Clear the Air With These Air-Purifying Houseplants

April 26, 2016 by portofino

You might think that, in order to breathe truly clean air inside, you'll have to invest in an expensive air purification system, but that's not so. There are many houseplants that eradicate airborne toxins, and you can pick them up at any major home improvement store. Here are just four of them.

English ivy. According to the scientists at NASA, there's no plant better at purifying the air than English ivy. It helps soak up any formaldehyde that could be floating around in your air, and you definitely don't want to be inhaling the stuff. Plus, it's almost impossible to kill them.
Peace lily. The peace lily may be beautiful, but beauty can be deceiving. Don't fall for its game; this is actually a powerful plant. Harmful chemicals like xylene, ammonia, formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene will all decrease in your air when a peace lily blooms nearby.
Red-Edged Dracaena. Named for the strips of bright red that run along the edges of its thin, long leaves, the Red-edged Dracaena is more than just a pretty plant. It also gets rid of xylene, trichloroethylene, and formaldehyde when you feed it enough sunlight.
Golden pothos. If you really want to make a statement with your new houseplant, consider buying a hanging pot for the golden pothos. When positioned properly, its leaves will snake their way down to the floor in beautiful vines.

7 Plants That Purify Indoor Air [Rodale's Organic Life]
This Graphic Shows the Best Air-Cleaning Plants, According to NASA [Lifehacker]
10 Best Houseplants To De-Stress Your Home And Purify The Air [HuffPost Home]

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr Xalion Malik

Bring Some Green Inside With These 5 Unique Ideas for Displaying Houseplants

February 23, 2016 by portofino

Instead of displaying all of your favorite herbs, flowers and succulents in simple terra cotta pots, create more artistic plant displays with these fun DIY projects. From the kitchen to the living room, these plant hangers and pots will show off your greenery in any room in the home.

Living Monogram Wreath [BHG.com]
Create unique wall art and a fun planter in one with this monogram frame. Simply line a plywood back with 2-inch cedar boards in the shape of your initial, then fill the inside with peat moss and cover with chicken wire. Plant succulents inside, and then hang the whole thing on your wall.

Copper Hanging Rod [morganours.com/]
Looking for a way to hang plants over the kitchen sink? Simply balance a copper rod across the tops of your kitchen cabinets (or any other type of cabinet). Hang lightweight plants or herbs from the rod using your favorite hangers.

DIY Rope Pot [nostalgiecat.blogspot.sg]
With this rustic DIY project, you can add colorful rope to your cheap terra cotta pots. Simply wrap a simple cotton rope with colorful thread in your choice of colors, and then wrap the whole thing tightly around various sized pots.