College life is a blast, but living quarters can often be a little too spartan. There are few better ways to add a little dash of life to a college dorm or apartment than by way of a wonderful, friendly plant. Not to mention, the responsibility of caring for a living thing on a regular basis is a great experience for just about anybody.
Students are busy, though, and not every college dorm or apartment complex has great garden space where your bountiful botanical experiments can flourish. Sometimes we’re stuck with not much more than a windowsill or countertop. Well, the following are a few good suggestions for dorm foliage that will keep you easy company while you work on your higher education.
Succulents
They’re great because they require very little attention and care, but they’re a rewarding plant to say the least. They come in a bunch of different shapes and many different sizes — each of them more beautiful than the last. And while that might be a bit of an exaggeration (or at least a matter of opinion), theres no arguing the fact that succulents are easy and the reward is decent. You only need to give them plenty of sunlight and water them once a year. Their slow but steady growth makes them the perfect gift for a college freshman, who can watch their succulent grow and develop with them over the next four years.
Aloe Vera
About as easy going and helpful as it gets, the aloe vera requires very little from you, but gives a whole heck of a lot back. An aloe vera plant will do well in your space if it doesn’t get a whole lot of sunlight…and this can often be the case in college living arrangements. Your aloe vera plant only needs a little bit of water maybe once or twice a week, and what’s best is that any time you find yourself with a nasty sunburn or irritating rash, your plant buddy has got you covered! All you need to do is break open one of the leaves and enjoy the soothing properties of the aloe vera plant’s natural juices.
Orchids
Yet another selection with high yield from a low level of effort, the orchid only needs watering in the form of a three or four ice cubes every week, and a good deal of sunlight. Stick your orchid on a windowsill and you’ll have years of a pleasantly growing, beautiful flower cheering up whichever room it happens to go in. Just make sure you give your orchid a support so that it can grow upwards, as they have a tendency to enjoy climbing.
Dwarf Lemon Tree
Decorative plant and conversation piece, the dwarf lemon tree is as cool as it is adorable. You might have to prune it so it doesn’t get too big (they can get to be about six feet high), but its lemons grow year round similar to meyer lemon trees, and your room will smell delightfully of citrus. Give it some fertilizer every month and stick it by a windowsill, and you’ll be glad you did. The dwarf lemon tree is a wonderfully low-maintenance plant that’s perfect for any college student, whether you’re getting your criminal justice online degree or your master’s of fine arts.
You must log in to post a comment.