House plants & vaping
Who doesn’t love a house plant? Whether you’re into the classic peace lily and spider plant, or more unique, exotic species, they can truly turn a house into a home. As well as being pretty, adding greenery to the home has so many benefits, from bringing in fresh air to helping relieve stress.
If you take pride in your plants, you may be nervous over vaping at home. But does vaping actually cause harm to plants? Or can e-cigarettes coexist with your floral favourites?
We’re a green-fingered bunch here at blu, which got us thinking about how our plants respond to vaping. So, we thought we’d put our thinking caps on. Here, we take a closer look at the relationship between indoor vaping and house plants.
How does vaping indoors affect house plants?
We get it - when you’re at home you don’t want to have to worry about where you’re vaping. And after all, your house, your rules, right? But, is vaping indoors bad for your plants?
The good news is, there is no official guidelines advising against vaping around them. Realistically, vapour shouldn’t actually damage or discolour the plant as long as you’re taking good care of it. If your plants are able to sunbathe and get their nutrients in, they should be thriving regardless of whether you’re vaping or not.
Of course, no one likes having clouds blown in their face, and plants are no different. Personal space is key. As long as you’re not overwhelming the plant and causing an irritation, chances are it will be ok.
E-liquid composition also matters and can determine whether or not your vaping is plant-friendly. One of the main ingredients, vegetable glycerin, is actually used to preserve leaves and flowers, so it stands to reason that vaping high-VG e-liquid around your house plants won’t be harming them.
Researchers are on the fence about the impact of nicotine on plants. There’s some conflicting information out there, with nicotine as an isolated substance found to actually help with plant growth, but having the opposite effect in the form of cigarette smoke. There may be some indication that the nicotine itself isn’t harmful, and that other elements could be causing the harm. Get looking at the contents of your e-liquid to make sure there’s nothing that causes flashing warning lights.
This doesn’t give a green light to go cloud chasing around your plants though. It’s always better to err on the side of caution and avoid flooding your plants with vapour, especially as there’s little to no actual research out there focusing on vaping and plants.
Can vaping stunt plant growth?
Plants are – usually - pretty easy to take care of. They only need three things to grow and stay looking good; water, exposure to sunlight and the correct temperature range. To be a proud plant parent watching them grow and flourish, make sure your vapour doesn’t get in the way of any of these things. As long as they’re getting them when they need them, they should be free to grow.
There’s nothing within the contents of e-liquid that screams bad news for growing plants, and, as such, there’s no reason not to vape as normal around them. That said, we can’t stress enough that there’s little research on the matter, so remaining cautious and diligent to any visual warning signs or notable delays in growth is the way to go.
Can plants filter e-liquid vapour?
If the Amazon is the lungs of the Earth, then plants are the lungs of the home. House plants are both figuratively and literally a breath of fresh air, brightening up your space, and freshening the air in the process. Much like the great rainforests, they filter out toxins and carbon monoxide, breathing out lovely, clean air.
Air oxidation and toxin absorption are among the main plus points of house plants. In fact, research has found plants can remove up to 87% of toxins within 24 hours. Pretty useful to keep your home fresh. But you may be concerned as to whether e-cig vapours dilute this effect.
As mentioned, while plants can certainly filter e-liquid vapour, it doesn’t mean that they can handle masses of it. Most plants can remove harmful chemicals from the air, but the time it takes to do so grows as vapour quantity increases.
The key is to be vigilant. If you notice house plants starting to look a bit wilted and sad when you vape indoors, this could be a sign of too much vapour, meaning the plant is struggling to filter it out. If you’re going to vape indoors around your house plants, try to keep the amount of vapour in the air to a minimum.
Read More: Vaping indoors: what’s the law?
Can vaping cause TMV in plants?
TMV stands for Tobacco Mosaic Virus and is transmitted through touch or movement of tobacco residue. There’s no risk of vaping causing TMV in plants as the products do not contain tobacco.
If you’re handling plants following exposure to tobacco-rich products, it’s important to wash your hands. However, it’s perfectly safe to handle the plant following vaping, with no concern for passing TMV along.
How do I protect my plants when vaping?
On the whole, there’s no real need to worry. If you’re a vaper and love house plants, happy days. There’s no direct correlation between vaping and plant damage. If you’ve still got some worries, though, you can take a few simple steps to protect your plants and keep them in pristine condition when vaping.
Don’t overload the plant with vapour. If you can’t avoid vaping at a close proximity, make sure you open a window or door to allow fresh air to circulate.
Avoid vaping right next to the plant as exposure to the heat could cause wilting and discolouring.
Use a special plant protector. There’s a number of low maintenance products on the market which create a spray or mist which can help form a barrier between the plant and the vapour from your e-cigarette.
blu’s favourite houseplants
So now that you know vaping is unlikely to harm house plants, with the right care, you may be inspired to get your hands on some new greenery. Truthfully, we could sit here all day and talk about our favourite house plants. But here’s a quick look at a handful that brighten up our spaces (and days).
Snake Plant – The quintessential houseplant. No living room is truly complete without a snake plant, if you ask us.
African Violet – Among the easiest flowering houseplants to care for, these violets have a charming, rich hue.
Orange Orchid – A rare specimen, the most commonly seen type is known as dancing dolls. They’re as lively as their name suggests and bring a burst of colour to the home.
Fiddle Leaf Fig – Perfect as a statement floor piece, the fiddle leaf fig bloom is a favourite thanks to its violin-shaped leaves.
Bird’s Nest Fern – This plant features waxy crinkled leaves which are ideal for adding a touch of texture to your interior design.
Parlour Palm – One of the most popular houseplants worldwide, it’s easy to see why. Graceful and easy to care for, these look great all year round.
Anthurium – These might well be the prettiest houseplants around, with their vibrant colours and delicate finish. They’re also known as a laceleaf.
Monstera – Better known as the Swiss cheese plant because, you guessed it, its split leaves resemble its namesake.
Philodendron – A low-maintenance, dark leafy growing plant. These beauties survive on the tiniest amounts of light and water and look great in any room in the home.
Paddle Plant – The unsung hero of the succulent family. Great for adding an exotic edge.
Vaping With blu
Got any more vaping questions? Check out our frequently asked questions or contact us today for expert advice.
