Plant products to take your indoor gardens to the next level
Whether you're a Green Thumb or decidedly not, these items promise to bring new life to your greenery
House plants are arguably the easiest way to bring the outdoors into our homes. There is some interesting reading on the health benefits of houseplants, everything from plants helping with stress to improving our overall mood.
If you were blessed with a green thumb, then I commend you. But, if you are like me, they can prove challenging to care for. Either way, there are products out there designed to help our indoor plants stay healthy and happy; here are a few of our favourites.
Plants are very particular about their water consumption. Too much and you can rot their roots, too little and you are effectively starving your house plant. Consider a water sensor to monitor levels on houseplants. The system is programmable with over 50,000 plants options and will send you notifications when it is time to water.
Gro Water Sensor Kit, $99.99, Scotts.com
Much of the joy in houseplants comes from the containers that house them. A fabric container like this one from Smart Pot promotes root-pruning. The idea is that a durable fabric planter can promote healthy roots, and ultimately strong and hearty house plants. There are limited colours and styles with a fabric planter. So if you are particular about how the container looks, consider planting in the bag and then slipping it into another decorative container. Be sure to leave breathing room around your plant to allow the fabric bag to do it's thing.
Smart Pots, starting at $12, Amazon.ca
The popularity of green walls is, well, climbing! If going vertical is an option for you, consider a garden wall planter. Most seem to be made of felt pockets that are breathable, self-absorbing and corrosion-resistant. This is a fantastic, cost effective way to embrace the green wall trend. Definitely worth a try.
Meiwo Hanging Garden Amazon.ca $10.99
If you are interested in making a real statement with your houseplants, look no further than this hanging planter meets pendant light. It is great for small, delicate, trailing plants. As your plants grow, the tendrils of the plants will create a canopy around the lightbulb creating a beautiful natural sculpture. You could always push the greenhouse-like effect further by using a light bulb designed specifically to help promote plant growth.
Babylon Light Gessato $440.00
Miracle LED Ultragrow Light Bulb Gardeners Supply Co. $19.95
In doing research for this article, I really thought I would find a fantastic smart planter, something with a built-in sensor to help monitor everything from moisture and fertilizer levels to temperature and light. There have been a number of valid attempts to create something like this, but nothing that has lasted on the mass market; the exception has been herb gardens.
Click & Grow Smart Indoor Garden Best Buy $99.99
Cole and Mason Self Watering Garden Bed Bath and Beyond $34.99
There are many companies doing interesting things with robotics and electronics to help the home gardener, but much of it is still out of reach for the average person. For an example of where technology is going, take a look at Hexa, a robot with the surface area to grow a single succulent, that will follow the sun! The retail price? Almost $1,300. The hope is that technology and gardening can come together, but for now, I think we should stick to getting our hands dirty and planting in places guaranteed to get some sun.
Hexa Vincross $949 USD