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CO 01 Truly Low - Maintenance Plants
05 Easier Ways to Start Seeds
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07 Greenery On Residential Buildings
09 Color Psychology: Green
Truly LowMaintenance Plants
Keeping your plants alive isn’t always as straightforward as it might seem.
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As Kermit the Frog once said, it’s not always easy being green – whether you accidentally overwater or leave them in the sunshine a little too long, there are plenty of reasons why your houseplants might meet an early demise. However, if you’re someone whose houseplants have met their end a few too many times, it’s probably wise to rethink the kind of plants you’re buying. Of course, there’s no such thing as a truly “unkillable” houseplant (they are living things, after all), but there are plenty of low maintenance plants out there which will require very little effort to keep alive.
Cast Iron Plant If you’re notorious for killing your houseplants, give the cast iron plant a go. Your cast iron plant will be happy with any kind of light level (as long as it’s not super bright sunlight) and only needs watering when the top two inches of soil are dry.
Mini Monstera Rhaphidophora tetrasperma has soared in popularity this year because of how striking it looks, combined with how easy it is to grow. The mini monstera is proof that low maintenance does not have to equal boring. Its adorable, eye-catching leaves, trailing vines andfast-growing nature make this plant a fun one to own.
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To keep your mini monstera happy, simply keep it in dappled or indirect sunlight (it can withstand a bit of shade) and water when the top part of the soil is dry.
Kentia Plant For a low maintenance statement plant, look no further than the magnificent kentia palm. Not only is it really easy to take care of, it can also thrive in low light corners and looks fantastic too. What’s not to love? To keep it happy, simply water when the top of its soil is dry and give it a mist if its leaves begin to turn brown.
Spider Plant Spider plants really are the gift that keeps on giving. Alongside looking great and being super easy to care for (they grow insanely fast and thrive no matter what conditions you throw at them), they also produce small flowers which eventually turn into baby spider plants, so you’ll end up with loads of plants to share with friends! To keep your spider plant happy, simply position it in bright, indirect light and keep the soil moist if possible (the tips of their leaves go brown quite regularly, so that’s nothing to worry about).
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L Cylindrical Snake Plant
There’s a reason why snake plants remain just as popular as they were in the 70s – besides the fact that they’re great to look at, they’re also able to withstand neglect and are happy with whatever you give them. The architectural appeal of this cylindrical snake plant makes it the perfect plant for anywhere in your home.
Aloe Vera
Chinese Money Plant
Last but by no means least, the Chinese money plant is as eye-catching as it is easy to look after. Keep it happy by waiting for the top of the soil to dry out before watering and giving it indirect light, and not only will it thrive, it’ll also produce lots of little baby plants that you can cut off and grow into full-sized ones to share with friends.
On top of being incredibly easy to care for, aloe vera is a medicinal plant which can be used to soothe burns (the gel-like substance inside the leaves is easy to harvest whenever you need it). It also happens to grow incredibly fast and be tolerant of irregular watering, so it’s the perfect plant for the first-time plant owner looking to get started.
Golden Pothos The golden pothos – also known as the devil’s ivy – is the perfect trailing plant for anyone who wants that indoor jungle aesthetic without all the fuss. It got its devilish nickname because of its low maintenance nature: on top of being almost impossible to kill, it also stays green even when kept in the dark. Keep it happy by watering when the soil is dry and giving it indirect light.
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Start Seeds From Practically Anything
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Growing plants from seed is a great way to start gardening earlier in the season. With the right light and some simple equipment, it's easy to grow from seed to harvest. Some seeds such as tomatoes and marigolds, are especially easy to start indoors. Other good choices for beginners are basil, zinnia, coleus, nasturtium, and cosmos. If you're a beginner, choose those first, and then move on to more fussy seeds, such as petunias. All seeds are not created equal. Radish germinates in less than 24 hours and can be planted on a second/third day. Russian Kale and beets are close behind. Tomatoes take a few days and tomatillos even longer. Once you’ve decided to try your hand at starting your own seeds, it’s time to think about starting them indoors or outdoors. There are many benefits to starting seeds indoors rather than waiting to sow them outdoors. The main reason is to get an early start on the gardening season. If you want to plant flowers, you will get quick results with Cypress Pennata Red. It’s a beautiful red climbing flower that I plant every summer at the bottom of our fence (and within a month I’m looking at a sea of waving greens and reds). Some other flowers we had success with are cornflowers and marigolds.
Start Seeds in Eggshells Clean eggshells are another useful. Use a needle or a pin to poke holes in the bottom of the egg for drainage before sowing the seeds. Water carefully and closely, as the eggshell "pots" can dry out quickly if left unattended. During late winter, try forcing daffodil bulbs in eggshells for a fun display that blooms just in time for Easter.
Don't Throw Out Your Lunch Container Poke holes in freshly-washed plastic containers and fill with soil to start leafy greens, herbs, and veggies. If you have the proper conditions—a warm, sunny windowsill—you can even continue to grow herbs and salad greens indoors.
Sow Seeds on a Paper Towel Damp paper towels, napkins, and coffee filters can all be used to germinate seeds. Place seeds on a damp paper towel, place them in a plastic bag, then store them in a cool, dark place to encourage rapid growth. Once the seedlings sprout, transfer them into loose potting soil.
