants to your collection.

Things to consider if you are determined to keep your houseplants alive:plant insuranceHouseplants may be covered as an asset under the homeowner’s or renter’s insurance (you should check this with your insurance company), this The kind of plant insurance is to keep them alive. for a monthly fee Horti gives advice on how to keep your plants alive (if you think your beloved plant is dying, you can send a picture). Whether this extra cost is worth it is up to you—perhaps you are particularly emotionally attached to houseplants?—especially kill many plants in your life and stop the carnage Something to consider if you are determined to