Like many, I find caring for and living with plants extremely therapeutic. In fact, I am completely addicted to house plants. I cannot imagine my home without them, as I believe they give every interior space a greater sense of life and energy.
Over the past decade I have gone from plant killer to plant mama so successfully that at one point I had more than 200 house plants (mostly thanks to taking an online propagation class with plant expert Hilton Carter during lockdown).
Science tells us that sharing our home and workspaces with house plants is extremely good for overall feelings of wellbeing. Even the most basic action of just looking at a plant can reduce stress, increase healing rates, reduce the perception of pain and improve concentration levels.
Having a direct visual connection to nature within your living space is the first step to creating a biophilic home, one designed to support health and wellbeing.
House plants are like leafy angels. These industrious botanical heroes are not just pretty to look at but also have many positive effects on our wellbeing that go beyond aesthetics.
The top five benefits of house plants are:
1. Improving air quality, helping to clean the air of toxins and purify indoor air quality.
2. Improving sleep quality – some plants produce oxygen at night helping aid restful sleep.
3. Enhancing creativity and productivity by helping to improve cognitive function.
4. Improving acoustics – large-leafed plants placed in corners of open plan rooms help to reduce acoustic reverberation and soften sounds. This is especially relevant for neuro-diverse households and open plan work spaces.
5. Promoting healing and recovery by potentially reducing the amount and frequency of pain medication (medical advice necessary).
DETOXIFYING PLANTS
NASA completed a study over 30 years ago which concluded that plants could remove toxins from the air, including formaldehyde which is present in so many household items. You might expect paints, glues, cleaning and plastic products to bring toxins into the home, but did you know it is also present in the furniture and textiles you live with?
This is especially concerning when the Clean Air research study discovered our indoor air quality can be four-five times more toxic than outside, and we spend so much of our time indoors. Luckily living with plants can help you remove unwanted toxins from your home.
In 2008, research from India provided a top three key detoxifying plant species to include in the home. They not only remove the most toxins but also ‘grow’ all the fresh indoor air you need (if you have enough of them). They are:
Areca Palm (Chrysalidocarpus Lutescens) – this removes CO2 and produces oxygen during the day.
Mother in Law’s Tongue (Sanseveria Trifasciata) – this converts CO2 to oxygen at night.
Money Tree (aka Devil’s Ivy or Pothos) – the most effective species at removing chemicals from the air including formaldehyde.
GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY!
Studies conducted in recent years have identified antidepressant properties in soil microbes. Mycobacterium Vaccae, a microbe commonly found in soil, has been shown to stimulate the production of serotonin in the brain.
As a neurotransmitter, serotonin plays a key role in regulating mood, happiness and anxiety levels. Increased serotonin levels are often associated with improved mood and reduced feelings of depression.
So next time you repot a house plant, inhale the rich earthy smell of the soil, ditch the gardening gloves and let the dirt under your fingernails.
CHOOSING AND CARING FOR YOUR PLANTS
It can be too easy to think that house plants are hard to look after (I once could kill a plant just by looking at it), but a little knowledge can go a long way.
If you are a house plant beginner there are a couple of things you really need to consider before you start: how much time do you have to care for your plants? and how much light can your home offer?
Knowing the answer to these two questions can save you heartache and money.
If you have a busy schedule and/or your home doesn’t benefit from a lot of light, don’t worry you can still share it with plants, you just need to know which varieties to choose. For example, spider plants and mother in law’s tongue are very adaptable plants for low light and darker corners. They also require less care, maintenance, and watering than many other species making them ideal for plant lovers withy busy work/life schedules.
Do your research, don’t just buy a plant and plonk it in a corner – check what conditions suit which plant and let this inform your buying decision. It is better to go to the plant shop with a space in mind and find a plant to suit that light level and location, rather than buy a plant without knowing where it can live in your home.
Shopping at your local plant store is the best way to understand your plants, knowledgeable staff can really help you learn.
The most widespread problem with plant care is that most people over water them or leave pots sodden in inches of water causing the roots to rot.
There is no one-size-fits-all species strategy. I make a date each week (usually Sunday mornings) to check each plant. Stick a finger in the soil and if it feels damp don’t water; if the soil is dry then give it a drink.
In winter, your plants will hibernate requiring much less water so be mindful not to overdo it in the colder months. I water mine every two-three weeks with small amount of water when the soil is dry.
