International Plant Appreciation Day

Have you noticed that everyone seems into house plants these days?

While collecting indoor plants isn’t exactly a new trend, the pandemic has spurred a growing number of people to seek them out for the home. We’re all home a lot more often, but even before the pandemic, house plant purchases have been on the rise!

This is likely caused by a number of factors; one simply being the increasing supply. With plant merchants making it easy to shop online, you no longer have to make a trip to a nursery for a leafy friend. With plant shopping as easy as the click of a button, why wouldn’t more people become plant parents?

Or maybe our society has developed a longing for closeness with nature. Numerous studies have shown that plants can boost the mood and the mind, and sometimes, it’s just nice to care for something.

No matter your reason for getting into the houseplant scene, it’s nice to have a bit of a roadmap. If you need a little advice on how to care for house plants, look no further than this quick guide!

The appeal of owning house plants is pretty apparent, but there are some actual benefits to owning them. And here are just a few!

Instant Home Makeover
Adding a living thing to your space will provide an instant sense of energy and personalization. While pets require exercise, food, and cleaning up after, plants require very little in comparison. With some plants, all you have to do is water them and give them some fertilizer 1-2x per year. In return, they’ll add beauty and vitality to your living space.

Mood Booster
It’s been shown time and time again that plants can help us be happier. Not only do plant lovers offer anecdotal evidence, but research has actually indicated it, too! For instance, one study from The Journal of Physiological Anthropology showed that interaction with indoor plants might reduce psychological and physiological stress.

Easier Breathing
Plants create food through photosynthesis, and part of this process involves the exchange of carbon dioxide for oxygen – this helps purify and cleanse the air you live in! Quite literally, indoor house plants can offer a breath of fresh air to your space.

If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed by the numerous house plant care tips out there, don’t stress! Part of the beauty of house plants is that your skill will grow over time. For now though, here are a few tips for beginners.

Consider Your Lighting
Did you know that different plants actually require different levels of lighting? Some need full sun, while others can tolerate a bit of shade, and some even prefer it. So before you choose your first house plant, consider the type of lighting you have, and then take a look at our light-based recommendations down below!

Get Creative with Pots
There are lots of ways to pot your plants, but not all of them are the most eco-friendly. Terracotta and ceramics make a great option, but any time you can, we also encourage you to get creative with planters and pots. Try thrifting for pots, or even repurpose old objects, like a gutted dresser for a raised planter bed!

Avoid Peat Moss
To keep things sustainable with house plant care, there’s a particular potting medium we recommend avoiding: peat moss.

Peat moss is the partially-decomposed sphagnum moss from peat bogs, and it’s an important component in habitats for a wide variety of rare and endangered wildlife. But the mining of peat moss is currently causing a depletion. And while peat moss is technically a renewable resource, it takes hundreds of thousands of years to form. At this rate, it’s being used faster than it can be replenished.

Instead, opt for coconut fiber as a sustainable substitute!

Not sure what plant to choose first? Here are a few beginner-friendly recommendations!

Full-Sun Plants
If you have a room in your home that’s extra sunny, a beautiful full-sun plant may be for you! If you’re looking for a nice desktop plant for your home office, a jade plant (Crassula ovata) makes a lovely accent piece for your space. Make sure it has room to grow, as this one can grow quite a bit!

But if you’re really trying to create that “jungle” look in your home, a bird of paradise (Strelitzia genus) is a good way to go!

Typically, the orange (Strelitzia reginae) and white (Strelitzia nicolai) are the most commonly-owned birds of paradise, distinguished by the color of their flowers. However, birds of paradise typically won’t flower as indoor house plants, because they require a lot of light for that, but their massive, graceful leaves alone are enough of a statement.

Partial Sun Plants
Perhaps one of the most popular partial sun plants at the moment are monstera plants, also known as swiss cheese plants. While there are over hundreds of different types of monstera, Monstera deliciosa and Monstera adansonii are easily the most common.

While they like a bit of sun and love some humidity, these plants aren’t too picky with watering schedules.

Shade Plants
If you feel like it’s always dark in your home, don’t despair: you can still own house plants!

ZZ plants (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) are incredibly easy plants overall – as long as you water them sparingly. In return, they’ll give you chutes with glossy, shiny leaves.

Alternately, snake plants (Sansevieria genus) are perfect for that corner in your home that gets a little light. They feature a fin-like leaf formation, and over time, can become massive.

Flowering Plants
While growing flowering plants indoors can be a bit of a challenge, it can certainly be done!

For those who want to try growing from seed, try growing marigolds in a sunny area. Or, for those who love beautiful flowers and foliage, hoya make an easy choice for novice plant owners.

Also known as wax plants or porcelain plants, hoya create little clusters of flowers with a unique, almost porcelain-like appearance. And while it takes some time for hoya to flower, rejoice in the fact that these hoyas feature stunning, almost succulent-like flowers. There are hundreds of hoya for the collector to pursue, but Hoya carnosa Krimson Princess makes a perfect beginner’s plant.