I’m being completely honest here – my life has been a whirlwind over the past few months. With so many responsibilities calling my name, from traveling to family commitments, I had to admit defeat when it came to tending to my garden. The lawn got mowed, but that was about it. My usual routine of preparing the soil and nurturing the weeds went by the wayside, and honestly, I didn’t feel an ounce of guilt about it. That’s just life – some seasons are busy, others give us more breathing room.
So, I adapt my gardening approach to match where I am in life. Thankfully, I’ve learned which plants can thrive without constant attention and which ones need TLC during those hectic periods. With this knowledge, I can confidently share a list of hardy plants that can survive with minimal care, both indoors and out – perfect for busy bees, green thumbs or anyone looking to dip their toes into plant parenthood.
Hard to Kill Plants in the House
I’m a plant enthusiast, but my feline friends often get the better of me. As a busy mom who’s always juggling multiple responsibilities, I need low-maintenance plants that can withstand the rough handling of my two playful cats and still thrive when life gets chaotic. In fact, I’ve narrowed it down to a few trusty companions that can survive the demands of farm life, intense motherhood, or those days when time seems to fly by. Here are the plants that make the cut:
Cactus
Just like cacti thrive in the harsh desert environment, they can also flourish in the midst of a bustling household. Their unique characteristic of requiring minimal water and being adaptable to various soil conditions makes them an ideal addition to any busy person’s space.
But that’s not all – succulents are also breathtakingly beautiful! With their vibrant colors and varied shapes, they have the power to instantly elevate the aesthetic appeal of a room without much fuss.
Simply place one in a pot, and let its natural charm do the rest.
Cast-Iron Plant
If lighting is a concern in your home for growing plants, you’re not alone. Some areas may struggle with inadequate light, while others might experience intense heat that can be detrimental to plant growth. The cast-iron plant is an excellent choice for addressing these challenges. Not only does it tolerate low or high light conditions, but it’s also remarkably adaptable to temperature fluctuations.
This makes it a great option for those living in areas where the mercury can swing dramatically from hot to cold within a 24-hour period.
Rabbit’s Ear
The rabbit’s ear plant has won my heart with its unique charm. Its modern aesthetic and endearing appearance make it a great addition to any home. The distinctive dark spots on the leaf tips, combined with the soft, fuzzy texture of the leaves, create a whimsical effect that’s hard to resist. But what sets this plant apart is its practicality.
The hairy leaves not only add to its visual appeal but also aid in retaining water, allowing it to thrive for longer periods and reducing evaporation rates.
Jade
Are you looking to cultivate a low-maintenance plant that requires minimal care and saves you time and resources? Look no further than the jade plant, a self-sufficient beauty that takes pride of place in any indoor setting. One of its most remarkable features is its ability to store water within its leaves, making it remarkably drought-tolerant and reducing your need for frequent watering.
Additionally, the jade plant has an impressive reproductive strategy – as its leaves mature, they naturally drop off, leaving behind a perfectly formed seed that can germinate into a new plant. With proper care, you can easily propagate multiple plants from a single purchase, making this hardy succulent a fantastic choice for those seeking to cultivate a lush indoor oasis with minimal fuss.
Rubber Plant
The versatile rubber plant, often found in office environments, can also bring warmth and coziness to your home. Its ability to thrive in less-than-perfect conditions makes it an attractive option for busy individuals or those new to plant parenthood. Despite its popularity in offices, the rubber plant’s low-maintenance requirements are a key factor: it can store water well and only needs to be fully dried before receiving additional hydration.
Aloe
Aloe vera’s versatility makes it an exceptional addition to any skincare regimen. Its soothing gel has natural healing properties that can effectively calm burns, making it a valuable asset in first aid kits. But what truly sets aloe apart is its low-maintenance nature. This hardy succulent thrives in conditions that are often considered inhospitable by other plants, requiring only occasional watering to keep the soil dry and healthy.
In fact, aloe vera prefers to be slightly under-watered than overwatered, making it an ideal choice for busy individuals or those new to plant parenthood.
Philodendron
My personal favorite houseplant has always been the philodendron, a versatile and low-maintenance option that can thrive in various settings. With numerous varieties to choose from, each one boasts its unique charm and hardiness. They can be trained to grow upwards on a trellis, creating a stunning natural screen or used as decorative hanging baskets.
What I appreciate most about philodendrons is their ability to flourish with minimal care – simply water them when the soil feels dry to the touch, and infrequent pot changes are all that’s required. In return, they reward you with an abundance of beauty, making them an ideal choice for busy homeowners seeking a stylish yet hassle-free addition to their home.
