My mother had a green thumb. Well, not literally. She was very good at gardening and had the ability to make any plant grow. She even grafted plant stems and came up with many variations of new plants in her garden. Unfortunately, I didn’t grasp all of her gardening techniques, but I did successfully learn how to keep my houseplants alive. So, in honor of National Garden Month, I encourage you to do some gardening this Spring, even if it means just sticking with the basics like I do.
Plants need light! Natural light beaming through a window is perfect for certain plants. If no window space is available, a “grow light” will do. (A quick internet search can show you different options for purchasing a set of grow lights.)
Plants need water! But not too much. Frequent watering for some; for others only water when the potting soil is completely dry. It depends on the type of plant, but after a while you get a good feel for it.
Plants need to be kept clean! Dust the leaves from time to time and prune when necessary.
Those are the basics, though for me, it was easier said than done. Over the years, I tried caring for several different plants and eventually stuck with my favorites, Dieffenbachia and Pothos. Not only are they pleasing to the eye, they thrive with very little effort on my part. Thumbs up to that.
Depending on your home layout and window locations, choosing a houseplant is all about your preference. Large ornamental plants brighten up a room and can enhance the interior design. Smaller plants are easier to handle and can be placed anywhere. Especially out of the reach of small children and pets. Hanging plants are perfect for the patio. A window box filled with vegetable herbs is an excellent choice, if you have a kitchen window. You can have your plant and eat it too.
Research shows that plants in the home and in the work place can help to reduce stress. It is suggested that the color green emits a relaxing and calming effect to the body. We all learned in our early school days that an indoor plant absorbs the carbon dioxide that we breathe out and releases oxygen that we breathe in. Some plants are more beneficial than others. In the late 1980s, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s NASA Clean Air Study proved that certain houseplants remove toxins from our air, such as benzene and formaldehyde. A perfect reason to go out and buy a houseplant or two.
The good news about buying indoor plants is that they come with instruction labels. It tells you how to care for the plant, the best location for it and more importantly, its potential growth. The Rubber Tree Plant (Ficus Elastica) can grow to more than 50 feet outdoors but makes a perfect indoor plant. Just pay attention to the instructions and prune, prune, prune.
So, if you have just moved to another home, are renovating, redecorating, or just want to add to your current home decor, consider getting some of the most common indoor air purifying plants. To name a few, try the Spider Plant, Aloe Vera, Ficus Elastica, Pothos, Chrysanthemum, Peace Lily or Bamboo Palm.
Cheers to greener thumbs, less stress and cleaner air. I’ll breathe to that!
What are some of your favorite houseplants? Any tips you’d like to share in honor of National Garden Month? Let us know in the comments below!
