Celebrate Houseplant Appreciation Day with Costa Farms

Houseplant Appreciation Day is January 10th. Costa Farms recognizes all of the amazing benefits houseplants provide. They’re decorative, boost well-being and purify indoor air.

Now that the holidays are over, it’s time to show your houseplants a little TLC. Thank a plant today for bringing beauty into your home and office, making you feel good and naturally cleansing the very air you breathe inside.

Here are 5 simple tips to celebrate the day:
 
1. Recognize Green Heroes
Many houseplants clean the air every minute of the day. They absorb up to 87 percent of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that hide in ordinary household products such as paints, carpets and ink. Studies from the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) have found that levels of indoor air pollution can be two to five times higher — and in some cases 10 times more polluted than outdoor air. Some of the best houseplants to absorb indoor toxins include peace lilies, orchids and ferns.

2. Decorate Your Home or Office
A houseplant instantly transforms any room. Care for the same plants every month or mix it up for special occasions such as anthuriums for Valentine’s Day, orchids for Mother’s Day or Devil’s Backbone for Halloween. Change up your pots to match the season or holiday.

Houseplants give new life to a room when placed in colorful pots and made into a focal point. Make an impact by topping a table with a vintage tablecloth and houseplant. The bright green leaves of an indoor plant make a gorgeous complement to white walls or boring offices. Plants can also add height and texture.

3. Connect with nature
Bridge the gap between indoors and outdoors with a houseplant. According to the EPA, most people spend 90 percent of their time indoors; a houseplant is the perfect way to be reminded of the beauty the world has to offer.

4. Find the right houseplant
Some houseplants, like those from Costa Farms’ Plants of Steel collection, are very easy to care for. Just add water, light and nutrients from time to time to show these houseplants some love. Check the plant tag or visit costafarms.com for information about how much light a plant needs. A houseplant lets you know the spot is right by maintaining healthy leaves.

5. Start a Water Schedule
If you don’t have a schedule for watering houseplants, today’s the day to start one! If the soil is dry about an inch below the surface, add water. If the plant does not seem too dry, check it again in a few days. Be sure not to overwater: It’s the number one reason houseplants die.

To find the best houseplant for your home or office and how to care for it, visit http://www.costafarms.com.

About Costa Farms
Costa Farms is the largest producer of indoor house plants in the world. Founded in 1961 by Jose Costa, Costa Farms is a third-generation, family-owned business that globally stretches over 4,200 acres and employs approximately 3,400 people. Along with thriving indoor houseplant, annual, and perennial plant divisions, Costa Farms operates merchandising and transportation companies as part of its infrastructure, with operations domestically in Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina, and abroad in the Dominican Republic and Far East. 

Zillow Porchlight: Festive Porch Decorations That Go From Fall to Winter

When it comes to all things home, Zillow Porchlight knows the best tips, tricks and ideas. 

That’s why we were thrilled to have Costa Farm’s Justin Handcock featured in one of their holiday posts.

Here’s an excerpt from their “Festive Porch Decorations That Go From Fall to Winter” story.

Read the full story here!

2017 Garden Trends Report: Grow 365 highlights eight trends that inspire clean gardening

The backyard and kitchen counter have a lot in common this year; they’re both ideal places to grow.

New changes in indoor gardening technology combined with an ever increasing demand for clean food means it’s easier than ever to garden 365 days-a-year. 

Our annual Garden Trends Report for 2017, Grow 365, introduces eight industry trends that inspire gardening year-round. It reflects consumers’ increasing desire to access healthy food, fresh air and clean medicine no matter the season.

The 2017 report mirrors what modern technology has known for years: Mother Nature doesn’t have jurisdiction indoors.

New Study Highlights Reasons to Celebrate Indoor Plant Week with Costa Farms

National Indoor Plant Week is just around the corner - and New research from the State University of New York at Oswego (SUNY Oswego) gives us more of a reason to celebrate on September 18. 

Research shows how effectively houseplants remove multiple toxins, known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), that contribute to the buildup of indoor air pollution.

Five Fab Reasons to Grow House Plants for National Indoor Plant Week

Houseplants are almost magical when it comes to indoor décor: They work with just about every theme and style, from modern contemporary to casual and cottagey. And they instantly make any space more comfy and cozy. But houseplants are more than just good-looking home décor.

Generations of people have enjoyed the beauty of plants in their indoor spaces. Here are some reasons to celebrate during the third week in September.

Celebrates Back-to-School with Easy Houseplant Tips

It’s back-to-school time -- that means learning new things and brushing up on what you already know. What better subject to get a refresher on than nature? From classrooms to dorm rooms,houseplants bring the beauty of nature indoors and brighten any space.

Justin Hancock, garden expert from Costa Farms, says plants are perfect companions for students.

Hancock shares his Houseplants 101 lessons for indoor gardening success

Create a Supernatural Halloween with Spooky Plants from Costa Farms

Add a supernatural touch to your Halloween festivities. Decorate this season with spooky indoor plants that have creepy names, devilish shapes and weird colors. 

While everything else this season goes bump in the night, these ‘living decorations’ add a fun, eerie twist to traditional Halloween décor. 

