We recently asked on our socials, and we would LOVE to get our communites input as well š What are your biggest struggles of being a plant owner?!
We recently asked on our socials, and we would LOVE to get our communites input as well š What are your biggest struggles of being a plant owner?!
Reminding myself that I have to do things OTHER than play with my plants all day š¬š¤£
8 likesFor real though!!!!
1 likeThe biggest struggles are not getting new plants everyday and not look at them 24/7
7 likesMy biggest struggle is probably being so unsure about my plants. I know in theory what they want, but I donāt know for sure what it looks like when theyāre doing only a bit badly versus fine but not awesome, and itās also so hard to know whatās wrong with a plant. Planta ai isnāt very good right now. Also with grow lights, what counts as ābright indirectā with grow lights? If I canāt adjust how bright it is, how do I get the right amount?
4 likesBiggest struggle is that there is a plant or two or three that needs something everyday. I know they are all different but I wish the app could somehow group plants needing water and fertilizer and progress update to 2-3 days a week rather than everyday. For example, I inherited a huge out of control Mother of Thousands that I took apart into 3 pots, exactly the same, on the same day but for some reason, the watering and fertilizing schedule vary for all. Why?? Iāve tried to delay, snooze to manually consolidate but havenāt been all that successful š
2 likesPart of my struggle, sometimes I choose it with "rescues", but it's the rehabbing, trial/error, figuring out what is "wrong," especially with plants that are healthy and take a sudden decline when nothing changed with their care routine. I like the challenge, but sometimes it's too much.
3 likesThat a plant you want to flower or grow is like that pot of water you want to start boilingāit isnāt gonna do anything if you watch it to wait for it to. Iāve waited over a year for my Thai Pink Lipstick Plant to bloom. Tried new fertilizers, tried waiting longer between waterings, different lighting, repotting, new soilāeverything, and she refused to even work on new leaves or flowers until I finally just left her alone. I realized that the reason why my other lipstick plants bloom so easily without any effort is because I wasnāt constantly fooling with them. They never had to keep adjusting to new changes from repotting or a new environment. I just watered them as needed and pruned the branches to promote buds to form on every new short it would form. Some plants really do thrive on neglect (and some really hate being repotted or fussed with), so sometimes less is more, and your plant will reward you if you just let it do its thing and stop helicopter parenting. š±
5 likesAlso that less is more in terms of your collection. Sometimes it can get too overwhelming to have a lot of high-maintenance plants, or just too many plants in general, to take care of every week, and it can take time away from the other things that bring you joy. Iāve downsized my collection a couple of times to the plants that are very low maintenance and/or bring me the most joy. The ones I smile at every time I see them, not the ones that stress me out cause it doesnāt matter what I do, they donāt want to be saved. ā¦And that killing a couple of plants doesnāt make you a failure with houseplants. Lots of trial and error, and learning from those experiences, are what give professionals the knowledge theyāve amassed over the years. Even the greenest thumbs have killed the easiest of plants. And some species are just very difficult to keep as houseplants outside of their natural habitat, and actively work against anything you try to do to keep it alive. š
4 likesPerfectly said and very relatable!
3 likesThey need time to themselves to grow. Iām way too needy
5 likesRecognizing that my mental health directly impacts my plants, just as they directly impact me. I had an episode years ago where I went into a depression that cost me 30 beloved plants. I simply couldnāt spare the energy or care for them when I couldnāt even care for myself, and as they each perished with neglect I ended up spiraling even further over it. Iām ok now and my love for the hobby is fully back, but with a different sense of responsibility in recognizing what my limits are during each season of my life. š
5 likesGlad you got your groove back!
2 likesConsistency. When life is really chaotic, I'll fail to care correctly for them. But as living things, this doesn't work š«
2 likes