Happy Earth Day! Earth Day began in 1970 as a way for people to come together to make our world a cleaner and safer place to live. The initiatives include supporting beneficial pollinators, growing edibles for sustainability, and planting trees. One of the most important ways you can help the Earth begins at home. Indoor plants are a great way to better our world and promote a healthier lifestyle for you and your family. Indoor plants bring eco-goodness into your space, they help clean the air that we breathe, and they are a great reminder to practice the 3 R’s – Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.
How We Can Apply The 3 R’s In Our Daily Lives
Container gardens are a fantastic way to rethink our approach to eco-friendly living. They are versatile, beautiful, and can easily be re-purposed and reused. When planting for Earth Day, the most important factor is the container.
At Calloway’s and Cornelius, we have a vast selection of premium pottery including ceramic, modern lightweight recycled plastic, natural terra cotta, and so much more! Choose a container that suits your style so you can use it throughout the year and continue your practice of the three R’s.
Reduce: Minimizing Waste and Consumption with Terra Cotta Pottery
Terra Cotta is gaining prominence around the world due to its earthy and natural quality. It is one of the most useful eco-friendly materials that serves many purposes. This clay-based material has a resistance to heat and can withstand our Texas climate. It is also known for its longevity and strength which makes it a highly sustainable material. Terra Cotta is 100% natural, long lasting, and the manufacturing process is highly energy efficient. Planting with Terra Cotta is an affordable way to help lessen our environmental impact.
Reuse: Finding Creative Ways to Use and Re-purpose Materials with Ceramic Pottery
Ceramic pottery can make a statement in our homes or on our Texas patios. They are available in many different colors, shapes, and sizes to suit your style. Ceramic pottery is timeless and long-lasting. It can be reused often and showcased in many areas of your home, office, or apartment. Plus, you can creatively repurpose these trendy planters at any time! Try reusing your ceramic pottery to create a unique pen holder for your desk or use it for holding napkins at your next family barbeque.
Recycle: Transforming Waste into New Products with Plastic Pottery
Plastic containers are an ideal alternative to clay or ceramic pots. They are lightweight, durable, and extremely versatile. Try plastic containers from Bloem®. They are great for indoor and outdoor use, and they are available in beautiful colors with elegant details. Bloem® Pottery helps conserve resources and they are 100% recyclable. Each includes a self-watering disk or attached tray that allows for easy access to water your plants efficiently.
Dress your plants with gorgeous Japi Pottery. Manufactured to be lightweight, impact and weather resistant, Japi Pottery designs planters for your home and garden. During the manufacturing process, Japi reuses all waste that is originated from fabrication to make it environmentally friendly. Each planter is UV protected, hand finished, and recyclable.
The Wellness Benefits Of Having Air Purifying Plants In Your Home Or Office
Many people enjoy living and working in spaces surrounded by plants. They liven up our areas and bring nature indoors. Beneficial indoor plants improve the quality of our air. These air purifying plants are the best natural resource that produces oxygen directly into the atmosphere.
Keeping plants in your home will help you breathe better too. They store carbon and release fresh oxygen into your living space. Air purifying indoor plants can also help reduce stress levels, sharpen your attention, and can even boost productivity.
Beneficial Plants To Have In Your Home
Dracaena
Dracaena is a tropical plant that adds height and drama to any interior. This beneficial indoor plant thrives in bright, indirect light, but it can also tolerate lower light levels. NASA studies reveal that Dracaenas absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen, as all plants do, but these plants also eliminate other specific volatile pollutants.
Dracaenas come in many different varieties and sizes, from the thick, green leaves of Dracaena Dragon to the brightly striped leaves of Dracaena Marginata. Dracaenas require even moisture, good soil drainage, and cannot tolerate standing water.
Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera is one of the most beneficial indoor plants. It has attractive succulent sword-like leaves that emerge light green in spring, turning bluish green the rest of the year. Aloe Vera is not only an air purifying plant, but it also offers an array of dermatological benefits as it is used as an ointment or herbal remedy. It is relatively low maintenance and drought tolerant.
