The air inside your home is dry from either the air conditioning or the heater. You may be practicing self isolation amidst the Coronavirus pandemic or looking to increase indoor humidity to provide relief from respiratory disease. Here is an easy home activity that even your kids can help with to increase indoor humidity. Start an indoor garden!
Indoor houseplants are known natural air purifiers. Many are focusing on improving their health under self isolation. This is the perfect time to focus on you! There are houseplants that are better at purifying the air and also better at humidifying the air. So while you’re working in your indoor garden for something to do at home, get all the benefits from nature for your health.
Houseplants that naturally increase indoor humidity
All plants add some humidity to the air, but these are the top 5 natural humidifiers that release the most water vapor into the air:
- Dwarf Cavendish Banana
- Dracaena (Great air purifier!)
- Philodendron (indoor plant grouping design inspiration here)
- Peace Lily
- Bamboo Palm
I have grown many varieties of houseplants and out of these top 5 humidifiers, the Dwarf Cavendish Banana plant wins the most efficient humidifier! Yes, you can GROW this banana variety indoors and possibly get bananas to eat! This plant is a heavy waterer but quickly absorbs the water through the roots and transports it throughout all the large leaves. At night and in the early morning, you can see the dew collecting at the tips of the leaves.
I also have a list of recommended easy to take care of indoor plants that aren’t as efficient at humidifying your home but add some natural beauty and are very high on the list for air purifying to your indoor houseplant self isolation activity:
- Rubber plant (Start with this one if you have never bought a houseplant before)
- Croton
- English Ivy (turn one plant into many for added indoor gardening activities!)
- Fiddle Leaf Fig
- Mother in Law’s Tongue
- Pothos (Growing tips!)
- Aloe (Make your own skin care products or even hand sanitizer!)
Indoor houseplant supplies
Houseplants are fairly easy to care for but you will need a few supplies to get your started. I recommend shopping at Amazon while you are self isolating during the Coronavirus pandemic. If you don’t have an Amazon Prime account yet, get it here! You can also qualify for a huge monthly discount if you have food stamps (get the discount here). Don’t forget about the give back box to help during times like these.
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Here’s a list of houseplant supplies to get you growing with a recommended link to each:
- Indoor soil (Miracle-Gro is perfect for houseplants)
- After the soil fertilizer is used up in 6 months, you’ll need houseplant fertilizer (Miracle-grow houseplant fertilizer)
- Water filter (here’s why you DON’T want to water your plants with tap water) Tap water will turn your plant leaves yellow real fast. I use this counter top water filter dedicated to my indoor garden activities.
- Indoor pots with good drainage:
Set of 3 small to medium ceramic pots with drainage hole and plate
Hanging planters for those lovely vines!
Here’s that mid century ceramic pot with plant stand you’ve been wanting! This is for your larger plants
Next, how about some houseplants! Avoid going into the stores for your health. You can order most of these online!
Dwarf Cavendish Banana Plant. Kids love to watch this grow and it grows fast! A new leaf every week or two!
Dracaena Marginata. This is what I have and my son loves the colors! It will get taller like a small tree.
Split Leaf Philodendron. Who doesn’t love those leaves!
Peace Lily that comes with a pot.
2 Parlor Palms. These are so lovely, you might need 2 especially for the price!
These supplies should get your indoor gardening activity started. Your indoor humidity will rise quickly. In self isolation, a little bit of nature indoors can brighten anyones mood. Get the kids involved to help repot them, feed and water them. My son would wake up each morning and see if a new leaf had opened up.
Let’s do this home gardening and self isolation activity together! #showmeyourindoorgarden on Instagram. I’ll share some of your photos to inspire others.
The New Health Cycle 