9 Fast-Growing Indoor Plants That Are Easy To Take Care Of
Meta Description: Plants for your apartment garden don’t need to be complicated. 9 Fast-growing Indoor Plants That Are Easy To Take Care Of
Plants that grow like crazy in an easy apartment garden.
You don’t need a large backyard to grow your own food or fill your home with greenery. A sunny windowsill, a small balcony, or even a nook in your living room is sufficient to get started.
The secret? Choosing the right plants.
Some plants are simply made for apartment living. They grow quickly, require little care, and provide even novice gardeners with generous leaves, fresh herbs, or colorful flowers. This apartment garden guide is here to help you make the right choices.
Whether you’re a complete novice or someone who has accidentally killed a few succulents and is ready to try again — this guide has you covered.
Let’s jump in.
Why Apartment Gardening Is Easier Than You Think
Many people avoid apartment gardening on the assumption that it’s complicated. Too little space. Too little light. Too little time.
But the reality is this: some plants actually thrive in small spaces and indoor conditions.
You don’t need fancy equipment. You don’t need a green thumb. All you need is to pair the right plant with your space.
This guide focuses on plants that:
- Are quick to grow and easy to manage
- Survive in containers and small pots
- Flourish in normal indoor or balcony light
- Are low-maintenance and beginner-friendly
Each plant below is rated on Growth Speed and Ease of Care on a scale from 1–5. Higher is better.
9 Best Apartment Garden Plants That Grow Like Crazy
1. Basil — The Herb That Makes Almost Daily Growth
Basil is one of the quickest herbs you can grow indoors. Drop a seed in, place it in sunshine, and within 14 days you’ll have seedlings sprouting.
It loves warmth and at least six hours of sun each day. A south-facing windowsill is ideal.
Why it’s great for apartments: Basil remains compact, performs well in small pots, and can be harvested continuously. Regularly pinch off the leaves from the top and the plant will keep producing more. Prevent it from flowering and it will go for months.
Quick tips:
- Use a container at least 6 inches deep
- Water when the top inch of soil feels dry
- Keep it away from cold drafts
Pasta, pizza, and salads loaded with fresh basil — from your windowsill. That’s hard to beat.
2. Pothos — The Invincible Houseplant
If you’ve ever killed a plant and promised yourself never to garden again, get a pothos. It’s practically unkillable.
Pothos is a trailing vine with heart-shaped foliage. It withstands low light, sporadic watering, and general neglect better than almost any other plant.
Why it’s great for apartments: It doesn’t need direct sunlight — it prefers indirect light, which is what most apartments have. You can hang it over a shelf, let it spill down a bookcase, or train it to climb a small trellis.
It also grows fast. Under good conditions, pothos can grow several inches a week.
Quick tips:
- Allow the soil to dry between waterings
- Avoid direct harsh sun — it can scorch the leaves
- Propagate new plants by placing a stem cutting in water
Pothos are so vigorous that they can fill an entire corner of your apartment within a few months.
3. Mint — One Plant, Many Harvests
Mint is aggressive. In a garden bed, that’s often a problem — but in a container? It’s a superpower.
Give mint a container, and it will fill every inch of it, delivering fresh, fragrant leaves for months.
Why it’s great for apartments: Mint is a vigorous grower and recovers quickly from harvesting. It also smells great, which is a nice bonus in a small space.
It likes partial sun — four to six hours a day — and prefers moist soil, which means it needs watering more often than some other herbs.
Quick tips:
- Always plant mint in its own pot — it will crowd out neighboring plants
- Water regularly, keeping the soil moist but not waterlogged
- Trim it regularly so it grows bushy and full
Use it fresh in teas, cocktails, salads, or desserts. One plant delivers far more than you’d expect.
4. Spider Plant — The Simplest Houseplant on Earth
Spider plants are among the most popular houseplants in the world — and for good reason.
They grow rapidly, produce long arching leaves, and send out little “baby” plants on long stems. Those babies can be trimmed and rooted into new plants, so one spider plant might eventually become ten.
Why it’s great for apartments: Spider plants are incredibly low-maintenance. They don’t require much light, they tolerate irregular watering, and they’re surprisingly forgiving. They also help purify indoor air, which is a bonus for small, enclosed spaces.
Quick tips:
- Water once a week in summer, less frequently in winter
- This plant thrives in indirect light or partial shade
- Cut the “spiderettes” and propagate them in water
If you want a plant that is nearly care-free and produces baby plants on its own, this is the one.
5. Chives — Little Herb, Lots of Flavour
Chives are small, yet they’re one of the most satisfying plants you can grow in an apartment.
They sprout in dense clumps of slender green shoots with a mild onion-like flavour. Cut some off, and they grow right back.
