Dive into indoor gardening by hearing about my struggles
A lot of us have houseplants that aren’t so healthy right? Maybe it’s a succulent you got from IKEA that you haven’t watered in a month, or, like me, a pothos you’ve yet to repot three years after buying it. For the most part I consider myself to be a good plant parent. I try my best to care for my little green babies as often and as attentive as possible. So as someone with a large and ever-growing plant collection, allow me to give you a tour of my most (and least) thriving houseplants at the moment.
Least Healthy: Golden Pothos
A Golden Pothos is a great starter plant. Easy and cheap to find, resilient, and simple to propagate should you want to try it. The interesting thing about the pothos is that you don’t need to worry much about over-watering it; if you do, it’ll literally sweat out the excess in the form of small water droplets on the tips of its leaves. Placed in a bright, indirectly lit location, this guy has grown monumentally over the last three years (yes, this one was a pandemic baby), trailing over three feet from my desktop to the floor.
Current care: Set in a bright, indirectly lit location, watered when dry
Current issues: Has slowly been wilting recently, leaves yellowing and falling off, has been sitting with its original plastic pot placed inside a ceramic pot for almost three years. Roots balling and growing out bottom of plastic pot
Future needs: Desperately needs to be repotted and divided, should continue to thrive thereafter.
Needs some help: Pilea Peperomioides
The Pilea Peperomioides, better known as the Chinese Money Plant, is an icon in the houseplant community, with its small round leaves adding interest to any space. While these plants aren’t the easiest to find, if you come across one definitely pick it up, because they’re not all that difficult to care for!
Current care: Placed in a bright room, indirect sunlight, watering when soil dries up
Current issues: Plant has outgrown its current pot leading to leaves shriveling and falling off.Future needs: Needs a bigger pot and fresh potting soil.
Future needs: Needs a bigger pot and fresh potting soil.
Doing alright: Parlor Palm
The Parlor Palm, also known as the Cat Palm, was actually the first houseplant I bought way back in 2019. These are nicknamed Cat Palms because they are actually part of a special group of plants designated as “pet safe”, meaning that if a pet were to ingest part of the plant there wouldn’t be any negative effects like there would be from other common houseplants.
Current care: water when dry, placing in a bright location
Current issues: sitting in years-old soil, browning leaf-tips
Future needs: Potentially place in fresh soil, better watering regiment
Good, not great: ZZ Plant
The ZZ plant is a hallmark of office buildings worldwide; and for good reason! These plants are some of the most resilient you’ll find. They don’t need tons of light and can go weeks without watering while still staying green, if necessary. Their long leafy stems make for great decor as well.
Current care: water when necessary
Current issues: Has also been sitting with original plastic pot inside a ceramic pot for nearly three years, could use fresh potting soil
Future needs: Repot into ceramic pot, possibly divide
Great: Jade Plant
Jade plants are an interesting variety of houseplant because they can be kept both inside and outside, so long as both are temperate in climate. My jade plant is about eight years old now and was started from a single clipping. It kind of resembles a bonsai at the moment, which is fun. These plants are known to live for decades-upon-decades and can grow to be the size of a bush or even a small tree. The thing that draws most people to Jade plants is their extremely easy care, as they are succulents. They don’t require much water, but are happy as can be in the light.
Current care: Leave in a bright, directly lit area, water weekly
Current issues: None, growing quite well, started from a single clipping
Future needs: Possibly repotting if continued growth is desired
Thriving: Asparagus Fern
The Asparagus Fern, as strange and gorgeous as it is, can be remarkably hard to care for. Not because its particularly needy or sensitive to the environment, but because there’s a strange phenomenon that when the Asparagus Fern is ready to grow a new stem, the oldest and smallest stem will often die or lose most of its “needles.” Despite the fact that owner’s may think their plant is dying, the Asparagus Fern is a worthwhile plant investment if you want something that’ll grow big and strong against all odds.
Current care: Occasional watering, lots of light
Current issues: None
Future needs: none at this time, fern just keeps growing and growing longer branches without much care at all
All in all, I know my plants are healthier than most peoples, but that’s no reason for you not to try and care for your own houseplants. Even if you’ve killed plants in the past. If not for air purifying or decor reasons, then try indoor gardening for the purposes of having a fun hobby and getting to care for something and watch it grow.
