Alright so here’s the thing, my apartment? Total cave. Barely any decent sunlight hits these windows, and let me tell you, my track record with plants was straight up tragic. Like, graveyard-on-my-windowsill level sad.
The Desperate Hunt Begins
Got sick of looking at dead stems, right? Decided I needed some tough plants, the kind that wouldn’t throw a fit in the gloom. Started googling like crazy: “plants that won’t die in my dark apartment”, “low light plants buy”, you get the drift. Tons of lists popped up.
Okay, plan: Snake Plants, ZZ Plants, Pothos, Philodendrons, maybe a Prayer Plant thingy (Calathea? Kal-uh-THEE-uh? Still not sure). Sounds good on paper, but where to actually find them? My local grocery store’s plant section? Yeah, mostly dead roses and sad herbs. Big garden center nearby? Focused mostly on outdoor flowers and veggies.
Hitting the Big Box Stores (With Low Expectations)
Honestly figured I’d strike out. Wandered into Home Depot first. Breezed past the blindingly bright greenhouse section – not my zone. Headed towards the darker corners near the indoor stuff, housewares, you know?
Boom. Found a whole section tucked away, way less fancy than the outdoor stuff. Piled on a flat cart:
- One decently sized ZZ plant: Shiny dark green leaves, looked chill. Label said “tolerates low light”. Sold.
- A Snake Plant variety: Tall, pointy, kinda architectural. Felt sturdy.
- A little Pothos: Viney thing in a hanging basket. Label mentioned “low light champion”. Figured why not.
Prices were actually way better than I expected. Definitely cheaper than those trendy plant shops downtown. Checked them over – no obvious bugs, no mushy stems. Good enough for me. Grabbed some basic potting mix too.
The Other Option (Way More Expensive)
On the way home, remembered a fancy plant boutique near my coffee spot. Peeked in after grabbing my latte. Yeah, they had some stunning, huge Philos and even more exotic-looking low-light dudes… but man, the price tags! That ZZ plant I just bought for like $12? They wanted $45 for basically the same size. Noped right out of there. My Home Depot haul suddenly felt way smarter.
Getting Them Settled In
Got home, cleared spots where literally no direct sun ever reaches. Like, deep shade. Unloaded my green gang:
- ZZ plant: Heavy pot, plopped it on a side table far from any window.
- Snake Plant: Stuck it on a shelf in a dim hallway.
- Pothos: Hanged it up in the corner above my TV where only the ambient light from the room exists.
Watered them lightly with room temp water when I brought them home (the soil felt dry). Read online these guys like to dry out completely between drinks, so promised myself not to drown them. That’s usually my mistake.
How It’s Going (So Far)
Been a few weeks now, maybe a month? Honestly bracing for disaster. But…
- ZZ Plant: Looks exactly the same. Zero drama. Not growing fast, but not dying! That’s a win.
- Snake Plant: Same deal. Standing tall, looking sharp. Nothing new popping up, but stable.
- Pothos: Okay, this guy actually put out a couple new little leaves! Like, it’s trying! Definitely the happiest of the bunch.
No fancy pots yet, just letting them chill in their nursery pots inside basic saucers. Figure if they survive the season, maybe I’ll upgrade.
So yeah, my dark apartment finally has some green life! Found ’em cheap at a regular big store, stuck ’em in the dimmest corners, and so far they haven’t given up on me. Total win. Big box store shady corners for the win!
That’s where I’m at now.
