Best plants for your Kitchen

Summer time !!  What a great time of year and it has me thinking of warm sunshine and fresh flowers and veggies from my garden.  Which lead me to think about what are some of the best plants to have indoors in your Kitchen.

The first one to come to mind was an Aloe Vera plant.  One of the greatest things about the Aloe Vera plant is that it thrives on neglect and is one of the most difficult plants to kill !  In nature, the Aloe Vera plant grows in the dessert so they don't need much watering.  You only need to water them every 3 to 4 weeks.  Be sure the soil is dry at least 1 to 2 inches deep before watering and avoid over watering them or letting them sit in water at the roots.  Over watering can lead to root rot and your plant will die from the bottom up.  Which shouldn't be a problem for me because I'm lucky if I remember to water my plants every couple of weeks.

Keeping an Aloe Vera plant close to the stove will come in handy if you ever burn yourself.  The Aloe Vera plant is filled with vitamins and minerals that are great for your skin.  Just use a serrated knife to cut off a thick green leaf close to the base of the plant.  Hold the cut side down over a dish so some of the gel drips out.  Now carefully cut off the top layer of the leaf skin exposing its healing gel.  Next cut the skin on the two sides of the leaf and finish by cutting the layer of gel away from the bottom of the leaf and drop it in the dish. Use the gel to sooth and cool your burn or even to moisturize your dry hands from washing too many dishes.

I have also heard that some plants help "purify" the air quality in your house.  So what better place than your kitchen to have some air purifying plants!  Although it would take an enormous amount of plants to actually impact VOC levels in your kitchen, indoor plants can still improve your air quality.  English Ivy and Spider Plants both make great plants to put on shelves, on top of your cabinetry or hang in baskets in the window over your sink.  They also need very little attention and watering only about once a week.  Their leaves help remove odors and other pollutants in the air.

If you have a spot in your kitchen on the floor that you're looking to fill with a plant, a Snake Plant would be ideal.  They also act as air purifiers and can improve your kitchen's air quality.  They thrive in low light areas and like the Aloe Vera plant, can be neglected for weeks and need very little watering,.  Be aware though, the Snake Plant can be toxic to animals.

And finally, what blog about Kitchen plants would be complete without including Herbs!   Some popular Herbs to plant are Basil, Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, Thyme, Chives, Mint, Cilantro and of course whatever herbs you enjoy....after all it is YOUR Herb Garden!  It is helpful to be sure to label your herbs to readily and quickly identify them when you want to use them.  And there are soooooo many creative ways to display your Herb Garden.

I say take a trip to your local green house or nearby garden center and get planting indoors !!