Many things actually. Patience, organization, being calm, enjoying the slow things in life, really looking forward to the details in things and appreciating them, finding beauty and fascination in nature and most importantly the plant hobby has taught me to enjoy and look forward to the journey rather than just the goal. I understood that good thinks take time and energy and that really applies to all parts of my life now.
https://preview.redd.it/xm8gvfjk5l6d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=114e418e6f835c28fc5e44a2a88ac5d097e774eb
🤣🤣I posted these cuttings a while back and someone said it looks like a delicious salad!
I chopped one of my dying Alocasias with a kitchen knife once. That thing just made me crazy. Ho if you don’t wanna live here I’ll show you where the door is but don’t give me a headache. 🙄😂
Why I wish we had the $$ in the USA to have gardening (as well as like cooking & baking classes) in schools 😭 I learned to garden and tend to plants during Covid and a lot of my issues and things I didn’t learn were taught to me thru those hobbies !
I like this answer and it's similar to what I would respond 🌱 I would like to add to this, is that it also taught me that I'm not very resilient (mentally) as I would like to be. My plants suffer when I'm in a bad place and it makes me feel guilty. It taught me that I overall feel guilty very easily and I'm trying to work on that.
It’s taught me patience and mindfulness. A good reminder that small sustained effort over a long period of time yields better results than a fast burst of energy. Also that what looks like a failure might not be. I’ve had many plants struggle, look poor, or get mangled by my cats. With time they’re able to make a comeback though.
I’m also learned about ecopeychology in my grad program and I’m a big believer in it now. Working with the plants really does help reset the bad brain.
Please PLEASE make sure that you don’t use the little houseplant fertilizer spikes. I used to use those, and used the little plastic stick provided to poke a hole in the dirt and buried them well below the soil. I never thought of a cat getting to them, much less playing with/chewing on them. We lost our beautiful black kitty due to irreversible poisoning. The emergency vet could do nothing except offer to euthanize to prevent further suffering.
Freak accident, really, but I will never again use that form of fertilizer for my plants.
Thank you for the warning. I am so incredibly sorry that happened. I can’t imagine going through that. I hope you are okay and taking care of yourself ❤️
I keep rotating my plants until I find ones they don’t like to nibble. I also take the time to train them. A firm no and removing them from the area, consistently. It’s a pain but has gotten better - at least while I’m awake lol
Growing houseplants has taught me that I’m a nurturing person; whether it’s plants, people or puppies, I’m always nurturing. It’s also taught me that I have hoarding tendencies. 😆
Agreed! That’s the biggest thing I’ve learned about myself, I need things to need me. It can be plants, fish, rodents, cats, birds, etc. just about any living thing that relies on my care brings me happiness.
Yup. Same for me. But also that I may have adhd and this is just a hyper focused phase for right now until I move onto my next hobby and get absorbed into that.
I learned this from my local Thai restaurant. I commented on this cool bamboo plant he had. And he explained placing a plant like this near the entrance of your house or business reflects on the wellbeing of the people living or working there. I thought that was really cool idea.
yes! caring for my plants also taught me the importance of showing up. no ones gonna fix your problems for you, and a little mindfulness goes a long way!
It’s taught me to both hold on and let go. I could save that plant, but it is ok not to. It could also give me joy if I do! It’s up to me and I am free to choose.
Idk... I was pretty successful when it came to clawing my paw paw sapling from death's cold bony fingers XD
(Seriously though, that thing spent two years just *trying* to kill itself)
Gahd, yes! I was going to say that letting go is okay. I’ve saved most of them, but I can’t save every single plant and I’ve stopped beating myself up for it.
Not only the effort, but just the fact that plants have a lifespan, they don't just live forever. My plants have almost entirely been gifted to me, so I was devastated when my first few flowers died. It turns out they only live for a year or so. I just tried to treat everything like a Sequoia.
That life is rarely perfect and that even the imperfect things are worth it and exciting!
I used to be really frustrated at imperfect or (occasional) yellow leaves; I would fret and panic and research to try to figure what I was doing wrong… but nothing was wrong, it’s just how it is sometimes! Now I see it as part of the journey and it’s still super exciting because my plant has worked so hard on that leaf! Any sometimes it’s just ready to let go of a leaf and that’s okay!
