There’s nothing like the end of December and beginning of January to start thinking about making resolutions. New year, new leaf, new me … and all that jazz. But there’s something about the change of seasons that also makes me think about starting anew. Especially in the spring.
And because we’re houseplant-obsessed around here, we thought we’d direct that forward thinking and meticulous planning energy into this territory.
Here are five houseplant resolutions that we’ll try to abide by this spring.
1. We resolve to adjust our watering schedule, preferably without drowning the plants.
In spring, a lot of houseplants require an adjustment in their watering schedule due to the increase in daylight. After a period of dormancy in the cold winter months, it can be tempting to either continue the low-watering routine or overcompensate by pouring over more water than your plants can handle.
Obviously, neither is very good for the health of the plant.
What you can do is slowly adjust the quantity of water and the frequency of the refreshment sessions. Pay attention to how the plants adjust to the new schedule and readjust from there. But always start low. You can solve dry soil, but there’s rarely any solution to rotten roots. (And trust me, my overwatering tendencies have killed a few houseplants throughout the years.)
2. We resolve to grow something from scraps.
Some people like diamond rings. Some people buy fancy clothes. I spend my money on houseplants, books, and trying out fruits. Lucky for me, the rhymes come free.
So one of my resolutions this spring is to try to grow something from the scraps of something else.
I’ve already tried and succeeded (then failed, and failed again, then failed eight more times) to grow an avocado plant from an avocado pit.
But I’m wondering if anything would grow out of the organic orange seeds. How about the kernels of that mystery fruit that I picked up from the health food store?
This spring, I’m going to find out. Don’t feel like you need to try a new type of fruit or veggie to make this happen. Try starting a seedling from something you already have in your fridge, a tomato or a pepper, for example. Have you seen how precious tiny pepper plants are? You’ll love it more than you love your pilea plant, if that’s even possible.
Don’t be too sad if nothing grows.
The experiment is just to try and see what comes of it.
3. We resolve to root more cuttings and share the love.
Some houseplants require pruning in spring. Or that may be just me attempting to justify my passion for propagation stations – both the fancy kind and the quirky odd vessel kind.
This spring, I resolve to be generous with my plantlets. I’ll propagate more plants than I intend to keep, and generously share some with my friends. Maybe this way I’ll lure them over to the dark side. Err … I mean … the plant side.
You should do the same, and who knows, you may even help your friends discover they have a green thumb.
A little bit of a cheat tip: Start with plants that are easy to care for, even for a newbie. Pothos and spider plants are excellent gifts to propagate.
4. We resolve to learn the Latin name of all of our plants.
Just to set the record straight, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with calling your plant by their popular name. Sometimes, that’s half the fun of talking about it. (I’m looking at you, mother-in-law’s tongue. And I see you hiding in the corner, sneezewort yarrow.)
Plus, plant snobs, especially the kind who insist on correcting you every time you call your monstera deliciosa a monstera obliqua, are insufferable.
The purpose of this resolution is just to have some fun researching plants. And, let’s be honest, we’re bound to find new plants – often related to the ones we own – to shuffle onto our must-have list.
5. We resolve to hang out in the plant corner when it’s sunny.
There, I said it!
Sunny days are for chilling out in your favorite place. Mine just happens to be the plant corner in my living room. My houseplants are already there, basking in the sun, so there’s little reason why I shouldn’t get a dose of vitamin D as well, preferably while indulging in a good book and a pour-over cup of coffee.
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Do you have any houseplant resolution you want to try this spring? We’re over on Instagram if you want to share.
