apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I've got to ask; why not just put a houseplant in your room?

Because Archie, you can't charge $200 for it.

...because the ANDREA "amplifies the natural ability of houseplants to absorb and metabolize noxious airborne chemicals"....the idea is that it is increasing the effectiveness of a single plant by circulating the air...

The one reason I could see myself buying one of these is to have one of those great filtering plants, and also keep it out of reach of my very inquisitive kitten. She has tried to eat every plant in my apartment, and I've had to get rid of a bunch of toxic ones. This looks like it would keep her paws off of the plants, while still giving me all the benefits.

I think I will just put a fan next to my houseplants

all of my plants die...but this sure looks cool!

What about just placing your plants near an open window to take advantage of any cross-breeze? No electricity!

agreed, my thought was to just put a plant by a fan...heck of a lot cheaper!

The grown-up in me says 'Just get a houseplant,' while the kid in me says 'Cool! I want one!'

Though I suppose that's how it always goes with these sort of things. So I've got to give them credit for the design, and for creating want where there was none before.

How long before the plant outgrows the bubble,
or do you just keep cutting it back?

Just get the houseplants and forget about the gadget.

http://www.cleanairgardening.com/houseplants.html

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/02/air-filtering-plants-indoors-air-quality-benzen-formaldehyde.php

Page of references:
http://www.ssc.nasa.gov/environmental/docforms/water_research/water_research.html

Hit IKEA for plants:

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/76804023

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40144902

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60144901

Yes, my place is getting to be like a jungle.

For the person who has a cat that eats plants, do be sure to get your cat their own plant. You should be able to pick up organic wheat grass in the produce section of your supermarket (looks like grass). About $2.00.

I found some square planters at the local Burlington Coat Factory on clearance that the square wheat grass containers fit right in perfectly.

Cats will gladly and gratefully accept wheat grass and won't bother your own houseplants.

I'm sorry... I started laughing so much at "cats will gladly and gratefully accept" that it took me a minute to finish the rest of the sentence. Some cats can be distracted by having their own plants. Some won't -- they consider it their mission in life to destroy everything green and growing. If you're lucky, you can usually find one or two plants that they're not interested in (for a while I was able to keep bonsai, which I suppose didn't qualify as plants to my cat's eye), if not, making your plants as difficult to get to as possible is the best bet. In the past I've suspended plants from the ceiling, and I knew one person who kept smaller plants in an antique birdcage, which was beautiful.

Maybe it has to do with the set up and attitude. Of course, not all cats will comply.

I have several of the wheat grass containers in the pot covers, and they are arranged in with the other houseplants. But the wheat grass is located towards the outside of the groupings, so it's the easiest to get to.

I also have a couple of catnip plants, and I pick off leaves for them to enjoy. One of the cats will just gobble down the leaves that I pick off but not attack the plant at all.

The grass-looking plants seem to be the ones most likely to be chewed on. They don't bite into a big succulent leaf, for example. I have just under 20 varieties of plants in my apartment, and the only thing that gets any real attention is the wheat grass.

One showed a bit of interest in the draceana Janet Craig compacta. But as long as I keep up with getting them their fresh greens, they leave everything else alone.

I've also offered up clover sprouts. And they love honeydew melon.

As far as the grasses go, one reason the cats seem to chew or pull on the grass is to floss. I've watched one of them literally floss his teeth on the grass. Another one has a favorite hair brush that he likes to chomp on the bristles, brushing his own teeth.

My cats bite big succulent leaves all the time. One of them seems enamored of vandalizing the aloe. And if a plant honestly doesn't taste good to them, they still dig in the dirt for no godly reason.

For $200 I'd expect this rig to be also be a full hydroponic setup. It looks more like a $50 product to me.

Air is a gas. Gases are always circulating...