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Whenever I happen to mention in a group setting (even an online group) that I love keeping houseplants, I invariably get at least one or two responses along the lines of “I’m an instant plant-killing machine” or “every plant I’ve ever had is sleeping with the fishes.” And no, these people aren’t into aquaponics.
I often come across this misguided belief that there is such thing as a “green thumb” and a “black thumb” and nothing in between. Or that someone is stuck in one category for all of eternity.
I’m here to tell you that belief is ridiculous. There’s no such thing as “bad with plants” if you really want to surround yourself with green friends.
On the other hand, if you have zero interest in having houseplants (and keeping them alive), then you can continue using this excuse whenever one of your overzealous friends tries to saddle you with their extra cuttings.
If you think you can’t even glance at a green thing without having it drop dead, here are a few things you can do.
1. Start with really easy-to-grow plants.
There are really hardy plants out there that can take a bit of neglect. Pothos, for example, is one of them.
I don’t remember exactly where I heard this story (I might have read it on a plant forum), but rumors have it that if you leave a pothos plant in a pitch black room over summer break, it will survive. Now, don’t plan on doing that, but know that if you do, not all is lost.
A few other examples of hard-to-kill plants are: snake plant, spider plant, kalanchoe and zamioculcas zamiifolia (also known as ZZ plant). These are the plants that will make you look like you know what you’re doing.
Confession: Peace lilies are on every single list of indestructible plants, but I’ve been known to bring one or two to their knees. It’s proof that even as a plant lover, there are hits and misses. But I didn’t let this discourage me from densely packing my windowsills with houseplants.
2. Understand your tendencies, then adapt to them.
Are you more likely to ignore your houseplants, or to smother them with your love?
Are you likely to forget to water them, or drown them without a care in the world?
How about your environment? Is your room bright enough for the plants that you’re trying to grow?
Are you ready to mist tropical plants (but NOT mist succulents) if you live in a dry environment?
The peace lily casualties I mentioned above happened for a reason: I’m an overwaterer. I understand that now, so I try to stay away from plants that can’t handle gulping down too much. I also adjusted my watering schedule so that I only do it once, on the weekends, and not every time I have a glass of water that I need to empty out.
The peace lily death was the catalyst of me noticing and changing my behavior. I had watched this lush peace lily grow for almost two years. Then, right before going on a series of trips, I gave it a good watering. In between two trips, I watered it again; and then again when I came back. It’s obvious to me now that it didn’t need that much water, but it wasn’t obvious then. Which leads me to my third point:
3. You live, you learn. Or rather, you kill (plants), you learn.
Don’t let one (or seven) failures define your ability to keep houseplants alive. I could go ahead and offer a lot of tips about how different types of plants thrive, but general tips will rarely help. Look up care instructions for every plant you have, and try to follow them to the best of your abilities.
It’s not always easy, but you’ll inevitably learn about what each plant likes, and about what you enjoy in the interaction.
And this is what matters most – that you’re motivated by the pleasure and delight of taking care of plants, not by anxiety.
And hey, if you fall into the “too scared to even try” camp, just get a pothos.
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Photos by Green with Purpose.
Disclaimer: Please do your due diligence before buying a houseplant or any other supplies. Some houseplants may be toxic if ingested (especially for pets and children). You can check on the ASPCA website for a list of plants that are poisonous.
