Does Cigarette Smoke Have an Impact on Indoor Plants?

[RomanAnthonysMama]

Hey everyone! I just started my garden in the front yard about a month or so ago. However, I wanted to make the house a bit prettier by buying some houseplants to grow. The only issue is, I live with smokers. I don't smoke myself, but my boyfriend and father-in-law do, and I don't want to bring a plant in here if it's quality of life is going to be effected negatively by the cigarette smoke. Does anyone know in what ways plants are effected by second-hand smoke?

 

[Shellyann36]

I am not sure about inside plants but I do know that tomatoes hate cigarettes. My hubby smokes and I make him wash his hands before touching the plants here at the house. It makes him grumpy but the tomatoes will keep producing if he stays away from them with nicotine.

I wish I had more of an answer for you. I would try to put the plants in rooms where no one smokes at.

 

[scl0428]

Shellyann36,

I had no idea that tomatoes hate cigarettes. My grandmother plants a huge garden every year and a lot of us that help out are smokers. I will definitely keep that in mind and pass on the word to the others. Thanks!

 

[blueeyes]

I'm not really sure but this truly is a good question. I am a smoker but do not smoke in the apartment so I've never tested this.As for the tomato plants, mine seem to be doing fine outside but then again, they are just cherry tomatoes. I hope someone comes along that knows about this because I am very curious, now

 

[Steve Denning]

Actually, quite a few plants will remove harmful toxins from the air that smokers leave behind, so you may want to keep plants in your house if you smoke or have smokers come by. Check out this blog for more details.

 

[claudine]

I don't smoke and I'm not an expert, but I remember reading somewhere that pollutants ( also from cigarette smoke) can clog the pores on plant leaves, cutting off its ability to absorb light... so it negatively affects photosynthesis. I wouldn't let anyone smoke near my miniature roses.

 

[ACSAPA]

Actually, quite a few plants will remove harmful toxins from the air that smokers leave behind, so you may want to keep plants in your house if you smoke or have smokers come by. Check out this blog for more details.

That's an interesting article. I don't smoke, but it's good to know that if someone visits me and smokes a cigarette, plants will help with the smoke smell.

 

[Jewell]

The reason they say not to smoke around tomatoes (potatoes, peppers, eggplants also) is because the smoke might carry the tobacco mosaic virus. You don't want this virus introduced into your garden since it is hard to get rid of.

House plants like philodendron, snake plants and other smooth leafed plants are tough enough to take indoor pollution. Cleaning their leaves occasionally with a rag soaked in warm water with a drop or two of dish soup in it will keep the leaves looking good.

 

[happyflowerlady]

I don't smoke, but my husband does smoke in the house. I hate it, but don't have much choice in the matter, so what I do is just open the doors and windows here as often as possible so that the house can air out, and fresh air can flow through the house.
In the summer, I can move a lot of the house plants outside, but when it starts getting too chilly in the fall, then I bring them back in. So far, everything has done okay with this program, but I am sure that the plants would like it better if there was no smoke in the air at all.

 

[scl0428]

That's an interesting article. I don't smoke, but it's good to know that if someone visits me and smokes a cigarette, plants will help with the smoke smell.

That is a great thing to know. We are smokers and I am definitely going to bring some of my plants inside to help with the smell.

 

[writerkerrie]

You would think it would, but I grew up in a house of smokers who would smoke on the porch among the plants and they still flourished!

 

[Shellyann36]

The reason they say not to smoke around tomatoes (potatoes, peppers, eggplants also) is because the smoke might carry the tobacco mosaic virus. You don't want this virus introduced into your garden since it is hard to get rid of.

House plants like philodendron, snake plants and other smooth leafed plants are tough enough to take indoor pollution. Cleaning their leaves occasionally with a rag soaked in warm water with a drop or two of dish soup in it will keep the leaves looking good.

Very interesting addition. The article I read never really gave a full detail as to why tomato plants did not like cigarettes and I always assumed it was the nicotine. Thank you for making it clearer!

Here is a link to an article I found after you posted this Jewell. Thank you so much!
http://vegetablemdonline.ppath.cornell.edu/factsheets/Viruses_Tomato.htm

Actually, quite a few plants will remove harmful toxins from the air that smokers leave behind, so you may want to keep plants in your house if you smoke or have smokers come by. Check out this blog for more details.

Very interesting article. Thank you for the link! I don't let anyone smoke in the house but I do have plenty of plants inside to take care of the other toxins.

 

[Pat]

Very interesting information, we do not smoke in our home so it is not a problem for my plants. I do clean the leaves of my plants just to help them breath better because of the dust and dirt in the air that settles on the leaves. My thought is I help them breath better the plants will help me breath better in the long run.

 

[Java Guy]

Jeez, I went to post to this thread and noticed how long it had been since it was active. I've noticed that a lot here. Well, since I am here I might as well post my post .

I really don't think it is something to worry about. Dust build-up on leaves would do more damage to plants in my opinion. Some of the particulates in the smoke settling on the plant leaves might/could disrupt photosynthesis but that would take a lot of smoking over a long period of time in a house with severely poor ventilation. Many house plants are actually pretty good at removing smoke and other gases from the air. Remember, plants need carbon dioxide. NASA actually does research into this very subject proving the resiliency of plants when it comes to indoor pollutants.

http://www.professorshouse.com/your...ants/articles/does-smoke-affect-house-plants/

 

[Pat]

It is important to keep the plant leaves clean, I would think if the leaves are kept clean smoking may not do too much harm to a plant if the house gets lots of fresh air, like the windows opened often.