Myth Busting...

I am constantly frustrated to see stories online that claim houseplants can perform all kinds of miracles. These stories often hold a slight truth, but like most things on the internet, shouldn't be taken as gospel. Companies use them as selling a point, which, in my opinion, is totally immoral. I also think it shows that they don't really know houseplants and aren't in a position to offer actual advice. Savage, I know!

So, let's start breaking some of these myths down, so that you have all the information you need before buying a plant for your home.

1. Plants purify the air.

This is an interesting one because they sort of do, but it's using a true statement to mislead you. There was a study conducted by NASA in 1989 where they put a variety of plants in closed chambers and gassed them with a variety of chemicals to see how each would perform. Their data concluded that some plants removed toxins at a higher rate than others, and they ranked the plants by their effectiveness. The problem with claiming that plants purify the air is that realistically, in our homes, plants are unlikely to make a measureable difference. The size of our rooms, compared to the closed chambers used by NASA is completely different. So while all plants will work to remove some chemicals from the air, they will not do so at a rate that would actually make a difference. It's kind of like trying to warm up a room by lighting a candle, it just doesn't have a measurable impact.

2. Plants reduce condesation and absorb moisture.

Sorry, this is total nonsense. Plants do not absorb water through their leaves and will not solve a damp problem. Plants actually transpire and release moisture through their leaves, not that it is enough to make a difference of course, refer back to the candle analogy. Plants absorb water through their roots and can absorb a little dew through their leaves, but this wouldn't happen at any rate to change the general atmosphere in your homes. If you have a damp problem, it's usually because of restricted air flow and there is no plant on earth that will solve this.

3. Houseplants need high humidity, we should mimic their natural environment.

Most houseplants have been grown in greenhouses in The Netherlands. They have been grown to suit our homes. They have not been dug up from the rainforest. I like to think of plants like pets, they have been domesticated to suit life in our homes. They generally do not have any special requirements (apart from a few specialised plants of course) aside from light, water and correct soil. Getting these three things in balance will ensure your plants thrive for years to come. This also means that there is no such thing as a plant "good for a bathroom". Your plants don't know what room they're in, they just want to know where the nearest light source is! Your bathroom may be more humid for about 20 minutes a day, but then you open the door and it all disipates, it's never enough to make a difference and humidity is low down on the list of needs anyway. Forcus on choosing a plant to suit the light.

4. Some plants require distilled water only.

More nonsense I'm afraid. There's no need to spend money on fancy water. As long as your plant is getting enough light, you are watering at the right time and the soil is the correct soil for indoor plants, then that's all it needs. Sure, if you've got rainwater, then great, it's free, free from chemicals and sustainable! If you haven't, tap water is fine. It's highly unlikely that your water is the cause of any problem with your plants. Getting the balance right between light, watering frequency and the correct soil are the most important things to focus on.

5. Misting and pebble trays improve humidity.

No. Just no. Refer back to the candle analogy and point number 3. It's a lovely thing to do, walking round your house, misting your plants, bit of French music on in the background to really romanticise the moment, it's a mindful task and good for our mental health. But it doesn't increase humidity. What is does do is help to keep the leaves clean, so as you're misting, give the leaves a wipe over to remove any dust and this will help them access all the light they need to photosynthesise effectively. We are absolutely team mist, but for the right reasons!

I hope this helps you feel like you can spot the nonsense quickly now and you feel empowered to choose the right plant for your space based on light. If ever you need any help with this, please just get in touch, we love to matchmake!

Now, I'm off to put on a bit of Edith Piaf while I mist my plants and drink coffee!

Ciao