Plants and Wellbeing

What’s On Your Mind?

The holiday break always seems too short, doesn’t it! We’re too busy to complain about it though. The year is winding up with a green bang at Good Earth Plant Company. Maybe it’s our mild winter weather inspiring people, or maybe it’s awareness of our surroundings after seeing all of the recent wildfires. Whatever the reason, it’s been all hands on deck installing new projects testing our creativity: living walls, moss walls, colorful planters and succulents, holiday décor and even our first residential green roof all year, which we’ve been sharing with you on our Facebook page. (Hint: Follow us here!)… Read More

Don’t Bug Me! House Plants That Resist Pests

Bold Sanseviera plants in striking pots make a statement and improve the indoor environment without wasting water.
Plenty of people tell me they’d love to bring more plants into their homes and offices, but they don’t have a green thumb, or even a yellow thumb. Even if you are a beginner, you can make it a lot easier on yourself if you choose plants proven to be easier to care for than others. (But we’re standing by to help: it’s our mission at Good Earth Plant company to enrich people’s lives with plants). Another strategy is to choose plants that are naturally resistant to bugs, as in pests! If you aren’t having to fight off mites, scale, ants, flies, snails or the dreaded fungus gnats, your gardening experience will be much more rewarding.… Read More

Helping Homeless San Diegans One Plant At A Time

Alpha Project residents show off their new orchids from Good Earth Plant Company.
Several months ago at a Citizens Coordinate for Century 3 (C3) panel discussion on the homelessness problem in San Diego, one of the panel members really energized me. Her name is Amy Gonyeau, and she is Chief Operating Officer with the Alpha Project. For those who aren’t familiar with it (like me I’m embarrassed to say), Alpha Project is a nonprofit human services organization that serves over 4,000 homeless men, women, and children each day with a variety of services like affordable housing, residential substance abuse treatment, transportation, mental health counseling, employment training, and also emergency services. I started my career in the plant industry with a flower kiosk on the corner of 6th and B streets in downtown San Diego.… Read More

Getting Schooled about Plants, Nature, Biophilia and Wellness

Architects designing today’s hospitals are merging art and evidence-based research to create environments that promote health and healing. Views of nature, natural light, earth-toned color schemes and the sounds of nature all help patients heal more quickly, and they suffer less from depression or side effects. Starting with a study in 2002 by University of Texas professor Roger Ulrich which we have written about before, there are now over 1,000 studies and they all prove the same thing. Plants and nature promote healing. It’s serious science and it is finally starting to be taken seriously. This week, the San Diego Business Journal published an article about changes in the approach to architectural design of hospitals and other healthcare facilities to put these principles into practice.… Read More