Owning and taking care of plants should be a part of college students’ lives. Houseplants are sometimes overlooked by young adults, but their many benefits are reason enough to incorporate them into students’ lifestyles.
Nurturing plants is very beneficial to one’s health, according to WebMD. Caring for a plant can help lower anxiety, enhance attention and decrease the severity of depression.
Additionally, studies suggest that owning many plants is equivalent to the purifying effects of modern biofilters as they create fresh air like an air purifier, according to Healthline.
Students could be concerned that tending to plants could be too time-consuming and expensive. These worries can be combatted with shopping around to buy inexpensive plants and researching plants that are low maintenance.
Sam Phillips, a first year Biochem and Molecular Biology student and vice president of Cocks in the Garden, a gardening club on campus, said owning plants can produce many benefits for students.
Phillips said having plants allows one to learn, have a hobby and experience new responsibilities, which will improve one's mental health.
Caring for plants can be a daunting task for those new to plant ownership, but the learning that results from it should be embraced. Students are constantly tasked with things that can be heavy and tedious, but learning about plants can direct their attention toward something tangible and continuously rewarding.
Properly caring for plants requires careful research to understand each type of plant’s unique watering and lighting needs.
“Definitely educate yourself on the conditions (plants) need because that's oftentimes what people do wrong,” Phillips said.
When starting out with plant care and ownership, it’s best to get beginner-friendly plants that can survive under rough conditions.
Plants such as the Golden Pothos, Snake Plant, Peace Lily and Monstera Deliciosa are all great starter plants. They thrive under many conditions, such as being under-watered or lacking preferred lighting. These plants are also instant gratifiers because of their fast growth.
Phillips said they recommend doing research outside of the plants' sticker instructions, because these blurbs can often be wrong or generalized.
There are many myths out there regarding plant care, but the bottom line is that plants want a good water source and adequate sunlight.
There is no such thing as giving your plants too much water on watering days. Most plants should only be watered on set watering days to avoid overwatering them. It's best to soak the plants with water to ensure that all the roots are adequately covered. Also ensure that the plant's soil is mostly dry before watering to avoid overwatering.
Secondly, research what type of lighting each individual plant prefers. Plants, such as succulents and Monstera Deliciosas will thrive in a south-facing window with a lot of light, while plants like Peace Lilies, Pothos, and Peperomia will die from absorbing too much light. Place different kinds of plants around the house accordingly.
When purchasing a plant, it is important to buy good quality potting soil and a pot similar in size to its original nursing pot. Ensure that the pot you purchase has a draining hole, so the plant’s roots do not develop root rot, a condition that happens to plants when they are constantly sitting in water, leading it to die.
Coming home after a long day of classes and seeing that a plant has grown or developed a new leaf can be an instant mood booster. Caring for plants should be viewed as a source of enjoyment rather than a chore. After all, their purpose is to provide the owner with a fun hobby and a source of joy.
Plants provide a feeling of success with their growth and allow people to achieve short-term goals.
"It's good to know that that's something that's going to happen in a short amount of time, rather than it being so out of reach," Phillips said regarding the growth of plants. "You know it's going to happen if you give it the right conditions."
Plants shouldn’t be seen as a financial burden for newcomers to the hobby. There are many affordable places to buy plants, such as grocery stores, certain hardware stores and Soda City every Saturday on Main Street.
Having plants throughout a dorm or apartment will make dull days better as well as improve one’s mental and physical health. Take a trip to a garden center or plant stand, such as Gardeners Outpost or Seven Oaks Plant Shop here in Columbia to purchase a plant and witness all the benefits they have to offer.