Coughs, nose bleeds and plants

I have been reading a lot lately about kids with chronic coughs and waking up with nose bleeds. Unless your child is sick their coughs are probably due to pollutants in the home and dry air. Nose bleeds are also due to dry air. So you can rush out and buy an expensive, ugly and noisy humidifier and set it up somewhere out of the way. Because its ungainly and doesn't match any decor. But then, since its out of the way, you will probably forget to add water and to keep it clean. 

Well I have a much better idea and in keeping with today's GREEN CRAZE. Buy house plants! Lots of them. They are nice to look at, teach kids about nature and best of all purify your home!! Plants take in carbon dioxide, as we all learned in biology and give off oxygen. But better than that they also take in air pollutants, like formaldehyde that is leached from plastics, benzine leached from paints and rubber and carbon monoxide from our heating systems. Plants also help a home get rid of smoke for those of you 'naughty' people that still think its OK to smoke in the privacy of your own home. 

Plants need water and absorb the water through their roots, the water travels up the stem depositing nutrients along the way and the excess water is transpired back out into the air through the leaves. This way plants help keep moisture in the home. Also if your home is too dry the plant will sag and let you know to water it. 

I can hear you say you don't have a green thumb and all your plants die. The most common cause of plants dying is over watering. Next comes forgetting to water them at all. Some genius came up with those pretty watering bulbs and I love them. If you haven't seen them, they are glass balls with a long spike on the end that you fill with water and stick into your plant. They are multicolored and can blend in with the plant or be a bright accessory. 

Do yourself and your kids a favor and go plant shopping today. Spider plants are a great way to start. They look good anywhere, are hardy and make babies. The kids will get a kick out of the little babies (spiders). Other hardy plants are rubber plants, pothos and ivy. Ferns are very pretty and cleanse the air, but they are harder to take care of.

Go green, buy plants and see those coughs disappear. Incidentally a dry house is also hard on the furniture and any books or pictures you have.