Seed Flats or Trays A seed flat or tray is a single tray-like container that is useful for sowing very tiny seeds such as basil or easy-to-transplant flower seeds. The seeds are sown in the tray and, when big enough to handle, are transplanted on to their own individual pots or plug trays. The compact size of seed trays makes for a very efficient use of space during this first stage of growth. For another cool season crops everything from onions to celery to cabbage—you can sow multiple seeds in the same container or seed flat. You can even stack trays up after sowing to save on space. After two or three days, start checking daily for signs of germination then move them out to the greenhouse or cold frame to continue growing. Or you can continue to grow seedlings on indoors, using grow lights to ensure strong, even growth. If you grew seedlings all together in a tray, you can transfer them into their own plugs or pots of potting mix. Start pricking them out as soon as the seedlings are big enough to handle. Carefully ease the seedlings out of the tray they were growing in then gently tease them apart. Try to retain as much of the original potting mix around the roots as you can. Work with small batches of seedlings so they don’t dry out while their roots are bare. Make holes in the potting mix with your finger, a pencil, or something similar. Lift each seedling carefully and avoid pinching their delicate leaves, roots, and stems. Carefully feed the roots right down into the hole then gently firm the seedling in. You can bury some of the stem if the seedlings are looking a little leggy and drawn. This will help to support them. Once you’re done, gently water the seedlings with a watering can. Don’t worry too much if the seedlings get a little flattened, they’ll soon recover.
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When constructing a green home, builders and developers have the choice of following a broad array of programs, rating systems, and laws. This breadth of options often causes some confusion over the precise definition of a green home. Is a green home a home that is constructed solely from local materials? A home that uses substantially less energy than the average home or is net-zero energy or carbon neutral? A home that recycles wastewater? A home built with non-toxic and non-VOC off-gassing materials? Or all of the above? When to Apply Green Strategies It is very important that each green building strategy be applied at the appropriate stage to avoid closing off options. For example, not much can be done to affect the orientation of the house after the framing is underway, but much can be done during the design of the home, and even more during the layout of roads and lots. Local Green Building Policies and Programs The expanded market interest in green homes has driven an increase in the number of green building programs across the country.4 In general, local green home building programs offer building professionals and home owners a localized system to measure or rate the "greenness" of a home building project. These programs also provide valuable information on the benefits of green building and of buying green-built homes. Some local programs offer resources and incentives to build green and provide training to help home builders design and construct green homes. The push towards sustainability in the built environment has turned the building industry on its head. From a niche sector focusing on single dwellings to a mainstream industry encompassing large-scale projects. One of the more conspicuous results of this movement is the use of plants in multi-residential projects. Increasingly, plants are
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being incorporated into buildings to create a healthy, tranquil, and enjoyable space for residents. Green roofs and walls have been found to reduce what is known as the ‘Urban Heat Island Effect’, whereby an urban area is significantly warmer than the surrounding areas. This is due to human modification of land surfaces that results in sunlight being converted into heat. This heat is then stored and released, raising local temperatures.This effect has been demonstrated in research by Melbourne City Council. While looking into the heat island effect, the council found that average temperatures within Melbourne's CBD are up to 4°C higher than in surrounding suburbs. In some instances, the recorded difference is a massive 12°C higher during the evenings.A study by the University of Melbourne found that rooftop gardens are effectiv combinating over-heating within the urban context. At the same time, the use of air conditioning can be cut by up to 38 percent in buildings that have rooftop gardens installed. “External green walls can reduce the urban heat island effect and enhance a building’s façade, while reducing the surface temperature of walls. that have rooftop gardens installed. “External green walls can reduce the urban heat island effect and enhance a building’s façade, while reducing the surface temperature of walls. Another recognised benefit of using plants in both the internal and external elements of buildings is to improve the physical and mental health of a building’s occupants. Research undertaken by the University of Technology Sydney found that certain plants are able to ‘scrub’ many of the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) from the air. Not only does this clean breathable air, it also decreases carbon dioxide levels, increases oxygen levels and adds to the comfort levels within a building. In the process, the plant system – leaves, roots and potting media – absorb VOCs from the air and convert them into less harmful substances which can be
Greenery On Residential Buildings
stored or broken down in the soil.”The use of plants also has benefits for mental wellbeing. Research shows that people feel happier and more productive in spaces with plants, because they connect them with nature. Property Values
While there is plenty of literature on how green roofs, walls or façades provide ongoing savings in energy usage, there is very little published research dealing with how they effect property values. However, there was a Canadian study that estimated buildings with a recreational green roof can achieve up to an 11 per cent increase in value, while buildings with views onto green roofs were found to have a 4.5 per cent increase in their value. In order to comply with code requirements, architects, builders, and developers generally must follow a prescriptive, performance-based, or trade off-path. The following descriptions discuss each path in the context of complying with energy building codes.
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Color Psychology: Green If color is thought to play a role in your mood, emotions, messages you project, what is it about a color that elicits reactions? Take green for example. How does green affect us? Green is a cool color that symbolizes nature and the natural world. Perhaps because of its strong associations with nature, green is often thought to represent tranquility, good luck, health, and jealousy. Researchers have also found that green can improve reading ability. Some students may find that laying a transparent sheet of green paper over reading material increases reading speed and comprehension.
Green, which is Nature's colour, is restful, soothing, cheerful, and health-giving —Paul Brunton
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/01 Excitement
Although some people find that green is relaxing, other people may find it exciting. Especially if it is a vibrant shade that could evoke Springtime, a refreshing sense of renewal after the drabness of winter.
/02 Compassion
Some people who see green feel compassion and they see those who are wearing green as being helpful, kind, sympathetic, and caring.
/03 Optimism
The color green evokes a feeling of hopefulness, responsibility, wealth, forgiveness, comfort, and energy; all of which can be characteristics of someone who is optimistic.
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Photo source: Pexels Tiia-pakk Emma-bauso Gary-barnes Marcelo-chagas Dominika-roseclay Anna-shvets Unsplash Alex-loup Gaelle-marcel Sarah-dorweiler Andrea-ferrario All photos used are for personal use (college assignments) and are not used for commercial purposes.
Evelyn Angela - 2301871473