Although many of us cannot deny the emotional benefits of filling our house with various breathing green things, we usually do not see the house plant as something which can improve our physical well-being. Nonetheless low maintenance indoor plants can help to absorb carbon dioxide as well as possibly harmful chemicals such as those which come from paint, stoves, furniture, cleaners and the like.

Toxic chemicals like benzene, ammonia and trichloroethylene all come from these different products of modern living. Plants may be used purposely to upgrade the air quality in your house, improve energy as well as ease asthma symptoms. Here are some methods for putting plants to good use: First of all, Put a Plant on Your Desk. If you wish to become more creative, productive as well as less fatigued while you are working, add some greenery to your office ASAP. Research Studies have proven that individuals who labor in front of computers in excess of 4 hours per day feel substantially better when they have a plant on their desk.

You may also bring Plants to an ill Friend: Hospital patients who have a view of nature often recover from their sickness faster than those who do not. Being surrounded by healthy plants is a superb way of improving mood as well as recovery speed.

You may also use house plants as an effective (and cheap, compared to the alternatives) way to filter your indoor air. As amatter of fact, your indoor air may be as much as ten times more polluted than outdoor air, surprisingly enouph. According to NASA scientists, houseplants may extract volatile chemicals from your air acting as filters for the indoor area that they inhabit. House plants like palms, peace lilies, ferns, chrysanthemums and spider plants are especially good when it comes to air purification.

Research Studies have strongly indicated that indoor plants reduce fatigue, coughs, sore throats and other cold symptoms by about one third!

This article originally appeared in the March 2006 issue of the Zone Net Newsletter. Zone Net offers a home based business in the health and wellness industry. For more info go to Zone Diet Home Business Opportunity

When buying house plants whether it is from Lowes, Home Depot or a local garden center there are several things to consider. Many people just pick up a house plant without giving any thought, especially if the cost is low. But think about this, every house plant you purchase can give you years of enjoyment if it is properly inspected before you buy. Take time to choose a perfect house plant. If you hastily buy a house plant, it has the potential of causing devastation to your other house plants. And one rule to always abide by is never buy plants when you are in a hurry, thats a gardening tip everyone should heed.

Take the time to inspect the leaves on the house plant for pests. Aphids, spider mites and scale will not only wreck havoc on this house plant but on your others as well. And be sure to look under the leaves and at the nodes where many pests thrive. Here is what to look for on your potential house plant:

Aphids appear as small green or black insects, usually found on buds and new growth. These insects suck the juices out of house plants, and also secrete honeydew.

Spider mites are small insects, which appear as small white specks, usually on the undersides of leaves, or on flowers of the house plant. Spider mites will form webbing, like a spider’s web around infected house plants. The spider mites will be visible in the webbing as white specks.

Scale looks like tiny, brown, oval-shaped bumps visible on the house plants leaves and stem. The scale is actually a protective covering which protects the insect. Scales produce honeydew, a clear sticky substance which can be seen on affected house plants.

You may want to search the internet for other gardening tips on how to treat these pests if one happens to infect some of your house plants.

If the house plant seems too big for the container, pass it by, it is likely to be root bound. Remember bigger isnt necessarily better. I always pull a house plant from its container to check the root ball; reputable stores should allow you to do this. If the house plant is already root bound you will have to open your wallet not only for the plant but for potting soil and a new container. Then YOU have to repot it and hope it will continue to be healthy. If you dont mind this, then by all means buy the house plant. If you are going to repot you may want to look at the self watering containers that are available now. These are great for someone that travels and isnt around everyday to check the soil.

Examine the container of the house plant for cracks. Be sure the container will harmonize with your existing house plants containers. Try to purchase plants by shape and height when using the house plant for groupings in and around your home. Keep the small tag that is attached to the plant in a notebook so you will always have the directions on the plants needs. This is a really good gardening tip!

Now you know the secrets of buying spectacular house plants.

Happy Gardening!

Copyright Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved.

This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.

Mary Hanna is an aspiring herbalist who lives in Central Florida. This allows her to grow gardens inside and outside year round. She has published other articles on Cruising, Gardening and Cooking. Visit her websites at http://www.GardeningHerb.com, http://www.CruiseTravelDirectory.com, and http://www.ContainerGardeningSecrets.com

Bromeliads are a popular house plant and many people wonder how they can make them reflower and enjoy the long lasting colors again to brighten their home. Does this sound like you?

For instance take the variety Guzmania Rana. After the flower has said goodbye the plant will just sit in the pot for years. Will it reflower? Does the plant need re-potting? What are those little pups coming from the base of the mother plant?

The Rana Guzmania variety is a hybrid in the Bromeliad family which consist of a wide variety of monocarpic plants. From edible pineapples to Spanish moss hanging in the southern states. What exactly a monocarpic plant? The easy description – the plant dies after it flowers. This death may occur very slowly, but during it’s downward slide the Guzmania should produce between 1 to 3 pups or offsets which you can separate and grow into a new mature, ready to bloom plant.

To get stared the plant needs to have some pups. Does the plant have little offsets or pups? The pups can live on the mother plant for a long time but it’s usually best to remove them once the new plants reach about one-third to one-half the original plants size.

Once removed pot each plant individually in it’s own pot. Of course the next question is – how do you do that?

For starters, the plant needs to be separated from the main plant. Where the pup attaches to the mother plant remove the soil, if the pup is about one-third the size of the original plant give a gentle pull or tug to separate the two plants. If this does not work and the plant does not pull away it’s time for some quick surgery to easily cut the pup away from where it attaches to the mother plant.

Before potting your new plant let it sit exposed to the open air but not the sun for a day. This allows the cut area to dry.

Using a good potting soil like a 60/40 mixture of peat moss and perlite pot up the bromeliad cutting into a small pot. Keep the soil mix damp but not wet and place the plant in bright light – again no full sun or direct light. If possible try to keep the temperature over 65 degrees.

Do not expect flowers to burst out into flower right away. The bromeliad can take a few years to reach a mature blooming size. Once the plant reaches a mature size you can force flowers by placing the plant in a clear plastic bag and adding a ripe apple for 7 to 10 days. The ripe apple gives off ethylene gas and helps force the plant to flower. As a side note – this is great little plant science experiment for students.

Do not over pot and give the plant lots of bright light and water regularly.

If all the potting stuff sounds too much to work. Do nothing and enjoy the plant as is.