by Madi Miller

As humans, we are meant to be surrounded by plants. Nature is all around us. Earth is a planet of green and blue. We are meant to live in a world of green. Decorating your home with houseplants can provide beauty as well as wellness. 

Setting up your environment sets your mindset. Studies show your space in which you live impacts your mental health. Placing plants around your house encourages a clear mindset with the clean air they provide. Through photosynthesis, they convert carbon dioxide into fresh oxygen. They remove toxins from the air we breathe.

The act of taking care of something other than yourself teaches your mind to care for your habitat. Watching something grow because you encourage it to is something very special to experience.  We are told to be careful who we surround ourselves with because they can affect us. The same goes for plants. If you incorporate growth around you, you will be encouraged to grow as well. Taking care of plants can be an act of self care. 

Getting started:

Starting small is key. If you overwhelm yourself with too many plants at once, you won’t be able to keep them alive. You can increase your collection with time. Note that whenever you buy a new plant, always research the care needs before deciding if it can work with your environment. If it does not jive with a water schedule that works best for you, the sun exposure in your home, or your experience level, don’t bring that plant home. Plants can be expensive and time consuming, so make sure you can provide the best environment for the plant.

Here’s some great first plants:

–Cactus: Succulents need more sunlight than water. Deeply water once a week at the most.

–Air Plant: Air plants don’t even soil. Generally all you need to do is soak them in water for about 10 minutes once a week. You can also spray water on them every few days.

–Spider plant: These are great plants to have if you want to expand your collection without buying too much because they create “pups” when they are full grown. You can then propagate those pups by putting them in water for many weeks to grow roots. Put them close to a bright window to get a good amount of sun throughout the day while watering it once a week.

–Pothos: Many say this plant is impossible to kill because of their hardiness. Water when soil is dry. The vines can grow quickly and get very long, so it’s fun to watch the progress that comes with you caring for it. This plant needs mild lighting. Although misting the plant everyday along with your other plants will help the health and color. 

–Philodendron: This is a very common household plant because of the beautiful decoration the vines can make. This is also a plant that can be easily propagated. Water once a week.