These spooky plants all have great names and fun stories that give children, party guests and trick-or- treaters something fun to talk about. Plus they are easy to grow year round.

African Mask. The dark, shield-shaped foliage of an African Mask is an eerie addition to any Halloween table. Also called Alocasia Poly, this plant has haunting white veins that run throughout its giant leaves. It's perfect for brightly lit, high-humidity areas such as bathrooms and kitchens.

Devil’s Backbone. Devil’s Backbone earned its hair-raising name because of the interesting pattern of the leaves. As the stems grow, the leaves form a zigzag pattern that looks like a spine. It’s an extremely easy-to-grow houseplant that works double duty to purify the indoor air of toxins. Devil’s backbone holds up in dry conditions and in low light. Use this devilish plant in a creepy tablescape, hang ghosts and goblins from it and use it as a houseplant or plant it outside as a perennial in frost-free climates.

Rope Plant. Rope plant, also known as Hoya carnosa, is a winding houseplant with exotic flair. The shadows made from these vines create a spell-binding look after the sun goes down. Flowers from the rope plant last up to a month.

Earth Star. Oddly marked leaves and a star-like spread make this plant the perfect out-of-this-world decoration. A low-water succulent, earth star is a cinch to grow in bright light.

Spider Plant. Like its namesake, spider plant is known to creep. The spider legs, or plantlets, trail down this easy-to-grow plant and form little “babies” at the ends. Place it in a hanging basket and decorate with a synthetic web filled with spiders (fake, of course). Make the plant look even more sinister by placing it in a creepy container on mantles, windowsills and tabletops. Although it thrives in bright light, spider plants will also tolerate low-light, too, so it will grow anywhere.

With these tips it’s easy to liven up your Halloween décor this year with fun houseplants. Miniature varieties of many spooky plants are available and would make great treats. Looking for more? Check out our Pinterest board for ideas!

For more information, visit http://www.costafarms.com

Costa Farms Supports National Indoor Plant Week for Cleaner Indoor Air

Join the national effort for cleaner, fresher indoor air in homes, schools and workplaces and support National Indoor Plant Week and Costa Farms' national grassroots campaign, ‘O2 for You’: Houseplants with a Purpose, on September 15-21, 2013!

This week-long initiative was created to raise consumer awareness on the value and benefits of live indoor houseplants.

Event founder Mark Martin from Interior Tropical Gardens says, “We like to say that the ‘oxygen arrives when the plants do.’”

‘O2 for You’: Houseplants with a Purpose has been spreading awareness since 2008 on how live houseplants can cleanse indoor air from chemical pollutants (volatile organic compounds) emitted from products and materials found in homes and offices. Check out where it all began in NYC: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=0V1w-NnCKbI.

Besides removing carbon dioxide and giving back oxygen, emerging research indicates that certain varieties of indoor houseplants work best to help cleanse interior spaces of indoor pollutants and improve productivity in offices where we spend most of our day.

Plus, studies from the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) have found that levels of indoor air pollution can be two to five times higher - and in some cases 10 times more polluted than outdoor air. And since most of us spend about 90 percent of our time indoors, these findings are particularly alarming.

This is where nature’s natural air purifiers take center stage. Working 24/7, certain plants absorb almost all volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) in indoor air. These toxic VOC’s are common chemicals like ammonia, formaldehyde and benzene emitted from products you may already have in your home and office like carpets, printer ink, tobacco smoke and cleaning products.

During National Indoor Plant Week and throughout the month of September, look for varieties such as peace lilies, ferns and spider plants with ‘O2 for You’ plant tags at your local retailer and reap the benefits of these hardworking plants.

Throughout the week, people are encouraged to use social media to share messages about the many benefits of indoor plants and how they not only cleanse our indoor spaces but help reduce stress, as they brighten up any room with beautiful foliage and color.

For more information on National Indoor Plant Week, visit http://www.nationalindoorplantweek.com. To learn more about ‘O2 for You’: Houseplants with a Purpose, visit http://www.o2foryou.org.

GMG's Friday Find: Plant some soul music!

Music is an integral part of our lives, and has been since the dawn of man. Research suggests that music can be healing, soothing, uplifting and energizing.  Music taps into our inner consciousness. But what about plants and music? Most studies agree that plants also thrive on music. Here are two cool planters that we found that incorporate music into the growing process.

The Muse musical vase is a music box for plants. There are several colors with different tunes so you can choose one that sings to the song in your heart and one your plant will love to hear too. Easy to assemble, you just turn and enjoy the music, the movement and the emotions of caring for your sweet plants.

The Koishi Planter Pot is actually an instrument controlled by your plant. You place your plant on the Planter Pot and the activity within the plant is transformed into an audio-visual performance.  The music is unique and instantaneous, like a private concert your plant gives to you. Great for meditation, or simply enjoying as background music. Check out the video and listen to what this plant is playing.

KOISHI - interactive audio-visual planter pot concept from Koishi on Vimeo.

Our houseplants can provide us with not only the benefits of clean air, but also music and sounds for healthy living.  An interesting interaction we can all enjoy, plants included. 

~Peggy
Garden Media Group