BREATHE LIFE BACK INTO YOUR HOME WITH HOUSEPLANTS

Energy conservation is on every ones lips, and rightfully so. We are keeping our homes more tightly insulated in an attempt to conserve energy and save money.  While we may be keeping our homes cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter by utilizing these practices, we are inadvertently trapping hundreds of toxic substances in our homes, and keeping the fresh air out.  The EPA estimates that Americans spend up to 90 percent of their time indoors.  Research also suggests that indoor environments may be up to 10 times more polluted than outdoor environments.   Natural building materials are being replaced in our homes and offices with synthetic pressed wood and fiberboard products held together with toxic glues and resins.  Many of our electronic devices such as computers and photocopiers also exude volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that contribute to the polluted air within our indoor environments.  Humans naturally release up to 150 volatile substances into the atmosphere known as bioeffluents, like: carbon monoxide, methane, phenols, nitrogen oxides, ammonia, hydrogen, ethyl acetate and carbon dioxide.  Particulate matter such as: dust, dust mites, mold and fungal spores, pollen, cleaning products and animal dander, contribute to reduced air quality in our homes as well.  The EPA currently ranks indoor air pollution as one of the top five threats to public health.  There is an easy and attractive solution to reduce indoor air pollution and increase fresh oxygen levels in our homes and offices without jeopardizing energy efficiency.  Just add houseplants! 

In nature, plants act as the lungs for our earth, producing oxygen and removing gases such as carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide from the atmosphere.  Oxygen is produced during photosynthesis, the process by which green plants use light to convert carbon dioxide and water into energy.  Through another process driven by moisture evaporation from leaf and soil surface, plants actually create convection currents, causing airflow, even when there is no other air movement.  The foliage of houseplants has the ability to absorb VOCs such as formaldehyde from the air and move them into the soil to be broken down into harmless substances by soil microorganisms. Also, houseplants are well known for their ability to regulate humidity.  Many houseplants release a number of safe, but volatile chemicals that are thought to be helpful in reducing harmful airborne microbes and molds spores from the air in our homes and offices.  The ability of houseplants to improve the quality of air we breathe is now accepted scientific fact.  With a little loving care, anyone can enjoy the superior air quality and aesthetic beauty that only living plants can provide.

NASA and the Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA) have put together a two-year study that confirmed the importance of houseplants and their many benefits. Marvin’s Organic Gardens organically grows many of the researched houseplant varieties that are low maintenance, air purifiers and beneficial oxygen providers.  Below is a partial list of some of our favorite houseplants that you need in your home and office.

1. Bamboo Palm-This houseplant has rich green tropical fan shaped foliage that is insect resistant.  The benefits include an amazing ability to remove toxins like benzene, formaldehyde and carbon monoxide from the air and add moisture to an indoor environment.
2. Gerbera Daisy-The blooms come in a wide variety of colors, which are excellent as cut flowers, and continue to bloom year-round if kept in part to full sun conditions.  Gerbera Daisy is excellent at removing chemical vapors from the air.
3. Janet Craig Dracaena-Easy to grow, this attractive houseplant bears rosettes of dark-green foliage and rates among the best at removing chemical toxins like trichloroethylene from indoor environments. Considered a long-lived plant that can tolerate neglect in a dimly lit area.
4. Snake Plant (Mother-in-Law’s Tongue)-Virtually indestructible, and provides solid vertical interest for those with limited space. Unlike most houseplants, the Snake Plant produces oxygen and removes carbon dioxide at night.
5. English Ivy-This vigorous climber works well in hanging baskets or trained into topiaries, and come in a wide range of foliage shapes and colors.  English Ivy is rated highly at removing formaldehyde from the air, and grows with ease as long as foliage is misted during winter when the air is dry.
6. Tricolor Dragon Tree Dracaena-Resistant to insect attacks, the Dragon Tree is one of the best known and easiest to grow of the Dracaenas.  The palm like foliage evokes a unique “tropical feeling”, and is among the best at removing xylene and trichloroethylene from indoor environments.

Houseplants are killed by kindness more than by any other technique.  Most houseplants prefer evenly moist soils, but not soggy.  Most houseplants should only be watered when the top of the soil is dry to the touch.  Mist foliage often, or wipe with a wet cloth or sponge to reduce foliage damage.  Water and fertilize less often in the wintertime when growth is slowed, and more often during active growth periods. When fertilizing, it is always best to use organic liquid fertilizers that are plant or animal based because they are safer to work with than conventional fertilizers, and soil organisms benefit greatly from them. Worm castings are a valuable amendment to add to houseplants, and have no odor.  Add beneficial mycorrhizal fungi to the potting mix when repotting plants, as this practice will help alleviate disease pressures and help to increase nutrient uptake into plants.   Most houseplants grow well in organic potting soil, which are well drained, and inoculated with microbes, which help to break down toxins from the atmosphere.  

Houseplants should be placed in areas of our homes and offices within 6-8 feet of where we spend the majority of our time, like at a desk, kitchen table or sleeping area for maximum benefit.  Not only do houseplants add aesthetic and psychological value to our indoor environments, but also help to add oxygen and clean the air we breathe.  Using organic potting soils, pest control products and fertilizers on your houseplants are more environment friendly and much safer for human and pet health.  Stop in to Marvin’s Organic Gardens today for all your organic gardening and houseplant needs, and start breathing life back into your home and office.  Please feel free to call us at 513-932-3319 or email me at wes@marvinsorganicgardens if you have question or comments, and I’ll respond promptly.  Go Organic! It’s Only Natural.