Houseplants: You're Doing It Wrong

In the first of my series of "You're Doing It Wrong (YDIW) we're starting with houseplants.


Lately, I've been collecting a lot of houseplants. This house loves the plants. Our windows are large and bright, and I'm home to look after them. So, I'm covering every available surface with plants. And I have a few friends who also like plants, but mostly, I hear "I can't do houseplants" and "I love houseplants but I always kill all of them!"

Of course you do. Everyone does. And that's why people are doing houseplants wrong. You don't buy them to keep them to just "keep alive." You buy them to enjoy until they eventually die. Because yes, they will probably eventually die.

Killing houseplants isn't really the failure everyone thinks it is. We buy bouquets of flowers and they all eventually die, so why don't we accept the same will happen to most of the house plants we buy? Even houseplant experts know a certain number of their plants won't make it. 

The point of owning plants, the fun of it, is taking care of the plants. Watering them. Talking to them. Adding that lush, green beauty to our rooms; all that life and free air filtration. And watching them grow and sprout new branches. I love it. It's so rewarding. 

And when they die. Oh well. Move on. 

Some plants might already be dying when you get them, and no amount of care will keep them alive because of some dirt fungus or disease. Some are in the wrong place and that's ok too. You're not being graded. No one cares. 

But maybe you'll get better at plant maintenance along the way. Maybe you'll learn, by trial and error how much to water. Or maybe you'll spend $20 every 6 months on a pretty new houseplant that won't make it. That's longer than a dozen roses. And it's No. Big. Deal. 

Last thing I'll say, if you want houseplants, start with EASY ones. ZZ plants and Snake plants are unkillable. Succulents just want sun and barely any water. Pothos are pretty and tolerate almost any amount of light. Jades are pretty easy, too. Don't start with 6 ft fiddle leaf figs, variegated calatheas, or most delicate ferns -- which are all temperamental, expert-level drama queens.  

Set yourself up for a little success and see if you actually LIKE caring for houseplants. If you don't, no biggie, but if you do, accept that death is part of the game and GO BUY MORE PLANTS.  

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