Take a breath. Cool water hits the soil, the scent rises, the world narrows to a leaf edge and a single drop. That’s not just plant care – it’s a reset.
For World Mental Health Day, we wanted to measure what many plant lovers already know: simple, tactile moments can steady the mind. So we asked 1,140 American PlantIn users about their routines and how those routines make them feel. Their answers map a quiet kind of therapy, one built on small, repeatable acts: watering, checking for new growth, repotting, propagating.
In this article, we break down what works best, from watering to soil work, and how to make those minutes intentional.
What We’ve Found
The findings below show how simple moments with leaves, water, and soil can calm the mind, steady the mood, and build a lasting sense of connection.
- Plant care is a powerful form of therapy: 80% of participants report less stress and greater mindfulness, especially while watering and watching plants grow.
- Stress drops, presence rises. Roughly 8 in 10 respondents say routine plant care leaves them calmer and more present.
- Watering and soil work are the top calming rituals. When people name what helps most, these two keep showing up.
- Attachment is real, and it sustains care. Over 7 in 10 respondents feel emotionally attached to at least some plants.
- A new plant lifts mood – then routine keeps it going. 88% of women and 74% of men report an immediate mood bump after a new plant purchase.
- Plants mean more than décor. Beyond aesthetics, respondents link plants to nature, responsibility, self‑care, family memories, and even cleaner indoor air.
1,140 completed responses from U.S. PlantIn users with more than 1 plant tracked in the app.
Mindfulness While Caring for Plants
80% of women and 75% of men say the act of tending to plants makes them more present in the moment. The gender curves differ slightly, but the story is the same on both sides: small, tactile rituals help the mind settle.
Stress Relief After Plant Care
Stress rarely announces its exit, but respondents feel the difference. After routine care, nearly 78% of women and 72% of men report a drop in stress. The tasks are small – water, soil, a closer look – but the physiology is familiar: hands move, breath evens out, thoughts unclench.
Emotional Attachment to Plants
Ask plant owners why they keep showing up, and many will point to a feeling rather than a schedule. In our survey, that feeling is strong: 37% of women “strongly agree” they’re emotionally attached to their plants, while men cluster more around “agree” (40%). Different slopes, same hill. When a plant feels like “mine,” consistency follows.
Mood Lift After Buying a New Plant
Retail therapy gets a green upgrade. A new pot, a new leaf shape, a corner that looks more alive – the instant mood lift shows up in the numbers: 88% of women and 74% of men agree or strongly agree they feel happier after buying a plant. The spark is universal, but the follow-through happens in the care: routine watering, repotting, and observation stretch that first jolt into something steadier.
Calm When Working With Soil
Hands in the mix, the rest of the day softens at the edges. About 71% of women and 69% of men say they feel calmer when working with soil. Women lean stronger into the feeling – 32% strongly agree compared to 25% of men. It’s mindfulness you can touch.
Plant Care as a Screen/Work Break
Not every pause needs a timer. For many, a watering can beats a lock screen. In our survey, 58% of women and 51% of men said they use plant care as a break from work or screens. Women lean into it more often, while men are more likely to stay neutral. Either way, the outcome is the same: a few quiet minutes where the brain stops refreshing.
Restoring Energy During Burnout
Burnout rarely clears in one move. Our respondents describe plant care as a slow charge: a few watts every time you water, repot, or check for new growth. In our survey, 63% of women and 60% of men agreed that tending plants helps restore energy when they feel burned out. The dials sit at “agree” more than “strongly,” which is the point – this is energy you build, not buy.
Instead of Meditation or Yoga
Mindfulness has more than one doorway. Some prefer a mat and a mantra; others, a pot and a watering can. In our survey, 40% of women and 34% of men said they use plant care instead of meditation or yoga, while many others stayed neutral. It’s less a replacement and more a parallel path – calm found in soil rather than stillness.
What People Enjoy Most in Plant Care
Ask for a favorite, and most will say “watering” – chosen by 35% of women and 39% of men. Ask why, and the answers widen: the sound of the pour, the way soil darkens, the leaf that wasn’t there yesterday. Women also highlight repotting (19%) and propagation (16%) more often, while men lean a bit more into fertilizing (10%). But the heart of the pleasure sits beyond any single task – it’s the rhythm of care and the quiet reward of seeing life move.
What Plants Mean to People
A planter on a shelf is rarely just décor. For 25% of women and 24% of men, plants signal a connection to nature; for 21% of women, they’re a hobby in themselves. Men lean a bit more into aesthetics and décor (20%), while women tie them more often to memories or traditions (11%). Beyond the splits, one theme rises above the rest: 27% link plants directly to emotional or therapeutic value, proof that greenery carries meaning well past the surface.
Association of Plants With Anti-Stress Effects
Stress doesn’t stand much of a chance when plants are in the room. Four out of five women (81%) and nearly three-quarters of men (73%) report noticing an anti-stress effect, whether sometimes or often. Women in particular tip toward regular relief (44% “yes, often”), while men more often sit in the “sometimes” lane. Either way, the message is clear: greenery doesn’t just decorate – it decompresses.
What Plant Therapy People Want to Try Next
Curiosity tends to sprout where the tools are simple. Seeds, herbs, and small glass gardens top the list – projects you can start on a kitchen table.
Conclusion
Plants sit where care meets calm. Our respondents describe a loop: small actions lead to visible growth, which leads to a steadier mood. It’s not therapy, but it’s therapeutic. All you have to do is keep it small and repeatable. If you’re curious, start seeds or a mini‑garden; if you’re social, share progress with someone else. This Mental Health Day, choose one living thing to look after – and let it look after you back.
