Every home and area is different but in general, you should aim to keep your relative humidity indoors at between 30% and 50% – as recommended by the Environmental Protection Agency. Humidity can affect your health in various ways. When your indoor environment is too dry, for instance, a wide array of conditions (ranging from dry eyes to sore throats and respiratory problems) can worsen. When indoor air is too humid, however, wakefulness can increase, thereby reducing your quality of sleep. If you live in a dry area, having bamboo plants indoors can help improve the problem. However, if you already live in an area that tends to be too humid, then you can always grace your outdoors with your favorite bamboo plant – be it tiger, green, blue, dragon head, Chinese fountain, or even umbrella bamboo.
How can Bamboo Help Address Dryness?
Bamboo palms are known as an excellent choice for re-humidifying dry indoor air, since they filter away toxins such as formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene from the air, boosting the amount of moisture and pure oxygen in indoor spaces. Plants that look great alongside bamboo indoors include spider plants (which reduce formaldehyde and xylene levels in the air) and dwarf date palms (which remove formaldehyde and xylene from the air). Bamboo generally thrives outdoors. However, bamboo plants can still grow indoors if you place them in a sunny spot, water them with filtered water, and ensure the pot they are growing in has good drainage (since too much water can negatively impact bamboo growth).
Bamboo as Part of a Bigger Plan
Bamboo can help create a more humid, purer indoor environment but if you find that your indoor air is still too dry to fall within recommended levels, then you can take additional steps – including the use of an indoor air humidifier, which will distribute moist hair throughout your home. This will boost comfort, reduce the likelihood of scratchy throats or dry skin, and even help your hardwood floors from cracking. Make sure your air remains clean by using mechanical (rather than chemical) cleaning methods such as steam vacuuming. Finally, reduce the number of toxins in your indoor air by replacing sources of volatile organic compounds, dust, and dander – including pressed wood furniture, carpets, and soft furnishings containing flame retardants.
Which Species of Bamboo Grow Well Indoors?
In addition to bamboo palms, there are other bamboo species you can grow indoors. Doing so will ensure that the biophilic components of your home design are eclectic, attractive, and varied. A few choices you might consider include chusquea pittieri, bambusa tuldoides, and bambusa ventricosa. All bamboo plants need humidity and light, so place them near a humidifier or small fountain and expose them to indirect natural light (giving them a few hours of direct sun every day if you can). Use a light potting mix containing a blend of soil, peat moss, and perlite and place gravel at the bottom of your bamboo pot (the latter should have holes for drainage). Water your plant using little water, keeping roots moist but not so much that the soil stays wet for days. Keep your bamboo plant by an open window or door so it gets a bit of fresh air every day. Use the appropriate amount of fertilizer and before buying any plant, make sure it is not toxic to pets if you have them.
Bamboo is a fantastic plant for those aiming to increase humidity and improve indoor air quality. If you grow bamboo indoors, then know that it will be a bit more challenging, but not impossible. Use the right soil, pot, watering techniques, and fertilizer, and give your plant a few hours of direct sunlight when you can.
Photo by Minh Trí on Unsplash