Why it’s great for apartments: Chives are happy in small pots and don’t require much room. They’re also perennials, meaning they return year after year. Once planted, they provide a continuous supply.
They prefer around six hours of sun a day and appreciate consistent watering.
Quick tips:
- To harvest, cut the leaves leaving about an inch of stem above the soil — they’ll regrow in a week or two
- Let them bloom occasionally — the purple flowers are edible and beautiful
Chives pair well with eggs, baked potatoes, soups, and dips. Keep a pot on your kitchen windowsill for easy access.
6. Lettuce — Fresh Salads From Your Window
It may sound ambitious to grow your own salad greens in an apartment, but lettuce is actually one of the easiest crops to grow indoors.
It grows quickly, doesn’t require deep soil, and can be harvested in a “cut and come again” style — picking outer leaves while the plant continues to produce.
Why it’s great for apartments: Lettuce thrives in cooler temperatures, making spring and fall ideal growing seasons. It also handles lower light better than most vegetables.
Use any wide, shallow container — even a window box works beautifully. From seed, you can have fresh greens ready to eat in just a few weeks.
Quick tips:
- Opt for loose-leaf varieties like butterhead or oak leaf, which allow multiple cuttings
- Keep the soil moist — if it dries out, lettuce bolts and goes to seed
- Pick outer leaves and leave the centre to keep growing
Imagine snipping fresh salad greens from your apartment every few days. No grocery run needed.
At-a-Glance Summary
| Plant | Sunlight Required | Watering Frequency | Growth Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basil | 6+ hours direct | Every 2–3 days | Very fast | Cooking herbs |
| Pothos | Low to indirect | Weekly | Fast | Décor, trailing |
| Mint | 4–6 hours | Every 2–3 days | Very fast | Teas, cocktails |
| Spider Plant | Indirect | Weekly | Fast | Low-maintenance |
| Chives | 6 hours | Every 2–3 days | Moderate | Cooking herbs |
| Lettuce | 4–6 hours | Daily or every 2 days | Very fast | Fresh salads |
7. Aloe Vera — The Plant That Moonlights as Medicine
Aloe vera is both a beautiful houseplant and a practical one. Its thick, spiky leaves retain water, making it extremely drought-tolerant.
It grows more slowly compared to the other plants on this list, but it sends out “pups” — little offshoot plants — that can be repotted separately over time. It’s very easy to keep alive and grows steadily.
Why it’s great for apartments: Aloe vera is a low-maintenance plant. Water it every two to three weeks in summer, even less in winter. It loves bright, indirect sunlight and stays compact in a pot.
The gel inside its leaves is also genuinely effective at soothing minor burns, cuts, and dry skin.
Quick tips:
- Use cactus or succulent soil that drains well
- Avoid overwatering — root rot is the biggest killer
- Place it somewhere bright but away from harsh direct afternoon sun
A low-effort, multipurpose plant that sits in the corner asking for almost nothing.
8. Green Onions (Scallions) — Regrow From Kitchen Scraps
Here’s something cool: those green onions you just bought at the grocery store can actually regrow from the root ends.
Trim off the roots (the whitish base with the tiny root tail), then stick them in a glass of water on your windowsill. They begin sprouting within a couple of days. In a week or two, you have fresh green onion tops ready to harvest.
Why it’s great for apartments: Green onions are arguably the most beginner-friendly plant on this entire list. No seeds needed. No special soil. Nothing but a glass of water and a sunny window.
You can also transfer them into soil for longer, healthier growth.
Quick tips:
- Refresh the water every day or so to prevent slime from forming
- Cut the tops once they reach several inches tall, leaving the roots in place to regrow
- Transfer to a pot of soil for even quicker, healthier growth
It’s essentially free food from your kitchen scraps. You don’t get much more apartment-friendly than that.
9. Cherry Tomatoes — High Yields in Minimal Space
Yes, you can grow tomatoes in an apartment. Cherry tomatoes in particular are well suited to container gardening because they stay small and produce a lot of fruit.
They require more sunlight than the other plants on this list — generally six to eight hours per day — so a south-facing balcony or window is ideal.
Why it’s great for apartments: Patio varieties of cherry tomatoes, such as ‘Tumbling Tom’ or ‘Tiny Tim’, are bred specifically for containers. They don’t require staking, don’t take up much space, and yield fruit throughout the entire growing season.
Quick tips:
- Use a pot at least 12 inches deep with good drainage
- Feed with a balanced liquid fertiliser every two weeks once flowering begins
- Gently shake the plant or use a small brush to help pollinate the flowers
There is nothing quite like eating a tomato you grew yourself on your own apartment balcony.
How to Set Up Your Apartment Garden: The Essentials
Now that you know what to grow, here’s a quick overview of how to set up your space.
