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Many gardeners aren’t keen on growing bedding plants indoors as it requires quite a lot of time and effort. While most houseplants aren’t planted in beds, not every outdoor-grown bedding plant can thrive in or get adapted to indoor growing conditions.
However, there are some plant species that can survive and flourish perfectly well inside your home with enough attention and care. Here are 20 bedding plants that you’ll have fun growing indoors.
Geraniums (Pelargonium)
Geranium is a classic bedding house plant ideal for growing in containers and hanging baskets. Based on where and how you plant geraniums, their growing requirement can vary slightly. Whether you plant your geraniums outdoors or indoors, it’s important to choose a spot that meets all the ideal growing conditions.
Sweet Pea (Lathyrus odoratus)
Though all species of this plant can be grown indoors, a bush variety is a more convenient choice as it’s smaller in size and a lot easier to care for. In the hottest climates, place the plants close to a window that gets bright yet indirect sunlight as extreme heat can harm them.
Impatiens (Impatiens namchabarwensis)
Place your impatiens in a bright spot in your home and make sure to maintain average humidity levels as well. If there isn’t enough sunlight, placing them under growing lights will guarantee a better blooming experience.
Gerbera Daisies (Gerbera jamesonii)
Gerbera daisies come in a variety of colors including pink, red, yellow, orange, and lavender. They make great natural decorations for your living areas by adding a cheerful look to your leafy green houseplant patch. Provide them with bright lighting and water moderately.
Begonias (Begonia)
Rhizomatous and fibrous begonia varieties are great for indoor planting while some varieties such as tuberous begonias are a bit tricky to care for. This is because the latter needs more light and higher humidity levels to thrive.
Primrose (Primula vulgaris)
The key to nurturing a successful indoor primrose bed is maintaining the correct soil moisture and high humidity levels. The soil needs to be constantly moist, yet not water-logged as it can lead to root rotting. Avoid letting the soil dry out too much, as it can cause the plants to wilt easily.
Purple Shamrock (Oxalis triangularis)
Also known as “Purple oxalis”, these are beautiful houseplants with deep purple leaves. They grow best in places with bright, indirect sunlight. Place them in a spacious growing environment with adequate ventilation.
Periwinkles (Catharanthus roseus)
Periwinkles are sturdy, annual plants known for their heat and drought-tolerant qualities. When grown indoors, windowsills that get bright sunlight throughout the day are ideal for these plants. Use a well-draining soil mix for the beds.
Hyacinth (Hyacinthus)
Hyacinth is one of the easiest flowering plants to grow inside your home with minimal care. Be careful not to overwater them as excessive moisture can damage their bulbs.
Hyacinth flowers emit a very strong fragrance which can be overwhelming for some people, so if you’re someone who is highly sensitive to strong scents, you may want to avoid having these plants in the house.
Hydrangeas (Hydrangea)
Known for their beautiful large blossoms, hydrangeas have long been one of the most popular flowering houseplants. They prefer average humidity, moist, well-draining soil, and cool air with a room temperature of 50-60 degrees of Fahrenheit (10-15 C).
Chrysanthemums (Chrysanthemum)
Another very easy houseplant to care for, chrysanthemums grow best when kept somewhere that’s cooler and away from direct sunlight. They don’t like high humidity or waterlogged soil as these conditions can cause infestations and infections easily.
Anthuriums (Anthurium)
Anthuriums are also known by many other names such as flamingo lily, boy flower, and oilcloth flower. These tropical beauties can glamorize your living areas with their cheerful spade-shaped flowers and eye-catching foliage.
Marigolds (Tagetes)
Marigolds are forgiving plants that don’t require special fertilizer or soil. They’re also quite hardy and won’t die quickly if you let the soil dry out. In fact, marigolds do not like wet soil, so you won’t need to water them regularly.
Deadheading can help the plants to produce beautiful blooms continuously, so make sure to do this every now and then.
Pansies (Viola wittrockiana)
Pansies are versatile plants that can be grown both indoors and outdoors. They’re adored by plant lovers for their vividly colorful blooms that come in a huge collection of single and multiple colors. Place them in a location that gets indirect sunlight, as direct sunlight can burn the plants.
Carnations (Dianthus caryophyllus)
Also known as “dianthus”, these plants bloom well in temperatures between 60° – 70° F (15-21 C) and wither in freezing temperatures. Therefore, if you’re living in an area with extremely cold winters prepare the planting bed in a place where they’re protected from the frost and cool wind.
Petunias (Petunia)
Petunias love full sun, low humidity, moist sandy soil, and average watering. Place them in a sunny spot that gets at least 6 hours of sunlight per day. Petunias are one of the most popular types of indoor bedding plants because of their exceptional blooms and long blooming period. They require minimal care and bloom from spring until winter!
Lantanas (Lantana camera)
Lantana flowers are easy to care for and their attractive scented blossoms can brighten up your home as well as your mood. These plants can be grown outdoors as well, but they grow extremely fast and can be invasive. This makes it a great plant to grow in pots or beds indoors. Prune and water the plants regularly, allowing the soil to dry out completely before watering again.
Coleus (Coleus scutellarioides)
Coleus plants love bright, but not intense sunlight, so place them in a spot where they get enough morning sunlight and indirect light during the afternoon. During the winter, you may need to use artificial grow lights to ensure that the plants get enough light. These plants don’t require a lot of fertilizer, but you can feed them some occasionally to boost growth.
Fuchsias (Fuchsia)
Prepare the bed in a bright yet cool spot, as too much heat can cause these plants to become stunted. They prefer pre-prepared potting mix over normal gardening soil. The biggest challenge with growing fuchsia plants is that they need a lot of water and this can be a bit of a hassle when growing them indoors. You’ll need to be very diligent about keeping their soil moist, but not too wet. Never let the soil dry out, which means you may have to water them once a day.
Herbs
Herbs are one of the most productive plants to grow indoors as you’ll have a fresh supply for cooking. Some interesting and easy herbs to grow indoors include the following:
- Mint (Mentha)
- Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
- Sage (Salvia officinalis)
- Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)
- Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
- Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum)
- Parsley (petroselinum crispum)
- Oregano (Origanum vulgare)
- Rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis)
- Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla)
- Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium)
- Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis)
The Take-Away
Unlike outdoor gardening, managing plant beds indoors can be more demanding, but it’s also very rewarding. As you may have noticed from our list, some plants require a lot less care than others, so choose a variety that suits your lifestyle.
