1. National Indoor Plants Week
National Indoor Plants Week is celebrated every year during the second week of September. It is an opportunity to renew your commitment to using plants for your indoor gardening needs this year. Indoor gardens and plants are among the most popular hobbies and activities enjoyed by families, couples, singles, and retirees all over the nation. For these reasons, many people take time out of their busy work schedules to grow beautiful gardens indoors. Many who have not tried gardening indoors find that the taste of homegrown fresh vegetables or flowers during National Indoor Plants Week sparks their interest to start growing their own garden this year as well. Sometimes it’s best to grow indoors as the Texas weather can take a toll.
During National Indoor Plants Week, you will find a variety of interesting ways to celebrate this special day. Since gardening is a hobby that requires time, planning, patience, work, and effort, you want to make sure that the effort you put into your garden this year will be rewarded with wonderful rewards. One way to ensure that your efforts will be well-rewarded is to share the joy of gardening with others. Sharing the love of gardening with family and friends Many experienced gardeners will tell anyone that planning, preparation, and then implementing your plans for National Indoor Plants Week is almost as much fun as planting your beautiful gardens!
As September approaches, you can start thinking about what plants you want to bring to your house. It might even be a great idea to make some indoor plants that will grow well during September.
2. Benefits of Indoor Plants
The mental benefits of indoor plants are becoming more well known and recognized each day. Many people report an overall “charge” and “high” feeling just by looking at a beautiful flower arrangement. And of course, these same people will tell you that if you “just have one”, you’ll get addicted! In fact, there are many people who do just that… they can’t get enough of their indoor plant collection. Homes all over Texas have started adding more and more plants indoors.
However, why are indoor plants rated as so important? There are many health benefits associated with houseplants… but the two most important are the physical and mental health benefits. Let’s start with the physical. Indoor plants keep a person healthier because they provide a cool, humid environment where the air can evaporate more quickly. Cooling is especially important in a climate like Houston Texas, where your TXU electricity bills can easily run several hundred dollars per month just to run your air conditioner.
The mental benefits include a reduction in stress and anxiety levels, as well as a higher quality of sleep due to lower temperatures. When a room is damp, it can feel like you are trapped inside and not able to escape the outside world. When you go to bed with the lights off and the air conditioner running, you tend to be much more relaxed and calm. The constant low temperature and low humidity in your home decrease the number of toxins and contaminants you breathe in through your breathing system, which helps keep you mentally healthy.
And lastly, but certainly not least, there is the benefit of air purification. There are certain pollutants that are more difficult to control or cleanse than others, and the reason is that they tend to form a complex miasma in damp environments. If you have ever tried to cleanse the air in a bathroom or a kitchen, you will notice the smell that tends to permeate all areas of the room. These are called volatile organic compounds (VOCs). They have been scientifically proven to cause damage to the respiratory system and even damage the nervous tissue. By breathing in a little bit of these toxins, you are actually contributing to the damage.
The reason why VOCs are so dangerous and hard to control is that when plants breathe them in, they release their oxygen in the process, along with some of their carbon dioxide. This is not good for the overall air quality. But if you place some plants near the window or one of the corners in your house, you are eliminating this problem. By having the plants on your side tables, you eliminate the need to open your windows. Also, you should consider placing the potted plants on your dining room table, or your bed. By doing this, you are keeping the oxygen flowing freely, and removing some of the toxins from the air. The cleaner and cooler the air the lower your TXU energy bill will be.
3. Best Plants For Your Home
You may have problems with certain plants depending on whether they are being planted in a dry, sunny, or even cold climate. Plants that do well in humid climates will need more moisture than plants needing more shade. Most window plants are also somewhat sensitive to light and will do best in bright, sunny windows; however, if you are having trouble getting them to bloom or staying alive during the winter months, you may have to supplement their water supply with a small, shallow container filled with water before them being planted in the ground. This solution can be beneficial for plants with leaves that drop naturally when the weather turns cold; however, it will not work as well for other species of plants. By keeping blinds open more often you may use less artificial light and that will help keep your utility costs down.
Flowering plants are very popular and work well in almost any office environment. If you are looking to purchase flowering plants for your home or work area, consider the type of plant you would like to use and whether you want to see blooms or leaves during the entire year. Perennials are usually a great choice for almost any setting as they typically bloom for one season and then rest and die back to return to a healthier state. Some perennials will even bloom year-round in milder climates, but they will normally grow less tall and require less maintenance than some other varieties.
Air plants are a wonderful choice for both home and office space because they require little light and thrive in hot, sunny areas. A great many of these plants have beautiful flowers and showy leaves, which make them a favorite among many people. A good rule of thumb when choosing plants for office space is that air plants should be placed approximately six to twelve feet away from windows, doors, walls, and other forms of direct exposure; if you plan to put several of them in one location, you may want to consider using two or more. Keep in mind that air plants do not like the intense heat and humidity that many plants need to survive. If you place your air plants directly in front of windows and doors, you may need to remove some plants until the temperature in the room improves.
One of the best choices for growing air plants is to use what is called a “soil grow” pot. You should place this type of plant in a sunny area away from windows or doors so that it does not take direct sunlight, but you should also allow for plenty of light because air plants rely on sunlight for photosynthesis. By using the sun to help keep your home warmer you might see your power rates drop. You can purchase inexpensive plastic pots at most nursery stores. Make sure that when you buy a soil growing pot that you choose one that is large enough to hold the plant you plan to put in it, but that you also choose one that has smooth, solid sides that prevent soil from spilling over the sides as it grows.