Choosing the Right Containers
It doesn’t have to be expensive. Recycled items work perfectly — old colanders, tin cans, wooden crates, or even yogurt tubs with holes punched in the bottom.
What matters most is drainage. All containers must have holes in the bottom to allow excess water to escape. Without drainage, roots rot and plants die.
Getting the Right Soil
Garden soil from the yard is too dense for containers. Use a good quality potting mix instead — it’s lighter, retains moisture more effectively, and drains well.
Use a cactus-specific mix for succulents like aloe vera. A standard potting mix is suitable for herbs and vegetables.
Light: The Most Important Factor
Light is the number one factor in apartment gardening success. Here’s a simple breakdown:
- South-facing windows — Most light; best for sun-lovers like basil, tomatoes, and chives
- East or west-facing windows — Moderate light; good for mint, lettuce, and pothos
- North-facing windows — Least light; best for low-light plants like spider plants and pothos
If your apartment doesn’t get much natural light, a basic LED grow light can make a significant difference — especially for herbs and vegetables.
Watering Smart
More plants are killed by overwatering than underwatering. Before watering, stick your finger about an inch into the soil. If it feels dry, water. If it still feels moist, wait another day.
Most apartment plants prefer the “soak and dry” approach — water thoroughly until it drains from the bottom, then let the soil dry out before watering again.
5 Mistakes New Apartment Gardeners Make
Even the simplest plants can fail if you make a few common errors. Here’s what to watch out for.
1. Overwatering (or Underwatering) This is the top plant killer. Learn each plant’s preferred watering routine and stick to it. Use the finger-test described above.
2. Choosing the Wrong Pot Size Too small and the roots become cramped. Too large and the extra soil stays damp, inviting rot. Most herbs do well in 6-inch pots; tomatoes need at least a 12-inch pot.
3. Ignoring Sunlight Requirements Every plant on this list has a sunlight preference. Put a sun-loving plant in a dark corner and it will struggle, no matter how carefully you water it.
4. Not Fertilising Potting soil doesn’t contain many nutrients on its own. Feed your plants with a balanced liquid fertiliser every two to four weeks during the growing season to keep them healthy and productive.
5. Planting Incompatible Plants Together Some plants make good companions; others compete for resources. Never plant mint alongside other herbs — it will take over. Chives and basil can share a larger container. Lettuce grows well with several plants in a single wide tray.
Apartment Garden FAQs
Q: What is the best plant for a total beginner in an apartment? Pothos and spider plants are the simplest. Both tolerate low light, sporadic watering, and general neglect. Green onions grown in water are also an excellent starter option as they require next to no setup.
Q: Can I grow vegetables in an apartment without a balcony? Yes. Lettuce, green onions, and chives can all be grown successfully on a sunny windowsill. Cherry tomatoes prefer a balcony or outdoor space for maximum sun, but compact varieties can thrive next to a bright south-facing window.
Q: How often do I need to water my apartment plants? It depends on the plant. As a general rule, poke your finger about an inch into the soil. If it’s dry, water. If it’s still moist, wait. Most herbs need watering every two to three days, while succulents and pothos can go a week or more without water.
Q: Do I need a grow light for my apartment garden? Not necessarily. If you have a south or east-facing window, most plants on this list will thrive in natural light. If your apartment is quite dark, a simple LED grow light can make a noticeable difference — especially for herbs and vegetables.
Q: How do I prevent bugs and pests on indoor plants? Regularly check leaves for pests such as aphids or fungus gnats. Avoid overwatering, which attracts gnats, and keep plants clean by wiping leaves with a damp cloth. Neem oil spray is a safe, natural solution for most common indoor plant pests.
Q: Can I use the same pot for multiple plants? Some plants make good companions, while others compete for resources. Do not plant mint with other herbs — it will take over. Chives and basil can share a larger container. Several lettuce plants can share one wide, shallow tray.
Q: What if my apartment gets very little natural light? Opt for low-light champions such as pothos and spider plants. For herbs and edibles, invest in a small LED grow light. Even a simple 15–20 watt grow bulb in a clip-on lamp gives low-light herbs the energy they need to thrive.
Conclusion: Start Small, Grow From There
You don’t need a garden, a yard, or even a green thumb to get started with apartment gardening.
You just need the right plants, some sunlight, and a willingness to try — perhaps more than once.
This guide has introduced nine plants that are practically made for apartment life. They grow quickly, look attractive, and in many cases deliver fresh produce to your table with minimal effort.
Don’t feel overwhelmed. Start with one or two plants that appeal to you most. Get comfortable. Then slowly add more.
Before you know it, you’ll have a lush little indoor garden that makes your apartment feel like an entirely new space — greener, fresher, and more alive.
Pick your first plant. Get it in a pot. And watch what happens.
