How about looking at the house plant forum? Lots of help there.

I don't know if you have found an answer to your dorm room constraints, but if you are working strictly indoors on limited space, I would suggest african violets. They are a fun little challenge, don't require a ton of space, have lots of pretty varieties, and they are raised by a lot of really nice people. AV people are some of the nicest around, and it is really satisfying when your plant puts out new blooms. Just an idea!

I do like orchids, air plants, and carnivorous plants, to name a few. You can supply their light needs from a window if you have a good spot, or else a single lamp. You are not having an entire indoor growing area so one lamp on a few plants may suffice.

If you're interested in food gardening, I've been growing sprouts indoors for about 4 months. I've been using jars and just starting to experiment with vertical sprouts & shoots. Since I'm not a big veggie lover, I've been sprouting just 3 pint jars at a time for sandwiches. I get seeds from a health food store.

For $70 you can get a really sturdy, 5-shelf shelving unit. It gives you a ton of grow space. Some cheap LED grow strips along the side for lighting if that's an issue. Shelving, LEDS, and soil, and planters will cost you around $200. Reusing recyclables (milk jugs, glass jars, cans for short term, etc.) will reduce this to about $125. Getting dirt from outside will bring it down to about $100.

The other option is getting a sturdy curtain rod and suspending jars int front of windows. When in full growth, it may make the space dark, but it creates a great whimsical atmosphere if you have vine plants..

All those plants you mentioned having at home will grow in your dorm room, too. If your folks won't let you take your old ones and you don't have the bucks for new ones, start some from cuttings or seeds.

Hi staticembrace,

Take a look at this very cool Single Cube Tabletop planters! They are inexpensive and they are perfect for dorm rooms! As for an indoor plant, try orchids. They come in many different colors, they are simple and elegant! Good luck!

http://www.urbilis.com/tabletop-planters/?sort=featured&page=2

How about a well-drained and well-lit setup for herbs? A pebble tray with containers filled with well-drained soil and a gro-light. Basil, lavender, rosemary, etc. would be fragrant and pretty, and you could enhance your dorm food with their flavors.

I'm using an over-the-toilet 3-shelf unit in front of kitchen window for plants. They cost about $30 and easily hold nine 6" pots, plus room underneath for storage (mine keeps the kitty dishes out of the way). A 1" dowel is fitted inside the drapery rod for hanging pots (a tension shower rod would work, too) and a layer of cheesecloth provides a bit of morning sun protection. An other idea is a spring tension plant pole (found on ebay or Amazon) to hold hanging pots.