It’s getting chilly out and with the year we’ve all had, we know that being cooped up indoors can be tiring and mentally straining. Especially if you’re working from home, and have kids! Over the years, studies have proven the many benefits that plants have on our health and the proof is in the planting! As we trolled the internet we came across over 73 million search-related articles dedicated to the benefits that houseplants have on your health. The health benefits listed included mood improvement, reduced stress and anxiety, and improved air quality resulting in fewer headaches and improved respiratory illnesses.
Not only are they healthy for us, but houseplants are visually stimulating, affordable, and easy to take care of when choosing the right ones. In this article, we’ve compared several “top 10 best houseplants” articles and compiled a true list of the top 5 plants most recognized for their health benefits. Let’s dive into the five best of the best houseplants, for when it comes to improving your health.
1. Peace Lily
One of the most popular flowering houseplants, the Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum) usually bloom in the spring with long-lasting flowers but can also occasionally bloom during the fall as well. Glossy oval leaves emerge from the soil to form a beautiful contrast against the plants white or yellow blooms. This gorgeous foliage will complement any room.
Not only are these attractive plants great eye-catchers, they are one of the best indoor plants to filter out air pollutants which make them great additions to bedrooms and other frequented rooms. The plant’s pores can remove harmful pollutants by absorbing toxins such as benzene, formaldehyde, toluene, xylene, and carbon monoxide. Peace Lily’s also prevent mildew and mold spores by absorbing access moisture. All of these air-purifying properties contribute to improved respiratory function and better sleep!
Lighting
Medium, indirect light
Water
Water regularly; allow the soil to dry out slightly before watering. Mist leaves in hot months.
Humidity
High
Fertilize
Feed weekly in the summer or use slow-release pellets at the beginning of the season. Do not fertilize in the winter.
Skill Level
Beginner.
Other Benefits
Air Purifying, Easy Care, Low Light
2. Dracaena Maginata Dragon Tree
Dragon trees (Dracena Marginata) are one of the easier indoor plants to grow. They’re slow-growing but can reach up to 6 feet tall. They’re tough little trees that come in a large variety of leaf colors and shapes. They produce slim, palm-like leaves onto its thick ‘trunk’.
If you’re someone who struggles with dry air at home, giving you dust mites and allergies. Try placing a few Dracaena Magenta Dragon Trees around your home! These health healing plants provide moisture, which studies have proven to reduce colds, dry skin, and sore throats. Not only do they provide humidity, but like most air-purifying plants they remove toxins ( benzene, formaldehyde, toluene, xylene, and carbon monoxide) AND absorb lead that travels through the air and water which has been proven to lead to led contamination.
Lighting
Bright location with some shade
Water
Keep soil moist. Allow it to dry slightly in the winter.
Humidity
Does well in normal levels of humidity, dry air will turn the leaf tips brown.
Fertilize
Fertilize once or twice in the warmer months.
Skill Level
Beginner
Other Benefits
Air Purifying, Easy Care, Bright Light, Low Light, Slow Growing
3. Snake Plant
Snake Plants (Sansevieria) are very easy to grow and very hard to kill. They are often credited as one of the easiest houseplants to take care of. Snake plants are forgiving and the perfect plant for new gardeners.
Studies have shown that the Snake Plant (or Mothers In Laws Tongue…) is one of the MOST oxygen-producing houseplants there is. This plant literally creates more clean oxygen in your home even with the windows closed. While at the same time, not only absorbing the regular toxic bad guys like benzene, formaldehyde, toluene, xylene, carbon monoxide but also C02! If you are into Feng Shui, Snake Plants are considered ‘negativity fighting’ and when placed in a low traffic area of your home, can remove bad energy.
Lighting
Grows best in bright light, but will tolerate any light level.
Water
Water deeply. Allow soil to dry completely between watering. Discard any excess water.
Humidity
Dry, like the dessert.
Fertilize
Fertilize twice in the growing season
Skill Level
Beginner.
Other Benefits
Air Purifying, Easy Care, Bright Light, Low Light.
6. Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera plants are succulents, which means they like dry conditions with bright light and infrequent, but deep, watering. The best way to water an aloe is by letting the soil dry completely, then water deeply while allowing it to drain freely from the soil. Aloe Vera’s easy growing conditions make it a great houseplant for beginners! Aloe is mildly toxic if ingested. Keep out of reach of pets and small children.
The queen of beauty and healing. Aloe Vera is exceptionally known for its healing properties. Their leaves contain a gel that contains vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and antioxidants. They’re antibacterial, antiviral, and antiseptic which helps heal wounds and other skin issues. Aloe Vera is a proven plaque remover, improves wrinkles by reducing UV damage, soothes burns, and more!
Lighting
Bright location; but too much direct sunlight over time may cause the plant to dry out and turn reddish-brown.
Water
Water deeply. Allow soil to dry completely between watering. Discard any excess water.
Humidity
Dry, like the desert.
Fertilize
Fertilize yearly.
Skill Level
Beginner.
Other Benefits
Medicinal, Easy Care, Bright Light.
5. Spider Plant
One of the most popular houseplants! Spider plants (Chlorophytum Comosum) are versatile, come in several different varieties, and are super easy to care for. They also look great in a hanging basket! Originating from South Africa, Spider plants were introduced to Victorian households in England during the 19th century.
As a houseplant, the Spider Plant has the ability to add moisture to your home. Reducing the chances for airborne toxins to create problems with your health like coughs, colds, sore throats, and allergies. This plant will work hard at reducing more toxins than any other houseplant, including nitrogen dioxide, benzene, formaldehyde, toluene, xylene, and carbon monoxide. In addition to its air-purifying abilities, Spider Plant roots have medical properties used in traditional Chinese medicine. When extracted, the root has been used to fight inflammation, increase healthy bowel movements and gut health, treat cancer by suppressing tumors and heal bones and burns! Wow!
Lighting
Bright location; keep out of direct sunlight.
Water
Water regularly, discarding any excess water. Keep soil moist.
Humidity
Does well in all levels of humidity.
Fertilize
Fertilize bimonthly.
Skill Level
Beginner.
Other Benefits
Air Purifying, Easy Care, Low Light, Fast Growing, Pet Friendly.
There you have it! Five amazing health-promoting plants to get you through your day feeling lifted, breathing better, kicking negative energy out the door, and helping you sleep better at night. When it comes to house plants, not one plant will fix all your health woes. It is recommended to have 1-2 plants in every 100 square feet of space. If you can’t commit to that many plants just yet, we recommend starting in a small room and making your way to bigger spaces, with more plants. Wishing you all a happier and healthier space, to keep you and your plants growing your best!
As the season begins to change from summer to fall, there’s a lot for us to look forward to as we unwind from the hustle and bustle of summer. The leaves changing, the kids going back to school, hot soups, cozy clothes, home décor, the kids going back to school and fall gardening! If the idea of fall gets you excited about a new planting season, you’re not alone. Fall is the best time for planting vegetables and fall bulbs. If you’re not excited about a new planting season because you live in an apartment and don’t have a lawn, we’ve got good news for you. Every year at Wildwood Outdoor Living Centre, we help more and more customers with their fall container planting. It’s increasingly popular, and we’re here to show you just how easy it can be. In this article, we’re going to share with you what there is to know about planting your own vegetables and fall bulbs in containers.
Fall Bulb Containers
Planting fall bulbs in a container is just as easy as it is to plant them in the ground. The great part about planting your fall bulbs in a container is that you can plant almost every type of fall bulb there is. Even better, you can layer your fall bulb arrangement in your container, giving you blossom after blossom! To start, choose a fall bulb assortment that will thrive in the environment you’re going to place them in. If you have plenty of sun, you’re in luck and you can choose just about any bulb you like. If your container will be placed in shade for most of the day, you’ll want to consider bulbs that can tolerate shade, like Snowdrops, Crocuses, Scillia, Daffodils, orFritillaria . Once you have your container, soil, and bulbs. You’re ready to follow these quick and easy steps!