Snake Plant
For individuals who prioritize comfort and coziness in their homes, maintaining a sense of warmth and welcome can be a challenge – especially for those who are frequently away from home. My sister, for instance, is a frequent traveler due to her job, yet she makes it a point to ensure that her home still exudes the same level of warmth and hospitality as if she were there.
If you too share this sentiment, you’ll be pleased to learn that the humble snake plant can help achieve this goal with minimal fuss. This low-maintenance plant requires only occasional watering – typically just a few times per month – and surprisingly thrives when left to its own devices.
Spider Plant
When it comes to gardening, my mother-in-law was a proponent of low-maintenance plants that could be easily propagated without breaking the bank. She believed that having plenty of plants shouldn’t have to come at the cost of a hefty price tag. One of her go-to choices for achieving this goal was the humble spider plant. Not only do these plants produce pups that can be easily divided and replanted, but they also require very little care beyond an occasional watering.
Hard to Kill Plants – Fruits
While it’s true that fruit plants demand some attention early on, they can quickly become self-sufficient and thrive with minimal maintenance once they’re well-established. In fact, many varieties of fruit plants are perfect for busy seasons because they require little to no care after the initial setup. Here are some top picks when it comes to low-maintenance options that will keep producing despite your hectic schedule.
Fruit Trees
When fruit trees are well-established, they tend to be self-sufficient, requiring minimal upkeep. Watering and fertilizing become less crucial, but it’s still essential to monitor for pests. Regular pruning is also beneficial, helping to maintain a healthy tree. While it’s ideal to prune annually, life can get busy, and that’s okay. In such cases, prioritize what you can do and leave the rest until a more opportune moment arrives.
Your fruit trees will adapt and wait patiently for your return, ensuring they’re ready to thrive in the next growing season.
Blueberries
I’ve been open about the chaos that’s consumed my year. Unfortunately, our pruning schedule fell by the wayside – a reality many of us can relate to. I’m not alone in struggling to find time for gardening tasks, but that doesn’t mean we have to sacrifice our harvests entirely. In fact, despite the whirlwind pace, my blueberry bushes still managed to produce an abundance of fruit. I made it a point to pick what I could when I had the chance and ended up with enough to fill my freezers.
As the seasons change, I’m looking forward to catching up on any missed pruning tasks this fall. The key is to find ways to balance our busy lives with the demands of our gardens – it’s not always easy, but it’s definitely possible.
Strawberries
Strawberries are capable of thriving with minimal maintenance once they’re well-established. However, it’s crucial to take proactive steps to prevent common issues like disease and weeds from taking over. By avoiding weeds and regularly inspecting your strawberry plants for signs of disease, you can ensure their self-sufficiency even when you’re not constantly attending to them. With these precautions in place, strawberries should remain healthy and productive throughout the growing season.
Blackberries
When we first moved onto our property, I had the opportunity to establish a thriving blackberry bush garden. As someone who takes pride in their land, I’ve always made sure to nurture my property with regular care and attention. However, life can get busy, and sometimes things slip through the cracks. But surprisingly, my blackberry bushes didn’t suffer because of it. Instead, I simply harvested what I could whenever I had a spare moment and stored the bounty in my freezer for later.
In terms of maintenance, once these bushes are established, they’re relatively low-maintenance. They don’t require frequent watering, unless you’re experiencing an extended drought. Pruning is also an important part of their care, but even if I miss a year or two, it’s not the end of the world. Berry bushes have a way of being incredibly resilient and adaptable – much like how we hope to be during life’s more chaotic seasons.
Grapes
Our property is home to a diverse array of grapes and muscadines, which produce a bounty of delicious jelly and juice. However, my affection for these vines extends far beyond their culinary benefits. Grapes have the unique ability to bring serenity to my life, transforming our property into a picturesque haven with minimal upkeep required. Annual pruning and simple measures to deter pests are all that’s needed to keep them thriving.
The lack of fuss surrounding grape cultivation is truly a blessing.
Hard to Kill Plants – Vegetables
If you’re looking to cultivate a traditional garden, you might be worried about fitting it into your busy schedule or lacking the necessary expertise. Fear not! Certain crops are incredibly resilient and can thrive even with occasional neglect or mistakes. Here are some plants that will forgive you if you fall behind in your gardening efforts:
Lettuce
Growing lettuce is a relatively straightforward process as long as the outdoor temperature remains cool enough. With proper care, you can expect a bountiful harvest from your crop. To achieve this, it’s essential to maintain adequate moisture levels in your soil and thin out the lettuce plants to provide them with sufficient space for growth.
Among the various types of lettuce, leaf lettuce is often considered the most low-maintenance option, making it an ideal choice for gardeners looking for a stress-free growing experience.