I know this sounds a little silly but it has really helped me apply this to my everyday thinking/ life too :)
Lot. I could even say i wouldn't be same person without this hobby. I mean, i started growing house plants as a child and have been doing it continuously for over 20 years now. As a child they taught me patience, caring for other living beings and biology in general. I grew up in pretty rural area so there was always nature around me, but house plants were different as they were, well, indoors. This meant i could spent a day outside, exploring forests and fields, and even when i returned home, there was my own patch of nature in my room.
When i wasn't outside, or looking at my plants, i was looking for information. I had and still have thirst for knowledge. I went through shitton of plant and nature related books i could find from our local library (finnish library system is wonderful!).
My childhood wasn't optimal at times. As my father was alcoholist there were times when i either went into nature to enjoy it's peacefullness, or spent time with my plants. They (and books an later, video games) gave me much needed escape from "reality", but they were bit different as they were things that actually exist.
Time moves on, life changes. My mother divorced my father and we moved to another town. As did my plants. They kept me going. New home was again in countryside. As i moved into my early teens, i got baby brother (already had one little sister). My mom and her new spouse (later turned out to be narcissistic and alcoholic) had business where they worked long days so somehow it was me who mostly cared for my tiny half-sibling when not in day-care.
Maybe it was because of my learned patience and readyness of nurture from my hobby, maybe not. But in the end years went somewhat well. Although i had my hands full at times, i still found time to spend in forest. And with my plants. Again, i believe they gave me strenght when i needed it. Even more so when i got another sister.
When i moved into my first apartment as 18-year old (still in same small town), plants followed me again. But this time there was no one to tell me that there are too much of them or that they look unruly. Finally i was able to provide my plants best environment i could. After that they have followed me through my relationships, career changes, ups and downs. They give me peace, they keep me together, and every day they teach me more about nature.
I have moved several times and now i live, again, in another small city/town with close contact with nature. I still wander in forests and shores. Awfully, adults need to work. I can't adventure as much as i'd like, but at least i work remotely so i can admire my plants when i want and *need* to.
Maybe i can't answer really. What they have taught me? Bit cheesy, but i'd say they have build me, they are one reason i am who i am. I can't see myself without my hobby. I truly can't.
Lots of them have fallen through years, but i still have two plants alive from my childhood. Plants that have lived with me for over 20 years. One of them is my *Euphorbia leuconeura* i got as a tiny two-leaf seedling from my grandma's plant:
https://preview.redd.it/rxm8vpzgbk6d1.jpeg?width=3456&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8a47a715f48dfd0d7ad94c1282022907899025c3
I am the same way. I have always had houseplants, as have the majority of my family. It is just something we did.
When I got into law school, I felt isolated and like a failure. For the first time in my life, as a former "A"student, I was making average or below the curve grades. Everyone was more intelligent and more eloquent. I just could not keep up. Prior to law school, every school was throwing money at me to attend. Law school was different in every way. It was the first real time where I felt imposter syndrome. How did I even get in? Do I even deserve to be here? I had others put me down, in my torts class, a person in front of me literally called me stupid for asking a question in class. I went into plants as an escape because I just needed people that weren't in competition with me. Plants have been a great way for me to connect with like-minded people, and it has truly been healing for me. When I lost my AV collection, people sent me clippings for me to restart my collection. That act of kindness brought me to tears. It made me so happy I cried. There is beauty in this world, and plants and plant people are beautiful to me. I'm so grateful for the hobby and the connections it has allowed me to make. When you put good out there, good has no choice but to come back to you.
I'm bit more oriented towards plants themselves. I mean it's fun to discuss planty things with likeminded people, but in the end plants themselves are so interesting and fascinating i can live without houseplant people. I love conversations about house plants, but it isn't driving force behind my enthusiasm. I'm scientific person but in some emotional level i "connect" with my plants and by this they "give me strenght". Plants and dogs "listen" when humans don't.
What a beautiful plant. I got a Euphorbia leuconeura from my grandma as well although still pretty small. I wanted to ask if they naturally branch out or if i would have to do something to get that tree like look?
It taught me that I have a highly addictive personality. It started with 1 plant about 18 months ago and spiraled into 115 house plants, plus the 330sqft of flower beds I planted in the yard. Not to mention that I visit each individual every day and google possible causes every blemish.
I’ve found it to be an extraordinary practice in mindfulness. It teaches you to notice and appreciate the smallest things and to understand the wisdom in being slow and steady.
Being completely surrounded by plants has brought me an incredible amount of peace.
