6 Tips For College Students Who are Aspring Plant Parents
By Cassie Banuelos
College is a time for trying new things, exploring your interests and learning to be independent. A significant part of this process is adjusting to a new living space. Whether you’re living in a dorm or a new apartment, plants are a great way to decorate your new home.
However, this can be challenging for many students, particularly those living in Colorado, where the air is dry, and the temperature/weather can be wildly unpredictable. On top of that, dorm rooms and other living spaces can be difficult for growing plants due to lack of light, space, and ideal temperatures.
When I moved into a college dorm, I spent an embarrassing amount of money on random plants, not knowing how complicated things would get. Needless to say, I found myself short of cash and packing up empty pots by the end of the school year.
Trying to take care of plants is already hard enough, especially when you can barely keep yourself alive as you deal with a long list of responsibilities that creeped their way into your new adult life. This article will outline 6 tips for how college students in Colorado can keep their houseplants alive.
1. Look for something easy
Walking into a plant store can be overwhelming due to the large variety and all the long complicated names. It can be tempting to buy the one that looks the prettiest or the one that has the most interesting leaves. However, you might find yourself with another dead plant by next week.
One of the best plants to look out for are succulents because they can handle a little bit of neglect. Milla Allen, a staff member at Bath Garden Center and Nursery in Fort Collins, suggested succulents because they barely need any water and just need lots of sun.
Besides succulents, Allen also recommended pothos, philodendrons, ZZ plants, jade plants, etc. These plants also require very little care and are less sensitive to their environment, so they will definitely stand a chance in your dorm room.
2. Do your research
Let’s be honest Google is your best friend. This continues to be true for plants. Research is essential before and after your visit to the plant store. It might be a good idea to visit the plant store’s website beforehand and start thinking about your options.
You would need to do research on what kind of plant would work best for your living space. For example, you might research types of plants best for low-light homes if your only window is facing west or east.
You can do more extensive research when you take the plant home and try to figure out what small things you could do to help it thrive. Salvatore Villa, Horticulture Major at Colorado State University and staff member at the Fort Collins Nursery, suggested “using at least 5 different sources” since every blogger and website might have something more to add.
3. Look for pots with drainage holes
Picking up a pot for your new plant is another essential part of keeping your plant healthy. While it is tempting to just buy cute pots with fun shapes and colors, the most important thing you need to pay attention to is if the pot has drainage holes at the bottom. Drainage holes allow excess water to leave the pot, preventing growth of bacteria and fungi.
4. Don’t forget about humidity
Some plants, even the easy ones, require a more humid environment. This is crucial to understand when raising plants in Colorado, where the air can feel extra dry. There are several things you could do to give your plants a little extra humidity.
The simplest thing you can do is buy a humidifier; however, there are also other affordable options. You could try misting your leaves with a spray bottle. This creates some humidity, but the water does evaporate pretty quickly, so plants that need more humidity might need to be misted more frequently or another method.
Villa said the best way to create humidity for plants is by using a pebble tray. All you need is a shallow dish or tray filled with a few pebbles with a small amount of water. Villa explained the water from the dish will evaporate and create humidity for the plant. The pebbles prevent the plant from sitting in a pool of water.
5. Invest in LED lights
At this point, you’ve probably invested in pretty twinkly lights or LED strips that are lighting up your dorm. You might want to consider getting lights for your plants. This is really important for spaces where you don’t get enough light or worry they might get too cold sitting by the window. Your succulents will definitely thank you. You can find some affordable options and varieties on Amazon.
6. Ask For Help
Lastly, one of the best things you could do for your plants is ask for help. Google can be helpful until you have a wilting plant on your hands and the internet is not giving you the simple answers you were looking for.
Recently, there have been new apps trending, such as Plant.id, where users can use their phone to take pictures of the plant, so the app would instantly identify it and give you more information. While this seems really easy and great, Both Villa and Allen strongly recommended that you avoid these apps for the most part. These apps are known for not giving the most accurate or helpful information and can make you more confused.
Getting help can be as simple as walking into your local plant store and asking any of the staff members for help. Villa explained that people bring in their plants all the time, and the staff members are always willing to help. Some plant stores might even offer remote services on their website. For example, the Fort Collins Nursery has a feature on their website where you can get in contact with experts and can help you with any questions you might have.
Additionally, you could also get help from your university’s horticulture department. Villa said that reaching out to professors in Colorado State University’s Horticulture Department is extremely helpful, and have always been excited to hear about students’ plant inquiries.
