Green Pets
Is it too early to think about indoor gardening? Nope. Every year when we get our Christmas Tree, it reminds me of how much I love having plants in our house. We traditionally haven't had many plants in our house, but things changed this year and we are supporting a small garden and our kids have Snake Plants in their rooms. Not only are they beautiful, but there are other benefits to welcoming greenery into your home:
Reduced Stress
Increased Creativity
Cleaner Air
Less Dust (as long as you have a plant without pollen!)
The wonderful thing about plants is that you can go as low or high maintenance as you like. The Snake Plants we have are very tolerant and as long as the girls splash some water in them once a week or so, they are happy! They don't require much light and they actually release their oxygen at night when the girls are in their room sleeping...
If you are ready to embark on plant ownership, this can be a great family activity. Visit your local nursery or garden center to learn more about the plants that thrive in an indoor environment. Think about the levels of light in your house. Full sun plants will require south facing windows where they can get lots of light throughout the day. Shade or partial shade plants will be more tolerant of less daylight.
Want a multi-functional plant? Think herbs. We have mint and basil plants that are both happily thriving in our home right now. Not only do they smell and look great, but we can snip off shoots for our culinary adventures. Our kids love being able to harvest from right in our home! They even munch on the mint just for the heck of it.
Want to start something from scratch? Sprout some dried beans! Our youngest daughter did an experiment with her kindergarten class where they sprouted beans. We took a few dried beans from our pantry, wrapped them in a damp paper towel, and put them in a glass jar with a lid in a light, warm spot. Within a week they were sprouting and a month later, we have full on bean plants growing in pots in our house!
There is so much you can do with plants in your home - and it is a great indoor activity to do with your kids. A little succulent can be a great Christmas gift - it's like having a pet that doesn't need to be walked!
Wishing you and your family a great holiday season full of adventures. Stay Wild and Free!
Michelle