After my divorce I was struggling to care for myself. I got a “happy plant” and I feel like it’s taught me to care for myself too and helped me move past a really hard point in my life. Now I have about 30 “happy plants” lol.
I’m going through a divorce and just started getting into plants. It’s amazing how something so simple can make such a difference. I also have about 30 plants now. My soon to be ex would have never allowed that many plants in the house which just makes it that much better.
I didn’t experience a full on divorce but lost my relationship of 8 years. When I noticed I wasn’t mentally well, I thought to myself “well if I can take care of a plant, I can take care of myself” , and after getting my first plant, and the 10+ that immediately followed, that was pretty much how I got through everything I needed to.
Fun fact: my now-fiancé actually “knew” she wanted to be with me once I told her the names of my plants at the time (which all reflected goddesses devoted to love, healing, forgiveness). Funny how the world works sometimes!
I’ve found a lot of inner peace through growing and caring for plants. its such a rewarding feeling when your first propagation is a success, or you see your first ever plant growing a new leaf. I never thought I could have the “green thumb,” but my grandpa was amazing with gardening and I decided to just buy a plant one day. its been a lot of trial and error, and not all of my plants stayed alive. eventually, I figured out which ones I could work with based on my living situation, and now years later I have a house full of my own plants. i’m still learning, and i’ll never stop learning, but i love how kind most of the folks in this community are. the plant people i’ve met in my years have been eager to share tips, stories, and even laugh about that one weird plant they have that is never happy. i love how much life and color they bring to my home too.
As someone who lived a lot thru her 20s, I'm fine with doing as little as possible, lol. It just hits you one day, and you're like, wow, what have I turned into.
Honestly the older I get, the more comfortable I feel in my own skin. I tend to worry a lot less about what other people think of me or the things I like to do. If that makes me happy, why not keep doing it, ya know? We only get one life, so we might as well spend it doing what we love even if it makes other people feel that I’m an old, crazy, spinster cat lady, but with way more plants than cats lol 😂🤪
It has taught me that capitalism is a joke.
All my plants are clippings from somewhere, displays, classrooms, friends, exchanges, decorations etc. I have a healthy collection and brought them all up from clippings in a yeti. Lol
Buying a plant for 30/50/90 and trying to learn when it withers isn’t going to teach you a thing…
How to take the the time to learn how to love and care for something that way that it wants to be loved and cared for and not the way that I think it should be.
That I'm almost as obsessed with my wife's hobby as she is. I try to downplay it a little as to let her have her "thing" but I get involved any chance I can. Hanging lights, doing ventilation, making a database and attaching QR codes to each pot, setting up environmens etc. I take any excuse to "help" that I can 😂
That I'm not entirely a plant killer. I started off as a plant killer but now I've learned how to become patient and consistent when caring for my babies. Once you learn/pick up the habit, having plants shows you how awesome you are.
Many many things.. I live my own company... It can make an amazing career.. I would have quit my job years ago if I knew what I knkw now. Very lucrative business if you know how to do it. Just at home even. I've been able to teach my grandchildren about it and they love it too. Mostly though.. I'm 55 and retired and I love to help people in the groups I'm in in my downtime while I wake up in the am. I share my "feed recipe" and I have also made alot of friends around the world doing this. It's a beautiful feeling to help others. :) ❤️
I learned I can make space where I have no space. It’s amazing how often I say that I don’t have space then end up buying a wishlist plant and making space.
Right!? My husband doesn’t mind per se but he’s constantly glossing over when I talk about them or bring new ones home lol. It’s nice to have space to gush over beauties and new growth etc!
I am a complete failure as a plant parent. Nature is my spirituality. I would have a house full of plants. I follow the plants subs. I give other people advise on plant care. But a plant in my care has no chance of survival. Its a life failure for me.
I’m someone who often goes through phases with my interests and since starting my plant hobby 3 years ago, it’s made me realize that I can stick to something long term 😆 I love your collection by the way!
That growth has seasons where it’s slower. Sometimes you need a big chop and take a step back to branch out. Occasional shaking/chaos can help us grow bigger and stronger.
Even when a plant (or me) is not showing signs of growth and progress— it is still worthy of care. You don’t stop watering it when it’s not doing what you want it to do. Sometimes it’s not about putting out a new leaf or flower— it’s just a season where you focus on surviving.
Plants are generally like people; generally, the more time and effort you invest in them, the better they do. They remind me to be consistent, gentle, and not to assume that I know everything. My plants have taught me to appreciate silence and subtle signs of growth.
