Zoë S.
2.16.2021
(THE DAVINCI-CHARLOTTESVILLE) - Recently my family was asked by one of our close friends if we could ‘babysit’ their plants. I was expecting a few plants, maybe one or two larger ones. What I wasn’t expecting was an entire car filled with over 40 plants. Sure, I have a garden in my backyard but I never really considered the fact that you can have that many house plants, let alone 40. Throughout the entire month of plant sitting I became completely fascinated with these simple green bursts of growth that came in all sorts of sizes.
Because of Covid-19, and the fact that it’s the middle of winter, I’m cooped up in my house much more than I would like. Lately I’ve found myself sitting in my room for hours at a time. The plants really made my whole family happier; everytime I would walk past any of the plants, I would smile. You would also think that putting 40 plants into a house would make it feel cramped, but instead the house felt more open. Maybe putting a part of nature into your home makes you feel like you’re outside. Also, having houseplants is scientifically proven to be a healthy thing.
Plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen into the air. This ‘cleans up’ the air in your house. Houseplants can also dispose of harmful toxins in the air. Research by NASA has revealed that houseplants can remove up to 87 per cent of air toxins in 24 hours. ‘Studies have also proven that indoor plants improve concentration and productivity (by up to 15 percent!), reduce stress levels and boost your mood,” said Sophie Lee, a writer for NBC .
One of my favorite plants is the Sansevieria, also known as the ‘snake plant’. It cleans the air better than most plants because it absorbs a lot of carbon monoxide. They are not a plant that takes a lot of work to take care of, as they only need to be watered once every 10 days. It’s a tall plant, but it also doesn’t have a huge width, as it’s leaves stick straight up. You don’t have to worry about a bunch of leaves hanging out of the pot.
The Monstera, a type of tropical plant, is another one of my favorites. It’s from the Araceae family, and has quite a few benefits. One is that it’s leaves have tiny pores which take in carbon dioxide and create oxygen, and since it’s leaves are big they are very efficient at this process. Another benefit is that if you mist your Monstera once a week, it will add humidity to the air which helps take care of dry skin.
Another wondrous thing about plants is propagation. Once you buy your first plant you can take a cutting and place it in a jar of water. In a couple weeks (or more, depending on the type of plant) your leaf cutting will start rooting and you can plant it in it’s own pot. Boom! A new plant! For free!
So what are you waiting for? Go get yourself a houseplant!
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