Every item on this page was hand-picked by a House Beautiful editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.
These are my tried-and-true plant care picks.
My journey into plant parenthood has come with some hard-learned lessons. Though I dream of a lush backyard garden I could host cocktail parties in, I’m currently in a small apartment in an urban area, with no outdoor space. But as part of my love for biophilic design, I love filling my home with vibrant tropical plants, herbs, and veggies. And I’ve built up an arsenal of tools that let them thrive, even out of their natural habitat.
Great gardening tools, accessories, and supplements can help even the most finicky plant thrive indoors (hello, Fiddle Leaf Fig lovers). And I love to share the plant knowledge I’ve gained, so consider this your masterclass for lush plants in any small space. Below, you’ll find everything I trust for indoor and windowsill gardening. Water and sunlight go a long way, but you can’t stop there. A few of my plant essentials you likely have lying around the house already. A pair of needle-nose tweezers is great for getting the debris and dead plant matter out of your plant without harming the other stems, and a little bit of rubbing alcohol, vinegar, and water is all you need to treat any mold or fungus.
Every decision matters, from your soil mix to the supplements you put in your watering can. Even the height of your plants in the window makes a difference. If your plants can’t see the sky, they’re not getting what they need, so the display area is crucial. I’ve had to deal with spider mite infestations, brittle leaves, transplant shock, and other major plant problems, and I’ve survived it all with the tools below.
I’ve tested different soil mixes, fertilizers, and planter pots for months to find my tried-and-true picks. My wish for you? That you get the good stuff on the first try. Scroll on for my favorite soil amendments, gardening tools, and special sprays. It’s everything that makes gardening and plant ownership in a small city apartment feel wonderful.
Plants go through trauma after a repot, especially if the root system is in brand-new soil. I repotted all of my houseplants in February, and I’m convinced this is the only reason I didn’t lose them all. I fed them using Repot Recovery in the water, both before and after the repot, and they came back even stronger this spring and recovered from any root shock.
Repotting can also get super messy, and I used to make a mess of my kitchen and stove top and then spend forever cleaning it up. Then, a friend gifted me this repotting mat. It’s easy to snap shut or roll out, and it has enough space for me to detangle roots from the old soil, mix new potting mix and soil amendments, and scoop it all back together. The four-inch high walls keep all the mess in one place. And I can dump the debris into the trash can and wipe it down with a wet wipe.
I’m typically a terracotta devotee for my plant pots. I love to grab cheap planters from Walmart to have on deck for any impulse plant shopping. But some plants need to hold on to their moisture, and terracotta dries out the soil much faster. I love this Bergs Potter pot — it still has the drainage to prevent root rot, and it stays cute to leave on display, instead of clay pots that get just as dirty on the outside. It’s tapered at the bottom, so it perches just above a beautiful draining tray.
I brought home a beautiful Hawaiian orchid from a trip to Honolulu in August, and I’m honestly shocked it’s still thriving in the Jersey weather. This fast-releasing concentrate fertilizer is why. Plants need food too, not just water. It helps the root system adjust to a decidedly less tropical environment, and keeps my leaves lush all autumn and winter.
I’m a sucker for climbing plants, and my monstera adansonii was getting way out of hand. They need support to keep reaching for the sky, so I opted for these stackable coco coir poles. You can buy a multi-pack or start with one and build over time, stacking them like LEGOs. And they’re super flexible, so whichever way the plant wants to bend, the pole can bend to. I pair it with some felt-sided tape, as rubber bands or twist ties can dig into the plant’s stem and inhibit growth.
The dreaded fungus gnat—the bane of any tropical plant parent who’s gardening indoors. These little buggers love wet soil and decaying plant matter, and you really have to nip them in the bud when they show up. These compostable sticky traps can attach to the inside of your plant’s pot, so they stay out of sight in your garden, but the bugs will still head straight for them. Water with mosquito bits and use some UV light traps for interference if things get really crazy.
This hydroponic system has made all of my fresh herb garden dreams come true. With grocery store prices rising, I committed myself to growing as much as I can for household use. In the last year, I’ve grown green onions, lavender, peppermint, cilantro, and basil. They’ve totally leveled up my cooking with fresh herbs, and I’ve even made my own aromatherapy oils with the lavender and peppermint. And all I’ve had to do is keep the water tank full.
The placement and display of your plants matter! I’ve taken this bar cart and turned it into my Plant Cart. It has just enough storage to hold my prettiest plants up top, and all my plant tools and soil on the bottom shelf. It is tall enough for my plants to get all the sunlight they need, and it’s wheeled, so it becomes an easy mobile watering station.
I genuinely get asked frequently how I keep my plants so shiny and healthy. The secret: a leaf cleaning ritual featuring the viral “sexy plant juice” spray and some microfiber gloves. But after cleaning, my hands are often left wet, so I swapped to this handy device. You can clean both sides of the leaf at the same time, like using a pair of tongs, and your hands stay dry.
The most affordable way to expand your garden is by propagating, but man, can the process take a while. For the impatient, like me, a few drops of this growth enzyme in your water cuttings really speeds things along, and encourages a stronger root system for when you transfer to soil.
The Genius Organizing Method That Experts Love
Amazon’s Home Outlet Has Hidden Memorial Day Deals
28 College Dorm Storage Ideas to Get Organized
50 Gifts to Wow the Plant Parent In Your Life