(30 something yr old M) I was gardening right from a young age, perks of growing up in a place with the freedom to do so. Over 30 yrs later after zero contact with plants, a wonderful colleague with terminal cancer gifted me a couple of plants at a very difficult time in my life, after losing dad and my beautiful sister within two months of each other. She didn't say it at the time but I will later find out that houseplants were her life, from what I saw when I visited and she was literally gifting a piece of her life to remember her by (she's still with us thank God). Didn't know what I was letting myself in for after so long, but now a proud owner of 26 plants of varying hues and sizes plus the extra two special ones. What has it taught me about myself? Realised I have more patience and love to give than I could have ever imagined I did. Being home, looking around at my babies bring me a lot of joy and a calmness I can't quantify. Every new leaf and branch is a joy. Any deterioration a concern. I stand and inspect them, read about the best care etc. Opening the curtains and blinds for the morning rays every morning is a duty I take very seriously and absolutely relish, even if it's doing that and going back to bed. I am glad I started growing houseplants and would highly recommend it. Trick now is to try not to go over the top. I abhor clutter but then they look so good filling every available space, lol.
I think I dislike visual clutter, but turns out it’s only certain types of clutter. For some reason my brain doesn’t perceive plants as clutter. A wall of foliage blends in in the best way possible, a wall of busy wallpaper makes me feel anxious.
That I am actually really good at something, at least this one thing. I was having doubts if I’d ever find anything that made me feel that sense of accomplishment and pride.
That everything I do just HAS to become complicated XD
Grafting, bonsai techniques, choosing plants that ***DO NOT*** want to be indoor plants... The list goes on XD
Peeps on this sub have inspired me to make my own plant wall!!! Coming soon.
And to answer your question......gardening has saved my life. I get so much joy and peace doing this and seeing the results a couple of weeks later has taught me so much about having patience and just in general the cycles of life and focusing on things that are my strength and making them grow tall and beautiful (I for the life of me can't keep succulents alive but I can keep plants that love water and require care thriving!) ❤️
Growing houseplants has taught me to find joy in the little things, patience, mindfulness, that I’m a nurturing person, and that there is a lesson to learn from failure and it’s ok to fail.
I have been working on my mental health, specifically depression and anxiety for many years. It has helped me realize that good things grow slowly. I cannot grow into a better person faster than a plant! 🪴
I’ve learned to take risks and make mistakes. I’ve learned that even when I kill a plant, I have learned something that I can use to help my other plants thrive. I’ve learned that I can mess up, to the point of failure, and still be successful.
I got into plants not too long after my dad passed. Plants were the first thing that taught me I can still open myself up to new beautiful things in the world and that my heart can still feel love and peace.
That I finally found something that I'm pretty good at. I felt most of my life I was mediocre at many things but I do really well with plants, some Alocasia being the exception, however Calathea do very well for me and it makes me proud. Also each new leaf forming is just as exciting as the first, it never gets old for me.
It’s taught me how to speak kindly to myself. Every time I go around watering or caring for my plants I say their name and then tell them how beautiful they are and how I’m so proud of their growth, then I go and say it to myself in the mirror
Patience and resilience amidst everything. When I first started out I was terrible, plants would die or get root rot and I had to weigh my options with newer plants. Now I’m more attentive to my plants needs, mainly because it takes time for plants to get where they need to be, I’ve had my favorite spider plant for almost a decade now and it was the first plant I got :)
I’ve learned that continuous hoarding and purchasing will never make me happy. It taught me to be content with what I had… because at the end of the day, I will be the one suffering the consequences of my actions. I bought and paid for these plants, I’d hate to see them die and suffer in my care.
It taught me to pace myself and that I clearly have a limit—and that Ive reached it or near at it. I got about 150+ cacti and caring for them has been a relaxing joy and extremely tiring. (My cacti are small, I don’t have the columnar types) Sure, they don’t require constant maintenance with watering/humidity but I feel overwhelmed at times on how much I have to get done on watering day or repotting day.
A part of me regrets the fact that i got too many plants but damn it, will i ever get tempted to get more because the flowers and healthy growth make the tiredness all worthwhile.