1. BULBS – You’ll need to pick several different species of bulbs that have different bloom times to make this work. Small bulbs like snowdrops, rock garden narcissi or crocus for the top layer, mid- season flowering bulbs like narcissi or tulips for the middle layer and late-season flowering bulbs like tulips and alliums for the bottom layer.
2.CONTAINER – Now it is time to choose your favorite larger container- ceramic, plastic or even wood. For layered planting you want your container to be at least 14” deep. The other key to the container is that it must have good drainage. Bulbs can easily rot over the winter if the soil stays to wet.
3.SOIL – After you’ve selected your container, you can start to fill it with a few inches good quality potting soil (garden soil or topsoil are too heavy for in containers). Add a pinch of bonemeal.
4.LAYER 1 – Add your late season flowering bulbs which need to be about 12” below the rim of the pot, the bigger the bulb the lower the layer it is.
5. LAYER 2 – Once your bulbs are all in place- pointy side up and not touching the sides of the pot – it is time to add another few inches of soil covering the bulbs completely and then you add another pinch of bone meal before you put in your mid-season flowering bulbs which are now going to be about 8” deep. Be sure to have your soil under, over and in between all the bulbs so they aren’t touching the sides of the pot- don’t want them rotting or freezing!
6. LAYER 3 – Now for more soil, bone meal and your final layer of small early flowering bulbs which are going to be placed about 5” below the rim of the pot. Once you’ve placed the last layer of bulbs you can finish the pot off with some more soil and plant a few winter flowering pansies or violas to give you some added cheery colour until spring!
Now you wait for your masterpiece to appear! The bulbs will all start sprout up and flower at different times throughout the spring. Don’t worry about the smaller ones getting in the way of the bigger ones. All bulbs know the way to the surface and will avoid the others while getting there. Try one of these popular combinations for a perfect layered bulb arrangement.
When choosing the right container for your veggies, remember that small containers dry out quickly. Requiring you to water your veggies frequently without ever missing a watering. To make you and your plants happier, choose a large container but remember…the bigger the pot, the more soil, the heavier it will be. Make sure to plant your veggies right where the pot will stay, to avoid having to haul it across your house – if you can. When choosing your vegetables, you’ll want to consider how much sunlight your plants will get. For low light/partial shade vegetables, a few good choices for you would be Chard, Kale, Arugula, Spinach, Lettuce, and/orRadish. For plants that get full sun, try growing Beans, Tomatoes, Peas, Hot peppersand/orCucumber. Set yourself up for success by using the cheat sheet below to find the most compatible container veggies for your space.
Container Size
Harvest time
Light
Garlic
5 gallons
16-20 weeks
6-8 hours
Hot Pepper
5 gallons
8-13 weeks
6-8 hours
Cucumber
5-7 gallons
7-10 weeks
8 hours
Peas
3-5 gallons
8-10 weeks
4-5 hours
Beans
5 gallons
7-8 weeks
8-10 hours
Tomato
5 gallons
6-10 weeks
6-8 hours
Green Onion
1-2 gallons
5-7 weeks
13-16 hours
Radish
1 gallon
3-5 weeks
6 hours
Chard
5 gallons
4-6 weeks
3-4 hours
Lettuce
1 gallon
6-8 weeks
3-4 hours
For more veggie container inspiration, check out what Wildwood Outdoor Living Centre’s, President, Gord has to say below when it comes to hanging tomato baskets and growing baby lettuce, below.
Creating a fall garden is just as easy as getting the right size pot, soil, seeds and bulbs. Even if you live in an apartment, or you just don’t have the outdoor space you thought you needed. Fall offers the opportunity to grow and change with the seasons. Stay tuned for more container-friendly garden tips and tricks.
Do you have a container growing tip? If so, please send it to us at info@wildwoodoutdoorliving.com. We would love to share it!
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September is the perfect time to sow your seeds directly into the soil for most leafy greens. These plants thrive in cool environments. With the average growth time of 30-40 days, you can go ahead and imagine yourself serving your impressive homegrown leafy green dish at thanksgiving this year. To get you growing, we’ll help you with what you will need, what you will need to do and when you will need to do it.
