10 Tips For Bringing Plant Life Into Your Kitchen

Adding plant life to your kitchen will add more greenery to your décor, and some are edible. There are many different ways you can add plants to your kitchen. Before taking advantage of the plants in your home, you need to know which will do the best in your space. If your kitchen has very little natural light, supporting an herb garden that needs full sun will be hard. Miracle-Gro explains that the direction your window faces affects the amount of sunlight it will provide. A south-facing window will allow the most amount of light into your kitchen. For bright, indirect light, east and west-facing windows are better. Then there are north-facing windows, which provide the least amount of sunlight.

Along with ensuring your plant life gets the appropriate amount of sunlight, you'll also need to water them. Every species of plant has different requirements. A general rule of thumb to know if your plant needs moisture is to stick your finger or a pencil an inch into the soil. If it's dry when you remove it, you should water the plant.

An herb garden is a great way to add greenery to your kitchen. While they add to the décor in your space, they also bring flavor to your meals once they're mature enough to harvest. Planting them in similar pots will keep your garden looking cohesive, or you can grow your herbs from seed in one big pot.

Plants that vine are beautiful additions to any room. Pothos, philodendrons, and hoyas are popular houseplants that look stunning on top of your fridge. A plus is that these species are also known for purifying the air of harmful carcinogens as they photosynthesize, according to Free Plants. They're also relatively easy to care for.

A succulent garden is perfect if your kitchen has south-facing windows because they need a lot of light. Since they're part of the cactus family, you won't have to worry about frequently watering them. They thrive from neglect as long as you provide them with the right environment. This includes fast-draining soil and direct sunlight.

Not all your food waste has to go in the compost bin. Avocado seeds can easily grow in a jar of water and become your own tree. Although, if you're planning to harvest avocados from it, you'll need to wait at least 13 years (via Pennington).

Whether you cut your own herbs or purchase them at a grocery store, putting them in a jar of water will keep them fresh until you need them. Storing them this way can make them last over two weeks, according to Simply Recipes. They'll also fill your kitchen with their refreshing aroma.

Pressing fresh flowers can make them last almost indefinitely, as long as you care for them properly (via the Natural History Museum). Once they're pressed, you can use them in many different ways. One great way is to frame them. Then the memories attached to those flowers can appear every time you glance at them.

Drying herbs helps to preserve them. That way, you can continue using your homegrown herbs through winter when the plants aren't producing anymore. Mountain Feed and Farm Supply recommend hanging your herb bundles upside-down, so the flavorful juices stay in the tender leaves. Displaying these bundles will also add to a rustic-style kitchen.

You can use hanging baskets if you want to add more plants to your space but don't have counter space. They're simple to make with macramé if you want to avoid purchasing one and look best with trailing plants. Hanging your plants can also ensure they get the best sunlight near your window.

Fresh flowers bring beauty and a pleasant aroma to any room you put them in. When you bring them home, trim the stems at a diagonal and immediately put them into a clean vase with water (via Longfield Gardens). Then you can display them as a centerpiece on your kitchen island.

If your kitchen doesn't have adequate lighting to keep plants alive, you can still enjoy the look of them with fake ones. They will always look pristine, and you won't have to worry about forgetting to water them.