Interior Landscaping

1
Interior Landscaping

• Alanna L. Neely
• Chapter 5
• The Atmosphere

2

• The atmosphere consists of the gaseous envelope
  surrounding the plant and the masses of gas in
  the growing medium and within plant tissue.
• The air inside and average building contains
• nitrogen, oxygen, carbon
  dioxide
• plus other gases, water vapor, dust and dirt.

3

• In contrast, the growing medium usually has
  ____levels of CO2 and levels of O2 than the
  ambient air because of the of gas
  exchange between the medium and the atmosphere.

4
Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide

• All living plants require ____ for respiration.
• Respiration occurs _____ in all living cells of
  plants and animals.
• Respiration produces __ in addition to energy.
• In the presence of light, green plant cells use
  CO2 in the process of photosynthesis, to produce
  _____, the basic food on which all life depends,
  plus oxygen.

5

• The O2/CO2 content of the air in the average
  building may deviate slightly from that of the
  ______ atmosphere but is ____ to satisfy the
  physiological needs of the plant.

6

• Although plant cells consume oxygen for
  respiration 24hrs a day, there is no danger that
  they will ____ the supply in a room and cause a
  health hazard to human beings or pests.

7

• Example
• A person would have to remain 12 hours in a
  completely dark, 800ft room with no air exchange,
  and 300 2ft schefflera plants, before suffering
  from lack of oxygen.
• Even in a closed room, O2 depletion will not
  occur, as forced ventilation in modern commercial
  buildings, and air seepage and air ventilation at
  home, help maintain proper O2/CO2 ratios.

8

• In a growing medium, an _____ deficiency or ____
  ____ excess may occur if drainage is poor or
  over-watering has occurred.
• If the fluctuation is sufficient, injury or death
  of the root system may occur.

9
Drafts

• Plants should not be subject to _____ of hot or
  cold air.
• Extreme temps may injure the plants directly, and
  the air movement may cause excessive
  transpiration with potential wilting, injury, and
  even death of plant tissue.

10
Relative Humidity

• RH of air is ____ _____ of the air compared to
  _____ _____ (Vapor Pressure) of the air at a
  given temperature.
• For a given amount of moisture, the relative
  humidity will be ____ in a cold than warm air.

11

• Most plants used in interior landscapes have been
  produced in an environment where the relative
  humidity range from
• ______.
• This is far in excess of the
• 40 or lower relative humidity
• of many building interiors.

12

• The RH of most American homes in winter is
  usually below ___, a level considered too low for
  humans health and comfort.
• The Sahara Desert has 25 RH and death valley 23
• RH is important because it affects
  _____________________________.

13
Measuring Humidity

• Accomplished using an _______
• A wet/dry-bulb hygrometer consists of
  thermometers 1.____________
• 2. ____________
• As H2O evaporates from the gauze, the
  temperature of the wet-bulb thermometer will be
  depressed compared with the dry bulb.

14

• The _____ the RH, the ______ the difference in
  the two readings.
• See table 5.1 pg.90
• Ex from table If air temperature (dry bulb) is
  70 degrees F and there is a 15 degrees F
  difference between the dry and wet bulb, a RH of
  36 is found by locating 70 degrees in the air
  temp. column and is 15 degrees in the difference
  column and following the lines until they
  intersect.

15
Increasing Humidity

• Desirable around indoor plants.
• Various methods used.
• Humidifiers installed in heating and cooling
  systems.
• In small rooms small units available.
• Mist blowers that use centrifugal force should be
  used.
• Do not use __________.

16

• ________ should be used to activate equipment and
  maintain levels.
• At home, place plants above sink or in a
  bathroom.
• Plants add mineral-free, microbial free moisture
  to indoors to raise __.
• The rate and amount of H2O added to indoor
  environments depend upon _________________________
  ____________.

17

• The more plants the greater the change.
• Never set plants in H2O.
• H2O accents ______ the dryness of the atmosphere.
• Closed structures (atriums, terrariums etc.)
  create a humid atmosphere inside.
• Excessive care is needed in closed in areas
  because they can become too hot.
• Mist plants to increase RH daily.

18
Air Pollutants Sick Building Syndrome

• A building is said to be ____ when its occupants
  complain of health problems that are related to
  working or being in a building.
• SBS- are generally related to ___ _______.
• In some buildings, air may be ______ more
  polluted than outdoors.

19
What Contributes to SBS?

• Gasses emitted from
• _________
• _______
• ______
• _______ ________
• __________
• _____
• ____________ _________
• __________________

20
SBS. Continued

• Biological contaminants are _____,
  ___________,__________.
• Humans, through normal biological processes emit
  hundreds of organic substances.
• Outdoor sources such as _____ _____ contribute to
  indoor pollution.
• ______ ventilation makes worse.

21

• According to government estimates, there are at
  least 70 million people who work in non
  industrial buildings- including 27 million office
  workers- who risk exposure to SBS.

22
What are Symptoms of SBS?

• Headache
• Eye, nose, and throat irritation
• Respiratory irritation
• Dry or itchy skin
• Dizziness and nausea
• Difficulty in concentrating
• Fatigue
• Sensitivity to odors
• relief only occurs when _____ ___ ________

23

• A natural solution to SBS is ______.
• ____ initiated research into potential use of
  plants as reducers of indoor air pollution on
  earth and future space habitats.

24

• Read highlighted page 93
• Plants do clean the air.
• There are available charts which show which
  species remove pollutants the best.

25
Other Pollutants

• ______ causes injury to establish plantings and
  shipping.
• Is a product of hydrocarbon which is ___, ___,
  ____, _______ combustion.
• It may be produced by _____ _____ and is a
  product of _____ ______.
• Ethylene seepage into buildings causes plant
  injury.
• Plant tissues also produce Ethylene.

26

• Present _____ will contribute to ethylene
  synthesis.
• Foliage plants should not be shipped with ____
  ____ _____.
• A malfunctioning ____ _______ _____ may
  contribute to increased ethylene production.

27

• A typical response to ethylene injury is
  ________. A response in which the leaves bend
  downward along the stem.
• In plants, ethylene is a _______
• Other symptoms of injury are _____________________
  ____________
• ________ flowering development and premature
  flower drop may occur.

28
CAUTION! ?

• Shippers must pack and ship plants correctly, and
  retailers, plants capers, and other receiving
  plants long distances.

29
What measures should be taken upon arrival of
plants?

• ___________________
• ____________
• ____________
• _______________________________
• ____________________
• ___________________

30

• ________ injury can occur in plants around pools
  from ________ __ _______. Leaves will appear
  ________.
• _____ inside from copiers and lasers cause
  foliage injury.
• _______ used as a mildewcide in paint causes
  damage.
• ____ and ____ clog stomata pores.

31
Summary

• The atmosphere consists of the gaseous envelope
  surrounding the plant and the gases in the
  growing medium and within plant tissue.
• O2 and CO2 are essential for respiration and
  photosynthesis and are present in adequate
  amounts indoors.
• There is no danger plants depleting all of the O2
  in a room.
• SBS is a human health problem generally related
  to air pollution indoors.