VARIETIES
When it comes to choosing which leafy green you want to grow you could consider which variety you purchase most often. Or you could explore the many different kinds you can’t find in a grocery store. Maybe the best choice for you depends on what you’re going to make with it. The great thing about leafy greens is that they don’t take up much space in the garden, so you’re free to choose a few different types if your space allows. We have a lot of leafy green varieties at Wildwood Outdoor Living Centre, and we’ve chosen a few favourite varieties for you to explore below.
LETTUCE
ILEMA – Produces heads that are impressively voluminous, with substantial weight and fast growth. It has a refined flavour and pairs nicely with Fossey. It can be harvested from the baby leaf stage to full-sized mature heads, open pollinators.
FRECKLES – The mid-sized plant is open with glossy, green leaves flecked with maroon; making it a delightful and colourful addition to salad mixes.
HAMPTON – Hampton organic lettuce seeds produce a voluminous oak leaf lettuce with a high leaf count and dark, shiny leaves. Nice flavor, good texture, and easy harvest by hand or machine.
RUBY & EMERALD DUET – blended seeds for an emerald-green baby butterhead with softly folded leaf rosettes together with a lovely, deep-red, ruffled, and crispy mini leaf lettuce.
KALE
KALE BEIRA TROCHUDA – Trochuda Beira Portuguese Kale Seeds produce thick leaves with a flavour somewhere between Scots kale and cabbage. This hybrid version of traditional Portuguese kale has better heat resistance in summer, but is also winter hardy, with a taste that is improved by frost.
DWARF GREEN CURLED – Ultra-hardy, a great source of winter ‘greens’. Also known as ‘borecole’. Densely packed leaves with frilled edges on compact plants. Flavour improves with a touch of frost.
RED RUSSIAN – Tender for salads and good for bunching, the red and purple hues turn a rich, dark green colour when cooked. It may be richer in vitamins and minerals than other greens and is very disease resistant.
IMPROVED SIBERIAN – Heavily frilled, large leaves with long succulent stalks grow out to form stout, heavy-set, dwarf plants only 30-42cm (12-15″) tall. The leaves are bright blue-green ready for use all winter.
ARUGULA
ARUGULA RUNWAY – Peppery, sharp-flavoured arugula (a.k.a. rocket or roquette), provides a wonderful punch of piquant flavour to any green salad or a scrumptious contrast tossed with fresh sliced fruit or served under the meat, chicken, or fish just hot off the barbecue.
ARUGULA RUSTIC STYLE – Italian heirloom forms rosettes of deeply indented leaves with a piquant, tangy flavour. Great in salads, pizza or pasta. Lasts longer than the common arugula. Pretty edible yellow blossoms.
HEIRLOOM RUSTIC ARUGULA – Cooks prefer its deeply indented, dark green piquant leaves for savoury dishes like pizza or pasta. You’ll find the leaves’ tangy flavour is like regular arugula, but more intensely concentrated.
ARUGULA ITALIAN – Peppery flavoured, scalloped leaves develop on fast-growing plants. Flavour combines well with lettuce and other salad greens. A favourite for Italian cuisine. Begin harvesting in 35-40 days
SPINACH
BLOOMSDALE SAVOY – Large, Deeply Crinkled, Dark Green Leaves. Fresh Flavour, Slow to bolt. Plant early direct (might not germinate if soil too warm). All seed is untreated and naturally grown in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island.
GANGBUSTER ORGANIC – Fast-growing and weather tolerant new spinach with juicy thick leaves and especially tasty mild sweet flavor. Pick individual leaves or cut whole plants over a long harvest season.
SPINACH SPACE – This variety is lovely both cooked and raw, as baby leaf spinach, or full size. It will work in larger containers for early spring and late fall growing.
ORIENTAL GIANT – has an excellent mild and sweet flavour, rich green colour and a succulent crunchy texture. This extremely fast-growing hybrid spinach, bred in Japan, has amazing vigour and quickly produces giant leaves that are at least double to triple the size of other spinach varieties.
