Houseplants and Happiness

The amaryllis by our kitchen window finally bloomed out last week, and was it ever a joyous sight! Having some foliage and a few pretty blooms around the house seems like a little luxury on these harsh winter days. According to the weather forecast, we're in for three consecutive days of snow. Pretty bleak, but let's focus on how wonderful houseplants are. :)

There have been countless studies on the benefits of houseplants. Here are just a few...

• Purify the air

• Improve concentration

• Boost mood

• Regulate humidity

• Medicinal uses (i.e. aloe vera for burns, mint for indigestion)

These are my 5 favorite indoor plants. (Can you tell I'm partial to flowering ones?)

• Amaryllis

• Aloe Vera

• African Violet

• Christmas Cactus

• Inch plant (Wandering Jew)

Plant Care Tips

Now, I'm by no means an expert, but these are a few things I've picked up on...

Succulents

Err on the side of under-watering (Maybe every other week. Seriously, not much.) Feel the soil and the plant itself to gauge dryness. If the "leaves" feel fleshy and turgid, I tend to think it's fine. If they're on the scrawny side, give the plant a bit of water.

Christmas Cactus Blossoms

Over the years, we've learned that the trick to achieving blossoms is for the plant to get cold. Mom puts the cacti out on the porch around late August, when nights start to cool off significantly. We bring them back in before frost (right around Halloween.) This method has gotten us a regular fireworks display of blossoms!

Plants in General

This is a simple, but helpful rule that I learned from a House Beautiful article.

• Yellow plant = over-watered

• Brown plant = under-watered

I think over-watering is a real temptation for most; we can end up killing our plants with kindness. :) Plant color give us a hint as to the water levels.

Thank you for stopping by,

Eva

Sources

Why Indoor Plants Make You Feel Better - NBC News

Health Benefits of Houseplants - WebMD