“One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.”
-William Shakespeare
Live plants are powerful difference makers in our environment.
Adding plants is the #1 thing experts recommend when cultivating positive Feng Shui. Biophilia is the name for our human predisposition to love plants, which has its roots in our evolution. Humans have a strong tendency to prefer naturally rich plant life, as it satisfies our needs for food, shelter, and beauty. Many offices utilize plants to boost employee productivity and generate favorable client impressions. Plants also improve indoor air quality and contribute to better overall health.
Plants = Growing Feng Shui. Feng Shui That Makes Sense talks about the intrinsic value of incorporating images and materials from nature in our homes. Plants can be used to add visual interest, soften corners, define barriers between spaces, and create feelings of protection in open areas. One cautionary note about plants is to avoid spiked leaves and thorns, as they put people on the defensive with their threatening structure. Alternatively, you can use spiked plants purposefully to keep people away from certain areas (like a natural fence). Every room of the house can benefit from plants, and plants especially thrive when they are grouped together.
Plants = Mind Fertilizer. Plants bring us splashes of color and beauty, which act like mind fertilizer. A 2016 study (The Effects of Indoor Foliage Plants on Perceived Air Quality, Mood, Attention, and Productivity) found that having 3 or more plants in a room significantly enhanced the mood and sharpened the focus of subjects.The study also said plants decreased participant boredom by providing an opportunity for reflection. On a subconscious level, watching a plant grow is a real-life demonstration of abundant energy. Dr Chris Knight studied the effects of plants in work environments for 10 years and concluded that employees were 15% more productive when "lean" workplaces are filled with just a few houseplants. Clients and visitors also benefit from the natural comfort plants provide.
Plants = Flourishing Health. Another research study (Ornamental Indoor Plants in Hospital Rooms Enhanced Health Outcomes of Patients Recovering from Surgery) showed the effectiveness of plants in quicker recoveries and healing for patients. So, turns out, there are great scientific reasons to bring healing people flowers! Houseplants are good for health, because they release oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide (the opposite of our breathing). This both freshens the air and eliminates harmful toxins. Nasa did extensive research, which “revealed that houseplants can remove up to 87% of air toxin in 24 hours.” The top 10 most effective plants for removing indoor air toxins are: the areca palm, lady palm, bamboo palm, rubber plant, dracaena, philodendron, dwarf date palm, ficus alli, boston fern, and peace lily.
Some Positive Planting Tips-
Getting Started- Cactus and succulents are easy plants for beginners as they are both forgiving and tough. Philodendron, rubber, and snake plants are good in low light conditions and easy to grow.
Watering- Overwatering is the most common plant killer, so feel the soil to check moisture levels before watering. It can work well to use a repeating calendar appointment to remember when to water. Also, plants can be marked with colorful sticky notes indicating special watering instructions. Pouring slowly and watering from the bottom allows plant roots to suck up water in the most natural way. Most plants should not sit in water for more than a day.
Sunlight- Rotating plants and moving their location occasionally can help to balance growth based on how the plants are responding to the light of their location.
Repotting- Adding new soil, pruning, and transferring plants to larger pots helps stimulate growth. Small plants should be repotted once a year, and large plants need repotting every three years.
Finally, to overcome “brown thumb”I recommend asking for help at a quality nursery. I like to ask, “what plants are the hardest to kill? And only need watered once a week?” I also note the sunlight levels where I want to grow my new plants before I go shopping.
“Folks are like plants; We all lean toward the light.”
– Kris Carr
Love Always,
Meg
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