HOW TO PLANT
After you’ve chosen your leafy green seeds, you’re ready to start planting! Whether you’ve decided to plant your seeds in a container or in the ground, it’s best to plant your seeds in a spot with full sun. Use a rich soil with good drainage. In a pot, you’re going to fill at least 6 inches of soil in the bottom of your container. Apply a light amount of water to the base layer of soil to moisten it, and sprinkle your seeds lightly at the top of the soil. Cover with a light amount of soil, and gently tap the surface. To keep your seeds in place, cover your leafy greens with 2-3 inches of mulch. Once you’re finished, you can give those babies a good gulp of water. Your seeds will take 7-14 days to germinate. Water when the top inch of soil dries out, about twice a week.
HOW TO HARVEST
Depending on your seed selection, you can expect to harvest your leafy greens between 30-40 days, some sooner and some later (be sure to check your seed package). Once your leafy green is ready to harvest, you can collect your leafy greens leaf by leaf in smaller portions. Or, if you would like to harvest it all at once, just cut the full head off at the soil level.
You’re now ready to start growing your own leafy greens. With these versatile vegetables, you’ll have endless options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! Wilted in stir-fries, blended in smoothies, mixed into a big hearty salad, used as a topping, or wrapped around your favourite sandwich, burrito, or burger! Leafy greens are easy, fast-growing, low maintenance and high in nutrients! A must-have in every garden.
Now that Fall is approaching, it’s time consider which fall bulbs are the best choice for you to plant this season. A great way to do this might be to reflect on previous years. Perhaps you were surprised to find that your garden didn’t have the beautiful smell you were looking for. Maybe after all your fall bulb planting efforts, your beautiful spring blooms were gobbled up by deer before you could even enjoy them. Your garden bed might have looked a little sparse and could use some fluff. Or maybe you could appreciate some pollinators to keep your garden at it’s best. Whatever it is, we’re going to help you pick the right fall bulbs for your garden this season. Here are a few important categories for you to consider when choosing your fall bulbs this season.
Deer Resistant
Our friend the deer. As graceful and beautiful as they are, they don’t always make great house guests. If they make their way to your yard it’s not likely they’re stopping by for a quick “how ya been”. It’s most likely that they’re there to steal a bite of all your tasty new beautiful spring blossoms that you waited months and months to enjoy. We don’t blame them, who wouldn’t wander into a yard with dessert was growing from the ground up. If you have had this problem in the past the good news is that the solution is a lot easier than tangling string all over your garden. This fall, your best option is to consider planting bulbs that are resistant to deer. Meaning that deer won’t be tempted by the taste of your garden, so they’ll move on to the next yard (sorry neighbors). At Wildwood Outdoor Living, we have plenty of deer resistant options for you to choose from. If you have a deer problem, get longevity out of your garden with these deer-resistant fall bulbs.
There are many reasons why you might want to attract bees to your garden. Bees are the primary pollinator for all of our produce and plants. Without bees our plants, produce and overall air quality would suffer. Thankfully, gardeners around the world are helping to take care of the declining bee population by planting resources for them to thrive and pollinate. If your garden looked tired last year, count on Mother Natures best pollinators to pick it back up again. When you attract bees to your garden, these pollinators will attract small ecosystems, creating healthier soil and water. Bee friendly bulbs will attract bees to your garden, letting your plants flourish and even multiply!
Who would have thought that not all flowers are fragrant? You walk by a flower, you smell it, and nothing?! No magical fragrance to keep you humming along with your day. Sometimes you learn the hard way by planting all your fall bulbs and when spring comes, it still smells like winter. If you enjoy the fragrant smell of spring, fresh cut flowers or crafting sachets, potpourri or essential oils, fragrant fall bulbs are perfect for you. Each flower beautifully crafted with it’s own scent for you to enjoy in the privacy of your own home.
Naturalizing your garden is just as it sounds. Inviting natural elements that are found outside of your garden in. These elements include non-invasive plants and that are indigenous to the area and the micro-organisms they attract. Proving you with richer soil and healthier, happier plants that come back year after year with little to no maintenance. Most often you will use short stock flowers when naturalizing, creating a layered garden affect for gardens that are missing some dimension.
