Gaia's
GardenEven those of us on an Earth centered path can use a little help now and then in caring for our Mother. This column is dedicated to making us more aware of the "footprints" we leave on Her and how to live more harmoniously with Her even if we're urban pagans.
Keeping it Damp
In an effort to conserve heat and energy many of us close up our house so tightly that nothing gets in or out during the winter months. While this may be good for the Earth, it can be very bad for us and our houseplants. Interior pollution is a serious problem during winter. There are many plants that can be kept to help keep the pollutants down and the oxygen up. Spider or airplane plants are good for sucking up almost any type of airborne pollutant, including formaldehyde put off by carpets and fireplaces. If you've an smoking household, this plant is a must! Ferns and ivy help to put out lots of oxygen and the ivy does not take much care to thrive. Ivy is an excellent choice for those with "brown" thumbs.
Now that you have all those plants, you have to remember to keep the air around them moist. It is inadvisable to water plants too much during the winter, even indoors, as they go into a more dormant state and don't need as much. However, they do need moist air and air movement. The popular table top fountains are good for humidifying small areas IF you change the water entirely Once a Week! You can build your own humidity tray by lining an old brownie pan (13x9) or similar with about 1 inch of rocks or aquarium gravel. These evaporate pretty quickly, but if the water does not evaporate, it must be changed each week. Commercially bought humidifiers are asking for infection as they are usually "cold" water, which breeds germs and molds or you have to add chemical treatments to the water to prevent such and this can lead to allergies. I prefer to use a vaporizer as the boiling action kills any germs that might linger in the reservoir.
Have a healthy and Happy New Year!
Kara Shima
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