Today Is National Houseplant Appreciation Day!
Author: Megan Natoli, Challenge America Program Director
Did you know that in addition to making your space more beautiful, houseplants actually have superpowers and can boost your health and well-being? 🪴
We have all heard that there are many psychological benefits to spending time outside, but with winter 🌨️ in full swing, houseplants provide us the opportunity to bring a little nature inside, especially if you live somewhere cold!
Indoor houseplants have been proven to:
Improve indoor air quality - the bigger and leafier the plant, the better!
Reduce stress
Support cognitive health
Improve environmental wellness
Provide a beautiful symbiotic relationship
Whether you feel that you have a green thumb or not, National houseplant Appreciation Day is the perfect time to:
Visit a plant nursery to add a new plant to your collection or simply spend some time taking in the scenery.
Visit a botanical garden.
Give your indoor plants a little tender love and care - make sure they’re getting adequate light, clean leaves with water and a microfiber cloth, prune brown leaves, and trim vines that have started to get too long.
Invest in items to keep your plants healthy all year round. Make sure you have fertilizer for the growing season or get a new watering can.
Treat your plants to a new cute plant pot! If you're nervous about watering too often or too infrequently, invest in self-watering planters.
Make or decorate your own DIY planters from household items.
Brush up on your houseplant knowledge by reading a book on indoor plants.
Learn how to propagate plants to make new ones. Propagated plants make excellent budget-friendly gifts!
Ready to take your gardening skills to the next level? Check out these organizations:
Heroic Gardens - an organization that helps Veterans experience the healing power of nature
Growing Healthy Veterans - an organization that engages Veterans and Active Duty Military in sustainable agricultural practices to enhance their physical and mental health and overall wellness while exposing them to multiple opportunities to connect with their communities.
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