Easy grow plants such as the peace lily, Pilea and Monstera are all excellent beginners’ plants. The peace lily is a bit of a drama queen, dramatically flopping its leaves when it needs watering, but it recovers beautifully after a drink.
Pilea (Chinese money plant) requires extraordinarily little water – once every one-two weeks – while Monstera (Swiss cheese plant) mostly enjoys a monthly soaking (I put mine in the shower to clean the leaves, then leave it to soak in a few inches of water in the bath for a couple of hours).
Learning to keep your plants healthy is all about putting some time aside to care for them, and always doing your research.
Soil quality is important too: make sure you have the right soil for the right plant.
Some plants like cacti, succulents and orchids require specialist soil qualities. Always do your research so your soil matches the nutrients needed for each species.
Feeding, cleaning, and repotting during the growing season (spring/summer) gives your plants the best chance for the healthiest growth each season.
As a rule, repot your plants into a new pot that is a couple of inches wider than the old one. If the new pot is too big it can take longer for the soil to dry after watering and the roots can rot.
When it comes to pest control, keeping a regular date to check your plants means you should always be on top of any issues.
Fungus gnats are the number one issue with house plants caused by overwatering. The simple, non-toxic way to deal with them is using yellow sticky tape fly catchers.
ROOM TO GROW
House plants bring a dynamic and energetic presence to any space. Alongside their holistic benefits, they can create visual interest in your home.
To create interesting botanical décor, layer species with different textures, leaf shape and colours to elevate your living space. Place them at a variety of heights so the eye is always looking at nature.
Plants are also sociable and thrive better when placed in groups.
So which are the best species for different rooms in your home?
BEDROOMS
While you sleep, plants get to work cleaning and detoxifying the air giving your room more oxygen which helps to support easier breathing and better sleep patterns.
In the bedroom choose species which release oxygen at night such as:
Mother in law’s tongue/snake plant
Aloe vera
Peace lily
Pothos (money plant)
Spider plant.
BATHROOMS AND KITCHENS
Kitchens and bathrooms are the spaces in our homes with the most moisture. Choose plants which thrive in damper/higher humidity conditions such as:
Boston fern, an excellent choice for humid and dark bathrooms
Orchids – they love humid spots, and the ornamental flowers are extremely beautiful
Spider plant – it requires little watering and loves humid locations and is excellent at removing airborne toxins
Potted herbs in the kitchen have the added benefit of bringing aromatic fragrance and being an ingredient in what you are cooking.
LIVING SPACES
We tend to keep these rooms warmer and they may be spaces where we spend more time. Choose from:
Areca palms – one of the most efficient plants at removing toxins from the air. They convert CO2 into oxygen during the day making them a priority choice for living spaces.
Pilea – an easy-care, ornamental plant with a cheerful round leaf shape, they are prolific at producing babies and are believed to bring good luck if you gift them to friends and family. If you are incredibly lucky, they also produce small white flowers – my mother plant has just done this seven years after I first got it.
Monstera – also highly effective at purifying the air. It is fast growing and its large leaves are very decorative. Monstera is also easy to propagate.
Bird of paradise – this makes an excellent choice for living spaces being a superb detoxifier as well as being easy on the eye. Whilst it may never flower indoors (especially in my cold, Cumbrian, Victorian house), it can tolerate low light levels and produce tall architectural leaves which make quite a dramatic display. Mine sits in my dining room which has north and west facing windows and it is positively thriving.
WORK SPACES
Studies have shown that work spaces with plants can reduce staff absenteeism and sick days and whether you work at the office or in your home, plants make wonderful colleagues. Giving the eye something natural to look at can help to reduce task fatigue.
Leafy colleagues to include are:
ZZ and rubber plants are both known for their dark glossy leaves. These dense, waxy leaves help them absorb sound which makes them ideal for busy work spaces or homework zones in open plan spaces. They are also drought tolerant and easy to care for making them an ideal choice for the office.
Succulents are often low-profile plants which are a great easy-care choice to have on desks.
Fiddle figs are one of the most efficient plants at removing toxins and their broad leaves are also efficient at absorbing sound and acoustic reverberation.
Whatever your botanical preference, it is easy to see why plants make a home feel more alive. Plants bring a fresh, dynamic energy to any space, connecting us visually to nature while working hard to support our wellbeing.
Follow Sharon on Instagram @a_story_of_home
