Air Circulation for Houseplants

Because I have been working with houseplants for such a long time, I have seen many different ways owners display their plants. Most of those I have consulted with who love plants and are avid collectors, jam them on shelves and window sills to try to get as many in one space; usually the one with the most light. This can be a recipe for disaster. Plants need five distinct ingredients in their environment to grow and thrive. If one or more of these ingredients are missing, most plants will struggle.

The four most important elements for all plants are: light, water, air circulation, temperature and humidity, in that order. Plants make their own food by the process of photosynthesis. They convert the light, water and carbon dioxide into carbohydrates, sugars and starches, that give the plants all the energy they need to process their interior functions throughout the day. They also need the nutrients found in soils; nitrogen,phosphorous, and potassium plus some micro-nutrients. I will discuss fertilizers versus plant food in another article.

People have lungs to push air in and out of our bodies, plants do not. Water aids in photosynthesis and it helps the plant move all the nutrients through its system, both above and below the soil. It carries the wast products, such as oxygen, to the surface of its leaves, where the plant also takes in carbon dioxide and moisture from the air. So how is this process done without lungs? The air moving around the plant removes the toxins from the leaf surface, and absorbs carbon dioxide from air passing around it. So if plants are packed tightly together, they have difficulty with this process.

Ceiling fans moving air is one of the best methods to keep good air circulation in a room. Both plants and people benefit from this. I do not have ceiling fans in my home, although I would love to put one in every room, and my plants are thriving. There is definitely enough air movement in most homes, even my well-insulated house, to allow plants to perform these functions. The secret is to give them space between them. I have many areas in my home where plants abound, but each plant has plenty of space around it for good air movement. The happier and healthier a plant is the better it will look, adding beauty and life to your home.

During the day, plants absorb carbon dioxide from the air and release oxygen. At night this process is reversed where carbon dioxide is released. Back in the early 1970s when I was studying Horticulture, I read many articles about not placing plants in the bedroom because they suck up all the oxygen and release carbon dioxide, making it hard for one to breath! This was the norm, and even though science tells a different tale, people still mention that to me when purchasing a plant for a bedroom. There is no worry. The amount of carbon dioxide released by one plant is minuscule. Even a room full with not hamper your breathing. So go ahead and enjoy a few plants in your bedrooms.

I am often consulted about plants from many people that have difficulty with one plant or another. If you have questions about your interior plants, I will be more than happy to try to help you . You can respond through this site, and I will be more than happy to try to solve the problems your plants may have. Happy Gardening!