Low light plant options, for above my cabinets

14 years ago

So i am new to the world of house plants as i have kept cactus and sux for a while. but i recently did some work in the kitchen and now would like to add some life to it... i need some good options for a low light plants i can place on top of my cabinets... they are in the kitchen which is open to a distance away from the sliding glass doors in the family room.

so if possible some plants that would do well in those conditions as well as can they be acquired at a home depot type place or if i need to find a garden shop (not really any in my area)

also what type of set up do i need... do they need great drainage like a cactus, can i use a bought mix from the store or do i need to play around with the soil... what about watering, do i soak it or just give it a certain amount each time...

thank you again for your information and assistance.

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Comments (3)

rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
14 years ago
As a general rule, ALL plants need good drainage...meaning that water will pass through the potting medium fairly freely. Also, all plants do best if watered thoroughly each time they need it...not given little sips. How often you'll need to water depends upon the kind of plant you choose, the type of container and potting medium, temperature and relative humidity of the room, time of year, amount of light, and other factors. It'll be your job to do that kind of research once you've selected the plants!

As a newbie, you might want to get a decent potting mix at the store, but add plenty of perlite to make it more porous. Most plants will do perfectly fine in such a medium, as long as you pay attention to your watering. Later on, you can try hunting down some other amendments, such as conifer bark fines, coarse grit, and Turface.

Are you planning on bringing your plants to the sink each time you need to water? If not, you'll need to make sure that you provide something to catch all of the run-off after your watering. Remember, though, that containerized plants shouldn't sit in water for days on end.

Personally, I've opted for large pottery urns and glass pieces rather than plants over my kitchen cabinets. Easier to dust and they don't require any watering. :-)
frogs28
14 years ago
I would stick to some easy plants to take care of...philodendrons and pothos need very little light to do well and would look lovely cascading down. I have a lovely varigated philo...silver something... That is a nice contrast to all green variety. Devil's ivy might look nice too but needs medium light. I would also recommend (if you have med light) lipstick plant, wandering Jew, creeping Charlie, arrowhead plant, and prayer plant...all are low growers, compact and cascade down. Two more alternatives are spider plants and zz plants. The first is med light and would fit on top of cabinet, the second is low light and grows upright (maybe to compliment others you could put on countertop.)
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kioni
14 years ago
Rhizo has a good recommendation about plants versus something decorative, and the fact the first is more effort to take care of then the second.

I have a friend who lived in a house with her big window facing south, and 15 feet away was a dividing wall between this window and her kitchen, it was about 9 or 10 feet tall. Perched on top she had a hoya (which bloomed) and other vining plants which did very well. BUT, her wall was painted white - and all that light from her big window 15 feet in front of the wall would have also reflected back on her plants. It was work, she'd have to pull out a chair and balance on her countertop on the other side of the wall to water the plants, I think some of them were plants that could handle periods of dryness.

Not knowing just how much light comes into your home and lands where you want the plants, I would suggest buying one plant (like the pothos or philodendron) and over the course of 3 - 6 months see how you like tending to it in that location - and pay attention to the new growth, whether it is growing as vigorously as the plant would have before you purchased it.

Also, if the plants are going to trail down, will they be trailing down over your cupboard doors - you won't want that would you? I do have a philodendron micans on my kitchen cupboard, it trails over the side of the cupboard that butts up to my kitchen sink area, and is within a foot of distance from the kitchen sink window which has a transom window above it (and this is the same level as the top of the cupboard where the plant sits). As the sun comes round in the spring, summer and fall, it gets about one hour of direct sunshine, the rest of the time it is only bright light (overhang of the house shades the window as the sun climbs higher for the day). This plant has been doing well, but is close to a window, and is a low light plant. I would not want any more plants growing up there tho' - I don't mind bringing this one plant down to the sink for watering and then returning it, but that is enough effort for me. The rest of my plants are on the floor or stands around the house, in front of windows.