Believe it or not, nurturing flowers can do wonders for your physical and mental health. Discover the benefits of plants, how caring for them boosts mood, and ways to make your gardening journey safe and enjoyable.

1. Reduces Anxiety and Stress

Nurturing plants delivers a calming effect, helping reduce your stress and anxiety. They can help reduce cortisol levels, enhance memory retention and boost overall satisfaction. Whenever negative emotions overwhelm you, looking at or watering flowers can provide instant relief and help you get through the day.

2. Boosts Creativity

Caring for plants helps improve mood and creativity, allowing you to develop innovative ideas. Looking at them can help clear your mind when you need to focus. Add a few plants to your room or office if you need to produce innovative ideas for your work, art or music.

3. Improves Air Quality

Plants do more than improve your home’s aesthetic. They help enhance air quality, which can help reduce your exposure to pollution. Plants with bigger and more waxy leaves are more effective in cleaning the air. Consider taking care of the following plants for an improved indoor atmosphere:

• Purple waffle plant
• Gerber daisy
• Chinese evergreen
• Snake plant

Remember that some indoor plants can be toxic to your pets. Do your research before buying to protect your furry friend. It’s better to be safe than sorry!

4. Encourages Exercise

One of the benefits of plants is that they motivate you to move around. Gardening tasks such as digging, lifting, raking and planting enable you to get much-needed exercise. They also increase your sun exposure, which helps you get enough vitamin D and boost your immunity.

As with any physical activity, it pays to take safety precautions. Gardening may seem simple, but constant lifting and squatting can cause pain. Remember to do everything slowly so unfamiliar movements won’t cause injuries.

5. Helps Ease Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Gardening encourages you to go outside and get sunlight, which can help ease symptoms of SAD. It happens when you feel sad or lonely during colder months and is caused by less sunlight and shorter days. If it’s too cold outside, consider getting houseplants that need nurturing during fall or winter. Your participation in tending plants can help reduce the loneliness this season can bring.

3 Safety Precautions When Handling Plants

You don’t need a green thumb to be a responsible plant owner. Here are some tips to keep your plants in tip-top shape.

1. Control Insects

Some insects can get into your house through your indoor plants. Aphids, spider mites and fungus gnats can be a nuisance. When selecting plants, know the watering needs of each species since overwatering can trigger mold growth. In some cases, plants with fungus gnats may require repotting.

2. Know Watering Requirements

Overwatering is one of the most common reasons plants die. Some signs of too much water include yellowing or dropping leaves, heavy pots and smelly soil. If you notice it early, you can save your plant by moving it under direct sunlight.

At the same time, underwatering can also cause your plants to wither. Signs include curling, drooping or browning of leaves. Knowing your plants’ watering and sunlight requirements is essential to keep them healthy.

3. Repot Overgrown Plants

Unsure whether your plants need repotting? Check out the roots — you must transfer to a new pot if you notice circling roots in the container. The best time to repot is in the spring so growing roots have ample time to acclimate to the new container.

Reap the Benefits of Taking Care of Plants

Plants aren’t just pretty decorations — they help nurture your overall health and connection with nature. It doesn’t matter if you’re a seasoned or a novice gardener — this practice is open to anyone willing to incorporate more greenery into their lives.