By Maureen Wilson —
Houseplants have only gotten increasingly popular in recent years, largely due to the increased prevalence of indoor activities and hobbies that occurred during the pandemic. But, there’s plenty of debate now concerning the longevity of this trend; can it continue, or will it lead to a greater shift in how we perceive nature and how we value it in society? In this talk, “Indoor Plant Composting to Support Plant Health” presented by Janelle Allen, one of many in the “Underground Academy” series, she discusses the health benefits of owning an indoor plant.
What seems apparent is that when we take care of plants, we experience improvements in our mental, physical, and cognitive health. Plants can reduce stress, lower blood pressure and heart rates, all while improving focus, concentration, and overall mood. As a result, symptoms of anxiety, depression, PTSD, and dementia can be relieved.
Having plants in your common spaces can also offer allergy relief and give us a generally more optimistic outlook on life. They’re natural air purifiers, anti-radiators, can reduce noise by absorbing sound, and provide antibacterial properties. Plants also have an inherently spiritual connection through feng shui, the ancient practice of aligning the vital life source of chi (or qi) with our spaces. They are also a common prosperity symbol among many cultures. Some may enjoy plants simply for their aesthetics and their effectiveness at beautifying areas. Regardless of your personal preference concerning why you would buy a plant, there’s very little risk involved since there are plenty of non-toxic and pet-friendly variants to fit your specific needs.
Prof. Allen recommended a few plants to start—possibly succulents, ivies, and philodendrons due to their low maintenance and adaptability. Of course, there are numerous issues to monitor if you’re a plant owner, such as leaf drop and unhealthy color changes to brown, white, and black. Always keep in mind the ideal conditions for each type of plant, like how much water it needs, how much sun it should be exposed to, and its preferred nutrients and temperature. Neglecting these needs will only hurt them. It’s also important to consider environmental factors as well as potential pests and fungal diseases.
Nearing the end of the talk, there was a Q & A session.
Question: What’s your advice regarding buying plants sustainably?
Answer: “I’ve made an effort for myself to leave zero footprint, as much as possible. And in regard to that, it’s buying less. And so on Facebook, where I think is the best place for this answer… there’s a plant swap, so you’re not actually buying and you’re not necessarily swapping either. These are plants that are happy, living, thriving in someone else’s home… and it’s free, at low cost or someone is giving it out for free. The other [consideration] is, if you go to Lowe’s, Home Depot, or any type of gardening store, sometimes they have low cost [plants] on sale or something that looks like it’s on its last legs, [and] they’ll give it to you.”
Question: What’s the most bizarre myth you’ve heard about houseplants?
Answer: “I think it’s probably with the ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) because its leaf looks a little bit like an ear… If you’ve also watched Lord of the Rings and seen the fairies and the elves, their ears sort of look like that leaf. And, there was something that said if you put the leaf in your ear when you sleep … it would help you hear better, or something philosophical as well, to hear better, but also process life with more ease.”
Question: Is there a philosophy we can derive from cultivating and tending plants?
Answer: “I think that’s a great question as well, and it really related to the topic we talked about last month of building a life that interacts more with plants and the rationale … of getting out of your home to tend to a vegetable garden, or fruit garden, or floral garden, or even making spaces within your home [for] the indoor plants we’re talking about. It’s a whole physical, mental philosophy. You’re usually on some sort of pad, or your knees are on the ground, and that philosophy is called grounding—the whole philosophy of being close to the Earth and the land, and that the land will provide for you.”
Question: How can we implement permaculture into our current society?
Answer: “I think the biggest thing we can do there is helping people stay in education … and helping people once they reach the age of 60, to start to try to retire so we can interact more with the land. I think the one way we can implement permaculture is allowing people to have the space and time to do the tending to the land or being next to plants, or creating time and space for them to not be overworked.”
