Psychology student Poetica talks about house plants, why they are popular and how to choose the right one and take care of it:<\/p>\n
If you\u2019ve ever been to a nice house, worked in an office, or looked up home decor tips, you\u2019ve probably realized that people love to decorate their homes and workplaces with plants. But you may have asked yourself what the big deal is. After all, if you wanted to see a plant, you could just go outside and save yourself a lot of money and effort. Or, if you\u2019re like me, you may get the plant hype, but accidentally kill every plant you bring home. If you\u2019re either of these people, or just a plant connoisseur looking to learn more, this blog is for you.<\/p>\n
Why do we love plants?<\/u><\/p>\n
What\u2019s not to love about them? They\u2019re aesthetically pleasing, fairly low maintenance, and you can find them in almost every size and colour. But less people realize that keeping plants actually has psychological and health benefits. Psychological studies have found that keeping plants indoors can lead to lowering your stress levels, increase your pain tolerance, and boost your attention and productivity (Bringslimark et al., 2009; Lohr, 2009). Beyond that, they can also clean the air of toxins and provide fresh air for us to breathe. This can have huge benefits for people with allergies and asthma, as well as reduce your risk of lung damage (Aydogan & Cerone, 2020). No wonder we love having them around!<\/p>\n
What type of plant is right for me?<\/u><\/p>\n
So now that you know why it\u2019s a good idea to keep plants around, what type of plant should you bring into your household? Plants vary greatly based on the type of environment they thrive in and how much attention they need.<\/p>\n
If you live in a sunny climate, you might want a plant that thrives best with lots of sun, such as most succulents, geraniums, or a basil plant. However, if you live in a cloudy place or want to put a plant in a space away from the sun, you\u2019re going to want to steer clear of any of the previous plants. Instead, try bromeliads, snake plants, or dracaenas.<\/p>\n
You\u2019ll also need to factor in how much time and attention you can give them. Some plants, such as orchids or fiddle leaf figs, are beautiful but high maintenance. If you don\u2019t think you\u2019ll be able to commit to regular watering and humidity management, you might want to opt for aloe vera or snake plants which only need watering once a month.<\/p>\n
How do I take care of them? <\/u><\/p>\n
Regardless of which type plant you choose, there are some common care tips that\u2019ll help it thrive.<\/p>\n
Hopefully this guide was helpful in explaining why houseplants are beneficial and how you can welcome the right ones into your home or office. But if you want to learn more and do any further reading, you can check out the following sources:<\/p>\n
Choosing the right plant and plant care:<\/strong><\/p>\n Health and wellbeing benefits of plants<\/strong><\/p>\n Aydogan, A., & Cerone, R. (2021). Review of the effects of plants on indoor environments. Indoor and Built Environment<\/em>, 30<\/em>(4), 442-460. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/1420326X19900213<\/a><\/p>\n Bringslimark, T., Hartig, T., & Patil, G. G. (2009). The psychological benefits of indoor plants: A critical review of the experimental literature. Journal of environmental psychology<\/em>, 29<\/em>(4), 422-433. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.jenvp.2009.05.001<\/a><\/p>\n\n