You need houseplants. Lots of them. Here’s why….

Don’t have a green thumb? No worries. Me neither. I can’t keep a cactus alive so when my friend started posting photos of her many beautiful house plants I was seriously impressed. I mean, if someone with 8 cats 😜😹 can keep plants alive in her home, shouldn’t I be able to handle such a task? After all, I don’t have plant-eating felines in my house. Turns out, I do have plant-eating dogs but that’s another story.

Plants not only are attractive, but having indoor plants is really, really good for humans (and pets-unless they are eating a poisonous variety that is). As an accent to your home decor they add a splash of color but really they do so much more. Let’s explore WHY you need more plants, how many you should have, and what kinds are the best for your health!

Cleaner Air

You’ve probably heard at some point that house plants are good for your health because they can clean, filter and purify the air of various toxins and pollutants. Science has spent a considerable amount of time demonstrating how plants clean and filter the air in our homes and our work environments. Years ago, NASA did some serious research that showed how houseplants could remove chemicals, harmful bacteria and viruses from the air. As a result, significant research has been carried out looking at houseplants and their air purifying abilities in homes and places of work.

Food, Medicine, and Crafts!

Growing your own herbs, vegetables, catnip 😹, and natural medicines is not only going to make your home smell better (ahhhh the Eucalyptus plant) but it will save you money! Imagine how great it is having fresh (and organically grown!) herbs available? And you don’t need to use them fresh…herbs can be dried and stored for later use. Bonus that herbs are one of the easiest groups of edibles to grow. Short on gardening space? Herbs do not need a lot of room to grow – your kitchen window ledge will often do the trick!

For those of you who don’t cook – TEA! Make your own herbal tea. I recommend trying these medicinal herbs – ginger, mint, and peppermint. Herbs can be used to create a variety of crafts such as bath salts, soaps, shampoo, and candles

Reduce Stress

Plants will elevate your mood and stave off depression. Why else do we bring flowers to those who are sick to cheer them up? It’s been shown that houseplants have a positive psychological effect on the body, reducing stress. When we come into contact with nature and greenery, it decreases our levels of stress and irritability and make us feel more relaxed. It lowers our level of mental fatigue and gives us increased ability to concentrate.

Houseplants can also create a calming environment, both from the air cleaning abilities and the sense of wellbeing they give to their owners. Some people will swear that having them in the bedroom improves their quality of sleep. In fact, studies show that plants in the workplace improve productivity (and lessen sick days!)

They look good!

Plants make your environment look more relaxing and healthy. They literally bring a room to life. They make for great conversation pieces. Have you ever met a crazy plant person? They NAME their plants. I haven’t officially jumped off that bridge yet (apparently this is more of a millennial trend?) but….I think my plants think their names are “Don’t touch that!” and “Leave the plant alone” because they hear me yelling at the dogs 50 times a day.

Houseplants have enjoyed a massive boom in popularity, especially with Millennials and Gen Z. Just take a look at social media: Hashtags like #plantsofinstagram, #urbanjungle and #plantsmakepeoplehappy are trending on Instagram, and the entire platform is full of gorgeous houseplant photos depicting cozy apartments full of potted plants. (Read more about what is also known as The Plant-Crazy Generation here)

So, how many plants do you need?

My 15 year old Miley (Gen Z) informed me “There is no such thing as too many plants”. She’s kind of right! It’s recommended you have 1 plant per room for every 3 people. So for my house: 10 rooms x (7 people/3) = 23 plants. Currently I have 8 (6 below, 2 have been relocated because the dogs think they are snacks). Which means both Miley and science are right. I need to step up my plant game. Guess we will be going to our local nursey this weekend!

My favorite local nursery? Pahl’s Market (Apple Valley)- Visit https://www.pahls.com

Until next week, my friends!!!!