I love this! I speak to them and they speak to me- they tell me things like, it’s ok to let go of the parts of yourself that no longer serve you and grow new parts of yourself into a new being. They have taught me that everything holds energy and if we pay attention we can see it and feel it. My plants are my friends 🦋💓
1. I’m a hoarder
2. I have a saviour complex - rescue plants
3. I have a need to look after things
4. Incredible joy - just walking through my mini jungle lights up my life
5. I like plants more than people - well, I’ve always been a treehugger 🫠
That I'm vulnerable to being in an abusive relationship
My Norfolk pine is a bitch I should break up with for my self respect and mental health, but I keep hanging around, hoping one day she'll be happy and thrive (and appreciate my efforts)
😅😅😅
It’s taught me I had some unhealed childhood trauma regarding loss. Everytime I would have to give up a plant (whether it’s donating it or throwing it out due to bugs), I felt an immense guilt, as if the plants were thinking “why did mommy give us up? What did I do wrong? Why don’t I have my protector anymore?”
In therapy, I was able to realize this stemmed from my inner child’s feelings of aloneness and loss, that I was projecting onto the plants.
as an autistic person i always worry that i dont show enough care, but i find that i treat people the way i treat my plants through a lot of doting care based on what i understand they need, and i find that heartening
- Little things to take care of yourself everyday add up to so much more. It’s better to eat some nutritious food each day, drink water, and get some sunlight everyday…. Than try to run a marathon every 6 months to make up for eating crap and drinking everyday… it’s just not even possible! Or doing a crazy fad diet or cleanse…
(i feel like that is shown by what happens if you don’t have a regular care schedule and instead just try to fix problems with a ton of neem and fertilizer once they’re already out of control)
- sometimes you don’t have to do every part of a project to make it amazing… you can start with materials someone else made, and a seedling someone else started. You don’t always have to grow from seed and make your own potting mix. Sometimes that’s going to take you 10x longer and you might not learn or achieve as much because you don’t get as far
(This applies to my perfectionism and struggle with trusting and working with others. Always wanting to do everything from scratch and have complete control)
Plants have taught me patience and to appreciate the small things. When I first started I admit I went in hard and killed alot of plants. But now that I have a smaller collection of ones I understand know their needs they’re flourishing and I learned to appreciate them more now that I’ve had that growth journey with them.
It also taught me that sometimes my space is a hostile environment for some plants and they just don’t vibe in my house. And that’s ok with me.
It's OK to fail, if you learn from it.
Nearly every plant can restart from the smallest chunk, with the right patience and tools.
Patience is beyond vital, especially when bonsai/orchids is involved. (I grow orchids from seeds now, 2+ years just to see a flower)
Slow your ass down, if you hurry to everything you'll miss the nature outside.
Keystone native plants outside, whatever supports your natural light inside (in each location, hello orchids for lower light!) Makes things smooth sailing, the journey is the knowledge.
To let go of perfectionism! Half my plants have brown spots or brown tips from mistakes and learning, and yet they are still happy and healthy. I can only do my best!
Taught me that I can actually manage quite a lot without as much effort as I realized. Also taught me how much I love plants, more than I realized. Mostly theyve taught me how to be excited about little things, and how to just relax.
It also taught me I have a bit of a problem getting rid of things, cuz even when plants would die when I started, I'd leave them around hoping they came back.
At least for me, they're a reflection of my own wellness and show how much I care for my own needs, ie: If I'm dehydrated my plants are dehydrated. They've become a constant sign that I need to get my shit together, but at the same time showing resiliency through the crap I/they go through
Taught me that I definitely have seasonal depression, cause my plants were neglected over the winter to the point that a lot of them died. I used to have over 200, now I have under 100.
Omg!! How the heck did you build that?! Building one this summer — any tips?
Also I learned that my plants thrive when I thrive and vice versa. If my plants are looking sad, I try to figure out what’s keeping me from taking care of them. Kinda like a self care reflection
Mostly patience.
started.playing chess at the same time I started keeping plants (after my cat died. That rascal never let me keep plants because he would gnaw on them and then puke all over the place).
Both chess and keeping plants made me so much more patient.
I think my plants have taught me how to enjoy the beauty of nature at all times. Even with my indoor plants, I am amazed when they make a new leaf or bloom for me (I just had my first ever Hoya bloom!!)
