A jungle in a wire basket

Houseplants have become an essential part of our homes. Many people even create a real jungle in their living space. If you have no idea where to start, you can begin small.

A jungle in the living room requires a lot of care. If you don’t want to be overwhelmed by the work, you can create a small jungle in a wire basket. It’s super quick to do, and the list of materials is manageable:

• Green plants (e.g., fern, dragon tree, pothos, rex begonias)
• Moss
• A wire basket (approx. 30 cm high)
• An old fruit crate
• Wire
• Plastic wrap
• A drill
• A stapler

First, place the wire basket with the opening facing down on a table and set the fruit crate on top of it. Now, the wire comes into play. Use it to secure the fruit crate to the wire basket. If the fruit crate doesn't have any holes, you can drill a few holes in the crate through which the wire can be threaded to attach the crate to the wire basket. When securing the crate, make sure to pull the wire tight. This way, the fruit crate won't wobble on the wire basket later. And then, it's time to add the jungle to the crate!

To prevent excess watering from running through the fruit crate and spreading all over the room, line the crate with plastic foil. Cut the foil to the size of the crate and staple it to the edges of the crate. Once that's done, it's time for the plants to move in. Different plant heights make the jungle even livelier. Hanging plants should be placed at the edges of the crate so the pots are no longer visible. Trailing ivy works especially well along the edge of the crate.

A little tip for the jungle: by lining the crate with plastic foil, you can easily pour the watering water into the edges of the crate. The plants absorb the water through the holes in their plant pots and take only as much as they really need. This prevents overwatering when watering from above and avoids flooding.