To keep your Aloe happy, set it on a sunny windowsill or in a bright area of your home. If it doesn’t get enough light, it can go dormant and stop growing. Water thoroughly about every two weeks or until the soil dries out completely.
Sansevieria
Sansevieria are popular beneficial plants to have in your home. Also known as Snake Plant, this colorful and low maintenance option adds color and texture to indoor living spaces.
Sansevieria can tolerate low light conditions making it a great air purifying indoor plant for your bedroom, bathroom, or office. Ideal for beginners, watering may be infrequent as you should allow the soil to dry out completely.
Boston Ferns
Boston Ferns are a household favorite and one of the most beneficial plants to have indoors. They feature graceful green fronds that liven up any space. A great choice for your bathrooms or kitchens, they love high humidity and bright indirect light. Boston Ferns are one of the top indoor plants that clean the air. They have been found to be excellent at removing a variety of indoor air pollutants.
Boston Ferns provide lush green foliage to hanging baskets and containers. They prefer consistently moist soil and will benefit from a regular misting if the air is dry.
Pothos Ivy
Pothos Ivy is one of the easiest indoor plants to grow and an ideal choice for new gardeners. It thrives in both bright, indirect light and low light areas. It flourishes in a variety of conditions, and it is one of the most effective air purifying indoor plants for eliminating common toxins in the air.
Pothos Ivy is a lovely trailing vine with heart-shaped leaves that mature into a beautiful, variegated blend of greens, yellows, and whites. Water when the soil is dry and trim the plant if it gets to be too big. You can propagate the cuttings to start new growth.
Rubber Plant
Another beneficial indoor plant is the Rubber Plant, or Ficus Elastica. Their shiny and large leaves resemble pieces of dark rubber, but the care is just like any other Ficus. They can be sensitive to low temperatures and drafts, and they should be watered when the top of the soil is dry.
Place your Rubber Plant near a sunny window for the best growth. It is also an air purifying plant. While reducing household pollutants from the surrounding air, it helps remove carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide.
Tips For Caring For Air Purifying Plants To Maximize Their Wellness Benefits
Watering needs will vary depending on the different beneficial indoor plants you select. Some prefer moist soil, while others prefer it to dry out between waterings. It is important that when you water your plants, it is done efficiently and effectively. A quality watering can is a flexible and easy way to get the job done. Choose one with a long-stem spout and a small opening to control the water flow to your plants. The long spout also makes it easier to water those hard-to-reach places! Make your watering more impactful and give your plants a better draining system with Ups-A-Daisy® Round Planter Inserts.
To keep your indoor plants extra eco-friendly, grow organically. Use Calloway’s Organic Container Potting Soil when planting and keep your plants fed with a natural indoor plant fertilizer. Espoma® Organic Palm-tone® Palm & Hibiscus food is long-lasting, slow releasing and 100% natural and organic.
Jobe’s® Fertilizer Spikes for Beautiful Houseplants provide a continuous supply of important nutrients right at the roots, where plants need it most. The pre-measured, specially formulated spikes are simply inserted into the soil around your plant.
Easy Indoor Plant Craft Ideas For Kids
Get the kids involved and celebrate Earth Day together! Make a plant craft with your kids that incorporates them into learning. Allow them to choose and care for their own indoor plant. This will help them be more engaged and interested in nature. They will discover why plants are beneficial to our Earth and our daily lives.
They can create a personalized plant tag for their beneficial indoor plant. You and your family can include the name of the plant and jot down any essential care tips to keep it thriving.
We created a helpful template to use on all your different plants. Click here to download your Earth Day Plant Tags now!
Everyone can have fun decorating their Earth artwork. Cut it out, attach it to a popsicle stick, and place it with your plant.
Shop With Ease
At Calloway’s and Cornelius, we are here for all your gardening needs! Visit us today and explore our entire collection of seasonal blooms, fantastic pottery, indoor plants, fresh vegetables, stately trees and shrubs, and so much more! Shop one of our 28 neighborhood stores, serving our loyal customers for over 35 years.
Have questions? Ask our Texas Certified Nursery Professionals; they are here to help!
