Starting A Plant Collection
As a new plant mother, the first thing that I ever remember buying was a succulent, and it was my pride and joy. Though I didn’t know much about plants, it didn’t stop me from being excited to care for this new little green life, and I did everything I could to take care of it. Then, one day a freak accident occured. My beautiful succulent fell from the window sill it had been sitting in and broke in half. Though I did my best to salvage what I could, in the end it just didn’t work, and I was so disappointed. However, even though the life of my first plant child came to an end, I still felt grateful because it was not in vain. During the time that I had that plant, I discovered my love and appreciation for plants as a whole. Then, a new desire to have more began to emerge, and I was suddenly taking trips to my local plant nursery every week and binge watching plant videos on Youtube. Thus began my journey into plant motherhood. While I don’t claim to be an expert in everything about plant care, I have learned some valuable lessons on starting a houseplant collection that could be useful to others who are thinking of doing the same thing. So today, I want to share that with you!
How to Start A Plant Collection
First things first, before you jump into buying a bunch of new plants it’s important to remember these key things:
Research - Do some research on the types of indoor houseplants that exist, and learn which environments they thrive best in. Also, check out different gardening resources online to help expand your knowledge about the basics of plant care. This will help you have a good starting foundation.
Get plants that work with your lifestyle- With all of the amazing plants that you see in the store and at plant nurseries, it’s easy to get swept away into wanting to buy them all, but take a moment to pause and reflect first. Be realistic with yourself about your lifestyle and your willingness to take care of the plants that you want. If you know that you are someone who tends to be a little more negligent, don’t buy a plant that requires a lot of maintenance. Instead look toward plants that are more easy-going.
Invest in good soil- Choosing good organic potting soil is important for the growth of any plant that you get because the nutrients in it helps to produce healthy root systems, which enable your plants to flourish. When thinking about soil, you have to remember that your potted plants are living inside of a controlled environment, which means that they are not receiving the same amount of nutrients as they would if they were outside in the ground. So, it is up to you to provide a robust environment of nutrients inside of the potting soil for your plants.
Understand your pots- There are so many cute decorative pots to choose from when you need to repot your plants, and while some are okay, others may not be as conducive to growing a healthy plant. Pots that don’t drain well or that retain too much moisture can lead to root rot in your plants and kill them if you are not careful. This is why I tend to just stick with good old fashioned terracotta pots because they are simple, they ventilate well, and I enjoy the aesthetic.
Learn your windows- As you start to collect houseplants, understanding how light moves throughout each of the windows in your house will be paramount because this will indicate which plant should go where. In every home, there are North facing windows that receive very little light, South facing windows that receive lots of light, East facing windows that receive medium amounts of light, and West facing windows that also receive medium amounts of light. It's good to survey your space before choosing your plants because you want to buy ones that you know will do well in the conditions of your home.
3 Hacks to Grow Your Collection for Free
Don’t waste your seeds- If you have left over seeds from certain fruits and/or vegetables that you’ve eaten, keep them to see if they would grow instead of throwing them away. A really good one to try with this method is an avocado seed. I’ve done this before and it’s now a thriving plant in my collection. The best part is that it was super easy to do, and it was cool to watch it grow from a seed to a small tree. I recommend following This tutorial.
Propagate cuttings from existing plants- Taking cuttings from your existing plants and propagating them to make new ones is the easiest and most convenient way to grow your houseplant collection. Simply cut a few pieces off and then let the cuttings sit in water for a few days to develop a root system. When the cuttings have been rooted, transfer them to a pot with soil and there you have it!
Swap cuttings with others- The concept here is similar to the point I made before about propagating cuttings from existing plants, only this time you are sharing with others, which helps to diversify your collection more. I’ve actually used this method to get three of the plants in my collection so far, and it's been so convenient and nice.
Easy Houseplants for Beginners
As I mentioned before, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and swept away by the variety of plants that there are to choose from. So here is a small list of some good ones to start out with as a beginner:
Pothos
Avocado plants
Succulents
Snake plants
Zz plants
Aloe
Cacti
Air plants
3 Easy Plant Care Tips
Bottom water your plants to prevent overwatering and to help strengthen their root systems. Do this by grabbing a bowl big enough to sit the bottom of your plant in and by pouring water into the bowl. Allow the water to absorb into the soil from the bottom of the pot until you see the top layer of soil starting to become moist. Then remove the pot and allow any excess water to drain off before returning the plant back to its place in your house.
Aerate the soil from time to time to ensure that the roots of the plants are able to breath. Do this by breaking up the soil with a small stick, spoon, or your finger. Over time as your plant sits in a pot, the soil can become compacted down from the waterings. So, it is good to do this every now and then to allow oxygen in.
Prune dead leaves when necessary to keep your plants healthy and flourishing.
What to do If You Have Pests in Your Houseplants
God willing you won’t have to deal with fungus gnats or pests of any sort, but in the event that you do, these are the top three methods that I’ve used and that I know work well:
Mosquito bits- This is the most effective solution out of them all because it works quickly and it lasts overtime. Just pour a few of them over the top of the soil and they will work to kill fungus gnat larvae in the soil without being toxic to the plant.
Yellow sticky traps- These help capture any existing gnats or pests that are flying around and prevents them from being able to procreate. They are good to use in addition to the mosquito bits, and all you have to do is stick them in the soil and leave them alone.
Hydrogen peroxide rinse- As a last resort you can do a hydrogen peroxide rise on the soil of your plant to kill pests and promote healthy root growth. Do this by adding 1-2 teaspoons of 3% hydrogen peroxide to a cup of water and pouring it over the soil in the plant. This method shouldn't be done frequently. Only on occasion when other methods aren’t working.
The main lesson that I’ve learned from taking care of my plants is that growing requires us to cultivate patience with the process, and it also requires consistency. There are many times when I look at my plants and it seems like nothing is happening no matter how much care and attention I give it. However, what I can’t see is that there is an entire metamorphosis happening beneath the surface. Then all of a sudden, tons of new leaves start sprouting. I think trusting God with our lives is a little like this. Sometimes we feel like the seed that has been planted underground, and it seems like nothing is happening. However, as we continue to abide in God, we begin to take root and before we know it, we are sprouting above the ground and flourishing. This reminds me of the passage in Jeremiah 17: 7-8 where it says:
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.”
Similar to the plants that we care for, God cultivates and nurtures us so that we can grow into the works of beauty he always created us to be.
Xo,
Raven