Indoor Gardening for Seniors

If you’ve transitioned from a home with a sizeable yard and sprawling garden to an apartment or condo, you may be suffering from a mild case of the green thumb blues.

Relax. Downsizing doesn’t mean you have to give up growing your favorite veggies, herbs and flowers. In fact, indoor gardening allows horticulturalists to plant and harvest year-round!

Gardening has many benefits for older adults. It encourages the use of motor skills, improves endurance and strength, reduces stress levels and promotes relaxation…not to mention the opportunity to enjoy nutritious, home-grown produce!

Check Out 5 Benefits of Indoor Gardening and Get Growing!

Natural Air Purification 

Indoor gardens act as a natural air filter and can help rid your home of toxins. The bigger and leafier the plant, the better. The famous 1989 NASA experiment, found that indoor plants can scrub the air of cancer-causing volatile organic compounds like formaldehyde and benzene. Since then, other research has found that soil microorganisms in potted plants aid in cleaning indoor air.

Bonus: Indoor plants are also a natural humidifier. Spider plants are able to remove toxins like carbon monoxide and formaldehyde from indoor air.

Ease of Maintenance

Vertical gardens, or “living walls,” are a relatively inexpensive, low-maintenance alternative to traditional garden plots. Forget about the painstaking process of pulling weeds or ridding your plot of pesky vermin. A little nutrient-rich soil, the right amount of light and water are the main ingredients for the perfect indoor oasis.

It’s now easier than ever to create your own indoor vertical garden with modular planting systems and hanging planters that require minimal assembly. Check out 9 Best Vertical Gardens for Indoor and Outdoor Planting and get started!

Accessible to All

Unlike traditional gardens, there’s no need to get down in the dirt with a living wall. An indoor vertical garden’s ease of access makes it attractive to both new gardeners and anyone who has difficulty with mobility. Using containers also makes maintenance easier, since problems like weeds, ground-dwelling pests and soilborne diseases basically become non-existent.

Liven Up Your Décor

Imagine a wall of beautiful, tropical plants on display in your living room. How about succulents or fresh herbs, 10 different shades of green, in your kitchen? Indoor gardens are as aesthetically pleasing as they are beneficial and practical. A lush green wall has the ability to make any space look beautiful!

Easy Fresh Vegetables

Enjoy home-grown, fresh herbs, veggies and flowers all year-round! Harvesting vertically also reduces bending to pick and find vegetables. In addition, growing a vertical garden will help keep the fruit and vegetables clean. Some crops that grow well in a vertical garden include tomatoes, cucumbers, pole beans, peas, melons, zucchini, grapes and more.

Consider starting your own indoor garden and give your new abode a unique look and feel.

Life at American House

Transitioning to senior living doesn’t have to mean giving up gardening. Many American House communities offer opportunities to dig in the dirt, either in your apartment or in outdoor gardens and patio spaces.

At American House, we offer maintenance-free living at its finest. Our charming communities feature spacious apartments with a variety of amenities and services. Residents enjoy chef-prepared meals, weekly housekeeping, salon and barber shop services, fitness centers and so much more. With locations across the Midwest, Southeast and New England, you’re sure to find the proper level of care and services to fit your needs.

We offer Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Care* and Respite Care. 

Contact us to find out which American House community is right for you.

*Not available at all American House communities.