Saturday Morning Coffee Talk

Good morning, sweet friends! Welcome to Saturday Morning Coffee Talk. Hope you have your cup of coffee in hand (tea or Favorite beverage).

Here on Saturday, I talk about random things going on over at White Lilac Farmhouse or little something about myself.

Today, let’s talk about plants in the home. So grab your cup of coffee and let’s chat.

why have plants in the house?

There are so many great advantages to having real plants in the house. Plants bring a coziness into any room. The green foliage of the leaves warms up the room and add beauty. What people may not realize that live plants purify the air. They can remove certain toxics from the air creating a better environment for us to live in.

Benefits of having House Plants:

• Reduces stress – Plants in your rooms, the greenery has a calming effect. It helps lowering blood pressure, making you feel more relax and happier. It helps to boost your mood.
• Purifies the air in the home – Many people don’t realize that not only doe plants collect dust particles from they also break down harmful substances in the atmosphere. Plants reduce carbon dioxide and convert it into oxygen. Plants also add humidity to the air in your house to improve the quality of your air.
• Promotes a cozy and comfortable space – the color alone adds a warm feeling to any space. Plants make the room feel more natural, comfortable, and cozy.
• Increase creative thinking and productivity – I should have put a plant in each of my children’s rooms growing up.
• Improves the acoustics in your home / noise blockers – can absorb background noise.
• Helps to prevent allergies – Children with plants in their family home from an early age may have a lower risk of allergies.
• Helps to promote a good sleep – Air-purifying house plants create a better air climate in your bedroom and generate more oxygen. 

My favorite house plants

Golden Pothos (species of Potho Epipremnum)

Symbolizes: Happiness

This plant is also referred to: Devil’s Ivy, Taro Vine, Ceylon Creeper, Ivy Arum, Money Plant and Hunter’s Robe. It is not a good plant to have in the house if you have cats. Golden Pothos is slightly toxic to humans, cats and dogs if ingested. I have two dogs and keep these plants up high and out of the reach of my pets.

Golden Pothos are beautiful and very easy to maintain and disease and pest resistant. They are fast growing. I have four of these plants in my home.

Care:

• Partial sun to partial shade
• Average water needs. Watering should be done each week or when the top of the soil has dried out. Water thoroughly until the soil is saturated and excess water has fully drained from the drain holes.
• Fertilize monthly or every 10 days or so in the spring.
  • Twice a month in the summer;
  • Once in the Fall; and
  • No fertilizer in winter

Tree Philodendron (Species of Philodendrons)

Symbolism: Personal Growth; Health and Abundance

This plant has beautiful large foliage on it. This plant is particularly effective at helping the clean the air we breathe in our homes. It will clean approximately 100 square feet of space in your home. It’s a stunning plant with huge leaves. I have constantly trim my plant back.

You will need to keep it out of the reach of smaller children and animals. The Tree Philodendron is mildly toxic to humans if ingested and touched. It can cause severe poisonings in animals and even be fatal.

It can have fungal diseases; sale insects, and grass house red spider mites. I have not had any issues with my plant. I use Young Living Thieves cleaner with water and mist the leaves. I clean with a cloth wearing gardening gloves.

Care:

• Partial sun to partial shade
• Average water needs. Watering should be done each week or when the top 1.2 inch of the soil has dried out. Water thoroughly until the soil is saturated and excess water has fully drained from the drain holes.
• Fertilize once every 2-3 months during the growing season (spring and summer)
  • No fertilizer in fall and winter

DRACAENA Song of India (SPECIES OF Dragon Trees)

This plant is also referred to as: Lily Bamboo and Song of Jamaica

This is an excellent slow growing indoor ornamental plant. It loves the sun light. I have it on my fireplace hearth next to a window. It is a super easy plant to take care of and resistance to almost all pests and disease. If you have a brown thumb, this is a good option for you.

The Dracaena Song of India is toxic to cats and dogs. A sign that your pet has ingested the plant is vomiting and dilation of its pupils.

To clean my plant leaves, I use Young Living Thieves cleaner with water and mist the plant and wipe clean with a cloth.

Care:

• Full indirect sun
• Prune any diseased or withered leaves (generally in the spring)
• Average water needs. Watering regularly, but do not over water or let the water accumulate
• Fertilize once every 2-3 months during the growing season (spring and summer)
  • No fertilizer in fall and winter

Aeschynanthus Radican (Lipstick Plant )

This is a popular and striking evergreen tropical houseplant. Vivid red blossoms emerge from a dark maroon bud reminiscent of a tube of lipstick. It really is a beautiful plant when it blooms. The lipstick plant generally blooms during the late summer and early fall, but can bloom throughout the year.

Care:

• Adequate amount of sunlight is important for this plant to bloom. Avoid placing this plant in full sun or shade. Place it in a sunny spot but not direct sun. It needs bright light for a good portion of the day but not all day.
• This plant likes temperatures of 70-80 degrees for proper blooming.
• Average water needs. Do not over water this plant. Too much water would be disastrous for growing this particular plant.
• Fertilize once a month during the growing season (spring and summer)

JAde Plant (Crassula ovata)

Symbolizes: Good Luck

Jade Plants are one of the easiest plants to grow and need minimum care. I have two in my house and will probably add a few more. It’s a succulent plant with oval-shaped leaves and thick, woody stems that resemble tiny tree trunks. I love that it symbolizes good luck.

Care:

• They need full sun in order to thrive. I place mine in a window sill or never a window for the sunlight.
• Don’t water this plant on a schedule. You need to check the soil to make sure it has not completely dried out. Water when the soil is just dry to the touch. Avoid over watering as it will cause root rot. If you leaves fall off, it does not have enough water.
• Fertilize once every six months with a liquid fertilizer for house plants.

Zebra Plant (a species of Haworthia)

Another easy plant to grow is the Zebra Plant. It is also in the succulent family. I have my plant sitting in the window sill in my office. It requires little care and looks beautiful. The Zebra Plant leaves are dark green with white stripes.

Care:

• Partial sunlight.
• Pruning – trim the withered leaves and flowers.
• Average water needs, watering should be done each week or when the top 1.2 inches of soil has dried out. Water thoroughly until the soil is saturated and excess water is fully drained from the drain holes.
• Fertilize once a month during the growing season (spring and summer)

I absolutely enjoy having plants and the many benefits in my home. I hope today’s coffee talk helped you learn about the benefits of having plants in your home. There are pros and cons. The main con is that some plants can be toxic to animals. It’s important to do your research to find the right plant for your home. Thankfully, my puppy or dog never messes with my plants. When I had small children (crawling babies and toddlers), I keep very few plants. They were forever putting stuff in their mouths. I made a decision back then not to have them.

With this home, I have so much sunlight pouring in the windows it’s perfect for plants. I love the look and the many benefits. Recently, I have put a plant on my night stand in hope for better sleeping.

Thank you for stopping by the blog. Check out my post on How to Style a Tiered Tray. I used both real and faux plants in my tray.

Have a great weekend, sweet friends!