After you’ve made your fall bulb selection, be sure to compare the different colours that are available in your bulb of choice. For a calmer feel, try choosing a cool color as your main focal point. For more energy, go with a warm primary color. You can then plan out your garden according to your individual bulb needs. If you’re ever stuck, send us an email to info@wildwoodoutdoorliving.com and we will be happy to help you plan the perfect fall bulb arrangement.
Mm, Garlic…It makes almost every dish better! Who doesn’t add a little extra garlic in their recipes? Roasted garlic, garlic bread, garlic potatoes, honey garlic…the more the better! If you enjoy cooking then you know the difference in taste between using fresh garlic and minced garlic from a jar. You might even know the difference between “fresh” garlic from the store and fresh garlic from your garden. At Wildwood Outdoor Living, we have been growing garlic for over 40 years and we’ve grown many different kinds of it. Spanish Roja, German Red Hardneck, Chesnok Hardneck, Garlic Legacy, Garlic Siberian, Garlic Duganski, Garlic Elephant, Red Russian Garlic and more! If you’re interested in growing garlic or if you already grow it and you’re interested in learning more about the different kinds, you’re in the right place. In this blog you’ll find our tried and true methods of growing garlic, as well as some interesting garlic choices you’ll want to try growing this season.
1.) Types of Garlic: Hardneck & Softneck
A comparison between hardneck and softneck garlic.
Photo by David Fuller | Image by Homestead.com
Softneck: Softneck garlic grow much quicker than Hardneck Garlic. They enjoy warmer climates and produces many small cloves per 1 bulb. Unlike Hardneck, they don’t grow flowers known as scapes but they do tend to store better. Below are the two most common types of Softneck garlic.
Artichoke:Artichoke Garlic resemble the flowering of an artichoke. They grow 10-14 multi-size cloves. They produce no scape and require less work.
Silverskin: The best performer in garlic storage! Known for their spicy and complex taste. Silverskin Garlic can be stored for up to 12 months.
Hardneck: Hardneck garlic produce a woody stock with a flower called scape. Garlic scapes are highly enjoyed in cooking and produce foods like pesto! When harvested you can expect a single row of cloves wrapped together in a papery sheath to form the head of bulb of garlic. Hardneck garlic grows big bulbs and enjoy cooler climates. Here are some of the best garlic choices for you to try this season.
Rich complex flavor, long-lasting taste. Excellent for cold climates.
2.) Growing Garlic
When To Grow Garlic: Plant in mid-September to October, at least 4 weeks before ground freezing. Many varieties can also be planted in early Spring.
How To Plant Garlic: Break bulbs into individual cloves. Make sure cloves are hard and solid. Plant larger cloves as they will produce larger bulbs – you can use the smaller cloves for dinner! Plant root plate end down, 3 inches deep, in well-drained soil. Add organic matter/ manure or mulch on top. Raised beds are recommended, as soil should be well draining. Spacing of at least 5 inches on 1-foot rows will provide adequate sunshine, any extra spacing will allow bulbs to grow larger. Keep soil moist.
3.) Harvesting Garlic
Growing/Harvesting Garlic: In the spring, harvest the flowers 10-14 days after they appear. This allows the plant to put its energy into the bulb in the ground, not into making seeds. In July, harvest the bulb once it has matured, and the leaves brown off. Dig from the ground, and immediately brush off the soil from around the roots, very gently!
Curing & Storing Garlic: Drying is an essential part of curing the bulbs, so do not wash them in water. Remove from direct sunlight, and leave undercover in a breezy area. With stalks/leaves attached, tie in bundles, or spread on screens/drying racks. Two weeks’ drying time is ideal. To store, hang in netted sacks/bags. Store in a cool, dry and well-ventilated area with a stable temperature of 15°C.
Do you know the best part of growing garlic? They multiply and store well, so you will never run out! Garlic is one of the easiest, most versatile plants to grow this season. It adds flavour to almost every dish and makes a well-received gift when you have enough to share. Enjoy your garlic planting, and please feel free to share any tips and tricks you have for planting garlic!
