The indoor plant market is projected to grow at a rate of 4.87% between 2022 to 2029, according to Data Bridge Market Research. Valued at USD 17.93 billion in 2021, that will bring the value of the market to 26.23 billion by 2029.
From increasing urbanization to the growing popularity of indoor plants as interior decorations, even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the indoor plant market was already rapidly expanding. But from the growing number of people working at home to the stress it has had on our health, it has only accelerated the popularity of growing plants indoors.
Whether it’s a houseplant or a full-fledged garden, thanks to their ability to improve oxygen and humidity levels, purify the air of toxins, and bring life to a sterile environment, bringing plants into our homes have never been more popular.
Mental Health Benefits
Mental health awareness is becoming a defining feature of the 21st century, and not just among the younger generations.
It’s simple! Growing plants is just good for both our physical and mental health. Whether it’s a splattering of houseplants that brings life to a bare wall, a growing garden of sprouts in the dead of winter, or the antidepressant properties of soil microbe, mycobacterium vaccae, that nurtures our plants.
Studies reveal that just observing plants can help reduce stress, fear, anger, and sadness. One study found indoor plants reduced pain and length of stay for hospital patients, while another found greeneries without sculpture gardens caused greater negative reactions in patients. Then for those that believe that charged ions negatively affect mood, they will be delighted to hear that our lovely little plants release negative ions that combat them.
Remote Work
A houseplant or two often doesn’t require much of our time; a budding indoor garden full of fruits and veggies is another matter. Thankfully, due to technological advancements and the growing interest in indoor gardening, there are a lot of new resources and tools that can ease the burden.
But, it’s not always that indoor gardening requires a lot of time, that’s the issue. It’s more so that it often requires us to be flexible so we can quickly and freely get to our plants when there is an issue. Working from home can make tending to your indoor garden significantly easier, and more and more people are getting the chance to do it.
Remote work has never been more popular, and while there is no doubt the pandemic accelerated it, experts believe the rise in remote work was always inevitable. One of those reasons why is because of that flexibility it gives you, and that’s key for growing a big indoor garden. As well, when you have the ability to tend to your garden whenever, you won’t need to rely on buying a bunch of equipment that automates things.
It’s Never Been Easier To Start
Thanks to advancements in LEDs, and just advancements in technology in general, it has never been easier to garden indoors. There are apps that monitor your grow room and send you a warning whenever your humidity, temperature, etc., is out of range. Then there are automated gardening systems that pretty much do all the work for you.
Thanks to these advancements, not only can gardeners grow crops indoors that easily outmatch their grocery store competitors, it’s getting closer and closer to being economical to do.
A Changing Climate
Between the growing awareness of destructive food deserts to concerns over climate change, many see indoor vertical farms and urban gardening as crucial components for overcoming these roadblocks. Roadblocks that stand in our path to long-term sustainable gardening and a healthy agricultural industry.
Spanning football fields in length with rows and rows of crops stacked on one another, on average, vertical farms use 95% less water and 99% less land than traditional outdoor soil-based farms. They can also grow crops year-round, resulting in several more harvests per year, depending on the crop. While they certainly face some disadvantages due to greater reliance on manufactured resources, their countless benefits, which include significantly less pesticide use, offer a little something for everyone.
The Apartment Dweller’s Best Friend
Skyrocketing housing prices, inflation, student debt, you name it, there are several reasons more Millennials and Gen Zers are choosing to rent and live in an apartment vs. buying a home. And often, with apartments and city living comes limited space and a lack of yards for gardening. But while you can take the kid out of nature, you can’t take nature out of the kid.
Indoor gardening gives younger generations the ability to nurture and care for something, giving them a taste of starting a family without having to dive fully in — something that has led to increased pet ownership as well. Houseplants have also become a hot trend for indoor designs and can really bring life to a small stuffy living space without much effort.
The Art Of Design
Along with their ability to improve our mental health, perhaps, the other biggest driver of the indoor plant market is interior design. Growing plants for use as decorative elements have become so popular that more interior designers are considering them essential whenever possible. Need to fill in an empty corner, space on the bookshelf, or want to tie the dining room together? A house plant or a colorful flower arrangement can do just that for you.
Interior designers say when a client feels like something is missing from a room or that their space isn’t cozy enough, the solution is to almost always bring in a natural element like a plant.
Non-toxic houseplants safe for cats and dogs include spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum), Paddy’s wigs (Soleirolia Soleirolii), zebra plants (Calathea spp), Venus flytraps (Dionaea muscipula), gloxinias (Sinningia Speciosa), and Brazilian orchids (Sophronitis spp). Snake plants, zebra plants, and gloxinias, along with Chinese evergreens (Aglaonema cvv.) and cast-iron plants (Aspidistra elatior), prefer indirect sunlight, making them great for spaces that don’t receive a lot of sunlight.
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Nick
Gardening is a never-ending journey. And not only am I here to document mine, I’m here to help you with yours. From growing up on a farm to wiring DIY lights for a basement to growing out in the open again, it’s fair to say I’ve been around the garden block.
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Interesting read! So nice to see houseplants are not just a trend, because there are so many reasons houseplants are a great addition to any home.
Completely agree! Houseplants can offer so much more than just aesthetic value. Lately, I’ve been researching how to set up edible ginger plants as houseplants instead of growing them in one of my gardens.