Plant Paradise
My oh my, how my plant collection has expanded. These two months of having to be at home have made sure I made sure to only put energy into projects and things that truly feed my soul , plants being one of them. Before the lockdown I owned only one golden pothos that has been living in my bathroom. One of the first things I think anyone who is looking to get a few plants make the big mistake of buying them and not knowing how to care for each species properly. My first time I bought plants they all died except my pothos, sad but true. So this time around I did all my research making sure I had great areas of bright indirect sunlight and truly dedicating myself to learn about each new addition to my plant family.
Are you ready? The new additions to my bohemian home are my majesty palm, fiddle fig leaf tree, another golden pothos, zebra plant, snake plant. and california alocassia otherwise known as the elephant ear. All of them have been such a joy and I have loved learning more and more about them everyday. Out of all of the new plants I’m sure its safe to say the fiddle is the most sought after and pothos are the easiest to care for . I purchased my fiddle from home depot for just $39.99 and honestly she was in bad shape. Some of the leaves had bad tears and a few brown spots here or there. Being that I had all the time in the world on my hands I was hesitant but excited to take on the challenge. Since bringing her home she has bloomed three new leaves which had me jumping for joy. I do anticipate to lose a few towards the bottom but thats to be expected sometimes. My next purchase will be a humidifier for sure. With me having a few tropical species it’s very important that they receive a good amount of humidity . To be honest I have been doing steam showers but a plant like my fiddle doesn’t like to be moved, but oh how she loves that steam. As soon as the the bathroom fills up I can literally see her leaves smiling. Ensuring you know their humidity levels is a big deal. Some of these plants want to feel like they are a tropical environment and the temperature of your home shouldn’t be too cold or drafty.
Lets talk two other crucial factors that will effect the life and growth of you indoor houseplants, which are light and water. I’m willing to bet big money that most if not all beginner plants parents kill their plants by overwatering and not knowing which areas provide the correct and best light for their plants. Bright indirect sunlight is what most of my plants love. At first any plant I would get , I would automatically sit right next to the window. Some plants dont like direct sunlight because its too harsh and hot. The leaves burn and you can see with your own eyes that it needs to be moved. Move them a couple feet away from the window but allow to be still be an area where they can receive alot of light. Another good example is my bathroom window, it receives a-lot of direct sun all day but because the window is frosted the plants love it. Its super bright but the light is filtered and we don’t have to worry about any burnt leaves. When it comes to watering , let the plants gods be with you. First habit is to learn not to overwater your babies. The fiddle and I water every two weeks to until the soil is completely dry. My alocassia i let her top soil stay dry but make sure its moist (not soggy ) at the bottom. The majesty palm loves water but needs a ton of sun to ensure its not soggy in the soil. Trust me if you leave water in the pot or leave your plants sitting in water they will die and you will get BUGS!!!!! I hate bugs and trust and believe every plant parent goes through getting rid of nasty pest but you can find ways to prevent this from happening.
Overall having plants is serious work. You really need to have a good plant schedule and being attentive is key. As my plant family grows I find it super therapeutic seeing them grow from small plants to large plants. I want to start a garden but one thing at a time for me . I’ll be sure to give you all an update on how my plants are growing and spread the love with any tips I learn along the way. Happy planting people.