By Elizabeth Wulfhorst
Did you jump on all the pandemic trends the past two years? Complete that 5,000-piece puzzle, learn how to make sourdough bread, binge-watch “Tiger King?” Did you realize you don’t like Dalgona coffee but absolutely love working in sweatpants? Most of those viral crazes are easy to put aside now that COVID-19 is becoming endemic and life is returning to a new normal.
But what if you embraced another trend – and bought a bunch of house plants? If you did and they are still alive, good for you! If you didn’t, why not? House plants are a great way to add color and life to indoor rooms. And the creative, mental and physical health benefits of plants are well-documented.
“Plants help with stress, depression, anxiety,” said Jennifer Kennedy, owner of Kennedy & Vine, a boutique houseplant shop in Atlantic Highlands. “They’ve actually done studies in work- spaces where they put people in a room with no plants and a room with plants and the people that were in the room with plants were more productive.”
Certain plants also improve air quality. A now-famous 1989 study by NASA listed a number of common, easy-to-care-for houseplants that do a great job cleaning chemicals – like benzene, formaldehyde, toluene and even ammonia – from the air.
Kennedy encourages first-time plant owners to stick with species that don’t need a lot of care to help guarantee success. She said to consider where the light in the room comes from when purchasing and placing a plant.
A north facing window will provide the least amount of sunlight, she said. “So there are certain plants that would do well there,” including a pothos plant, snake plant or ZZ (Zamioculcas zamifolia) plant, all of which she recommends for first-time plant “parents.”
“They kind of thrive under any kind of light situations,” Kennedy said. Snake plants, especially, “will tolerate the lowest light conditions, the least amount of water and thrive on neglect,” perfect for someone new to indoor plants who doesn’t want to spend a lot of time and money on the hobby but still wants the benefits.
She also sells air plants which, as the name suggests, grow in the air, without the need for soil, and can be placed nearly anywhere as long as there is adequate light. Air plants require a soak every one to two weeks, with mistings in between, but generally thrive without too much care.
If you are looking to expand your plant offspring and feel a little more confident about your ability to care for the greenery, Kennedy has a bounty of plants to offer and also sells potting soil, pots and plant-related paraphernalia like misters, T-shirts and tote bags.
She will also help diagnose houseplant issues if you bring her a photo. “I don’t encourage them to bring (the plant), in case it’s infested with pests,” she said, but she is happy to talk through common issues like over- and under-watering or incorrect pot size or light levels.
Kennedy encourages the use of grow lights, but said you don’t necessarily need to buy an expensive light fixture. Replacing a regular bulb with an inexpensive grow light bulb in any lamp is often sufficient. Grow lights may help the humans in the house, too.
“There have been studies that say grow lights and UV lights kind of help with seasonal depression,” she noted. “I mean, I can’t say for sure, but I’m pretty happy in here,” Kennedy said, gesturing around the store.
While plants are lovely to look at, it isn’t only the shades of green, colorful flowers and variety of leaf shapes and textures that can satisfy a plant owner, but also the process of nurturing it that brings joy. It’s almost like having a pet, Kennedy said.
“They say, for millennials, plants are the new pets, pets are the new kids,” she added with a laugh.
This article originally appeared in the March 17 – 23, 2022, print edition of The Two River Times.
