|
Updated Dec 14,
2006
By Robin Corwin - LCF Outlook
A Gentle Plea for
Houseplants
Mirabel Osler made “A
Gentle Plea for Chaos” in her
wonderful book on gardening.
I’d like to make a gentle plea of
my own today...for houseplants.
Houseplants aren’t currently
fashionable. Perhaps it’s the popularity
of the modern, minimalistic
look that’s responsible, or
maybe it’s our fear of clutter.
This is unfortunate since houseplants
are extremely beneficial.
They filter indoor pollutants
including formaldehyde, benzene,
ammonia and acetone present
in the materials used in the
latest home trend: remodeling.
Homes are becoming more energy
efficient and air tight, trapping
these toxins right where we
do most of our breathing. You’ll
find toxic chemicals in ceiling
tiles, paints, stains, plywood,
adhesives, caulking compounds,
cleaning agents and more. Now
that it’s winter and even
Californians are spending most
of their time indoors, houseplants
are even more necessary
to healthy breathing.
Although the favored look
today is spare, clean and minimal,
leaving houseplants out of
the equation isn’t wise. For a
modern look, simply select larger
specimens in big containers.
Consider kentia palms, fiddleleaf
figs and other ficus relatives.
Covering the potting soil with a
layer of polished river stones
provides a finished look and discourages
cats from using the
containers as litter trays.
Grouping smaller houseplants
together eliminates clutter and
putting them atop pebbles kept
slightly moist in a copper tray
raises the local humidity. Place
houseplants in the rooms where
you spend the most time breathing,
as close as possible to a natural
light source. They’re
renowned for their ability to live
in low light conditions, and
some, like peace lilies, even
bloom there. However, no plant
will thrive in the dark!
Plants that are especially
good at air filtration include spider
plants, peace lilies, gerbera
daisies and many palms and
ferns. Even the common moth
orchid is a great air purifier.
They’re also beautiful, exotic
and bloom in winter, just when
we’re spending most of our time
indoors.
Houseplant care is easy.
Once-a-week watering suits
most. Fertilization should be
constant and minimal. Use a
quarter-strength liquid solution
or opt for those handy fertilizer
spikes. Keep leaves clean and
free of dust and position containers
out of drafts and away from
heat sources. Treat your hardworking
houseplants to a summer
vacation on a shaded patio
to prolong their life and keep
them happy.
A houseplant is a wonderful
Christmas gift for a loved one. It
shows you care. |
