5 Beginner Plants You Could Grow in Your HDB Flat

With a growing interest in homegrown food, more and more people are trying their luck at creating their own indoor gardens. Creating your own garden doesn’t just save you money; with indoor gardening, you can make sure that your food is safe and healthy. While there are a large number of plants to choose from, here are five plants that can start you off on your new indoor HDB garden.

1. Air Plants
Air Plants don’t need a lot of water, as they get their water from absorbing moisture in the air. Despite this, however, they still need to be lightly misted at least once a week (which you can do using a spray bottle). You would also need to occasionally soak your plants in water, especially for plants that are in airconditioned environments; for those who live in air-conditioned flats, soak your plants for two hours every two weeks.

2. Basil
Even if basil is more commonly grown outdoors, it could also thrive potted indoors. To grow them successfully, make sure that your plant has adequate drainage so that water doesn’t pool at the bottom of the pot. Make sure to add fertilizer to your pot, and use half the recommended fertilizer strength; if you’re going to use your basil mainly for flavoring, you’ll need to use an organic fertilizer. In terms of lighting, make sure that your basil plant receives six hours of direct sunlight daily or about ten hours under artificial lighting.

3. Thyme
Growing thyme indoors can be invaluable, as it a versatile herb that can be used in a large variety of dishes. It’s easy to grow thyme, as they can be hardy plants that could still thrive despite a lack of attention. To grow thyme, you will need direct sunlight at least six hours a day. You could use many different pots for planting thyme, but the best kind would be clay pots, as they allow the soil to drain in between watering. Whatever pot you use, make sure to create drainage holes at the bottom of the pot.

4. Mint
To the surprise of many beginner gardeners, mint can easily thrive indoors. All you’ll need is a container with the right amount of drainage, filled with good potting mix (which means that it has equal amounts of sand, peat, and perlite). To make sure that your plant grows well, try to look for a spot that has a temperature of about 20 degrees Celsius in the day and around 14 degrees at night.

5. Lemongrass
Lemongrass is one of the many plants that you can propagate using grocery produce. It’s also pretty easy to grow indoors, and in fact, should be harvested frequently to encourage new growth. Make sure that it receives at least six hours of natural lighting or at least 14 hours of artificial lighting. For the soil, use a potting soil mix with good amounts of perlite.