Carrots
Carrots thrive in loose, nutrient-rich soil that allows them to spread out freely. In fact, growing them in containers can be one of the most straightforward ways to cultivate these crunchy treats. As they grow, it’s essential to thin them out regularly, but with proper soil conditions, carrots are surprisingly resilient and can survive longer between watering sessions.
Even if you find yourself too busy to tend to your crop as intended, well-prepared soil enables your carrots to still yield a bountiful harvest.
Potatoes
Let me be completely upfront – the potatoes on my property proved to be incredibly resilient and adaptable this year. Despite a lackluster effort from me, with no hilling whatsoever due to travel and excessive rainfall, we still managed to reap an impressive harvest. The real surprise was how well they had thrived in spite of our low expectations.
While I wouldn’t recommend adopting my potato-raising habits as a permanent solution, I do think it’s worth noting that even if life gets in the way, potatoes are remarkably forgiving. In fact, they seem to be able to forgive a lot – including minimal attention and care.
Squash
Squash plants are renowned for their prolificacy, yielding abundant harvests with minimal effort. This characteristic makes them an excellent choice for most gardens, as a small number of plants can quickly become overwhelming. Moreover, squash plants are remarkably low-maintenance, requiring only proper care and conditions to thrive. With adequate water and nutrient-rich soil, they typically fare well without excessive attention.
The primary concern would be pests, which may pose a threat if you’re unable to provide regular care.
Radishes
If you’re looking for a quick-growing, low-fuss vegetable that will deliver results in no time, radishes are an excellent choice. These speedy roots can produce a harvest in as little as 45 days, with minimal effort required from you. To maximize their potential, make sure to thin the plants out, giving them enough space to thrive. With consistent watering and proper spacing, your radish crop is likely to be a resounding success.
Cherry Tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes have consistently proven themselves to be remarkably resilient plants in my experience. I grew them in a bucket this year, which initially presented some challenges when I was away from home and unable to tend to their watering needs. Nevertheless, these tomatoes demonstrated an impressive ability to thrive even under conditions where they would typically struggle to survive – days without water in scorching temperatures, for instance.
Despite these adverse circumstances, they still managed to produce a bountiful harvest.
Jalapeno Peppers
Savor the spice of peppers! For busy gardeners or newcomers to gardening, they’re an ideal choice. Why? Because they thrive in dry heat – the more intense the heat, the more they produce. All you need is a sunny spot, quality soil, and occasional watering to coax these plants into thriving.
Beans
Green beans are renowned for their adaptability and resilience, making them an excellent choice for gardeners of all levels. While they do thrive in well-draining soil, the addition of an automatic watering system can greatly reduce maintenance requirements. However, it’s essential to regularly harvest your green beans to prevent them from becoming tough and fibrous.
Some individuals prefer the slightly sweet and earthy flavor that comes with allowing their beans to mature, whereas others enjoy them at a younger stage. Ultimately, the decision boils down to personal taste.
Greens
When it comes to exploring the world of green greens, there’s a diverse range of options to choose from. While turnip and mustard greens are particularly well-liked, the key characteristic that sets them apart is their ease of cultivation. Both varieties can thrive in a variety of environments, making them accessible to gardeners of all levels. For seeds that are smaller in size, simply broadcasting them onto fertile soil is sufficient.
From there, it’s a matter of maintaining consistent moisture levels and harvesting when the greens have reached maturity.
Hard to Kill Plants – Herbs and Flowers
As our ‘hard to kill plants tour’ comes to a close, we’ll explore the realm of flowers and herbs. While these plants may require some care, they’re generally low-maintenance once established. Perennial flowers and shrubs are designed to thrive with minimal attention. Simply cut them back and cover them with mulch when cold weather sets in. If you’re receiving adequate rainfall, they shouldn’t need much upkeep from you.
Proper mulching also helps contain moisture and reduces weeds, further reducing your responsibility. Herbs are another great option for busy gardeners. With proper mulching, weeds can be significantly reduced in your herb garden. The mulch also helps maintain optimal moisture levels, which reduces the workload even further. If your herbs bolt – and you’re too busy to intervene – let them go.
In my experience, this can lead to more seeds dropping and a natural increase in herb production over time. I’ve found that my herbs will bolt at some point during the summer months, coinciding with my own busy schedule of preserving food and preparing for back-to-school season. This is actually beneficial for me, as it allows the seeds to drop and protect them from harsh winter conditions through our mild winters in planting zone 7.
The variety of hard-to-kill plants we’ve discussed – including flowers, herbs, and more – are perfect for growing during busy seasons, forgiving if life happens in the middle of the growing season, and suitable for beginner gardeners. Whatever your reason for seeking out durable, low-maintenance plants, this list should serve as a great starting point.