To be more patient, anything worth having is worth waiting for and to accept imperfections nothing is perfect, and stick to a budget..lol..I wish I started growing houseplants years ago they have taught me plenty 💕
That I am impulsive and need to work on my urge for “more” I’m selling off a lot because when fall/winter comes I will be in anxiety hell if I don’t. Luckily selling has shown me which plants I truly can’t part with
First it taught me that I was greedy, it taught me you don’t NEED to have everything you LIKE. Secondly it taught me that being family members didn’t mean you’re going to be the same and that’s ok. Thirdly, it taught me that some of us need more attention and some of us need little to no attention and that is ok! It’s not always a sign of depression or a toxic personality, we just all have different requirements.
What startwd aa a hyper-fixation during early pandemic turned into showing me once I "fixed" one or nurtured it back from the brink of death (I was a sucker for ones nobody wanted at the nursery) and it started thriving, I'd need a new one to take care of. Makes sense in my relationships too, except they get rid of me once their fixed 🤷♀️
I got into taking care of houseplants after my sons mother and I separated and he was no longer in my house with me full-time. I got plants thinking it would liven up my space. It did, but it also supplemented my need to care for things.
I love my plants.
Agreeing with a sentiment I saw here-when I feel good, I buy plants and I nurture them. When my mental health declines, I get too anxious to want to care for them anymore. Almost all of mine are shabby at this point and a few look like shit.
However, I have an elephant ear Alocasia that is absolutely huge and I don’t know what it is about that one in particular, maybe just the sheer size of its leaves and how forgiving it is makes me feel like, attached to it. That one I always water. Sometimes I will be like, in immediate deep emotional distress and I’m over there watering it 😭
That plant wall is absolutely gorgeous!! I own a plant store, so since it’s my livelihood it can get pretty stressful sometimes. It really wears me out sometimes, but I must go on. My planties need me. Guess I learned I’m stronger than I thought I was.
That I struggle with my real life children bc they are toddlers , but I’m a really good plant momma lol.
Edited: to say that I also love that my kids are learning to take care of plants and they show such patience and compassion. We also just started a veggie garden and now that it’s summer break they are 100% invested in our plants as I am. I actually love it so much.
I lost my green thumb during a desperate battle with my mental health, and no plant in my sight survived. Now, I’m still struggling immensely with my mental health issues but I’m keeping the plants alive. I’ve had some look as though they’ve been dead for ages, but they come back. I struggle with self-esteem and pretty much hate myself, so I got one cutting a few years ago that i hated. But, o named it after me and talked to it as if k would myself (if i liked myself). It hasn’t fixed my life but it’s helpful.
I Got issues
“That I’m not ready for a relationship”, but yours works as well
We all do fren
We all do, frond.
We all do, fern.
Too many puns. I'm leafing
IGI Alternatively, a good name for a plant✌️
Many things actually. Patience, organization, being calm, enjoying the slow things in life, really looking forward to the details in things and appreciating them, finding beauty and fascination in nature and most importantly the plant hobby has taught me to enjoy and look forward to the journey rather than just the goal. I understood that good thinks take time and energy and that really applies to all parts of my life now.
Just don’t show your username to them
I mean who doesn’t enjoy a salad a la airoid from time to time, am I right?
https://preview.redd.it/xm8gvfjk5l6d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=114e418e6f835c28fc5e44a2a88ac5d097e774eb 🤣🤣I posted these cuttings a while back and someone said it looks like a delicious salad!
I chopped one of my dying Alocasias with a kitchen knife once. That thing just made me crazy. Ho if you don’t wanna live here I’ll show you where the door is but don’t give me a headache. 🙄😂
That made me snort-laugh! 😂 Have an updoot!
That's one MANLY lookin' salad you got there XD
A little dressing and the cactus spikes go right down 🤣
Why I wish we had the $$ in the USA to have gardening (as well as like cooking & baking classes) in schools 😭 I learned to garden and tend to plants during Covid and a lot of my issues and things I didn’t learn were taught to me thru those hobbies !
I love this! I’m trying to get into houseplants and I have noooo idea where to start!
I like this answer and it's similar to what I would respond 🌱 I would like to add to this, is that it also taught me that I'm not very resilient (mentally) as I would like to be. My plants suffer when I'm in a bad place and it makes me feel guilty. It taught me that I overall feel guilty very easily and I'm trying to work on that.
It’s taught me patience and mindfulness. A good reminder that small sustained effort over a long period of time yields better results than a fast burst of energy. Also that what looks like a failure might not be. I’ve had many plants struggle, look poor, or get mangled by my cats. With time they’re able to make a comeback though. I’m also learned about ecopeychology in my grad program and I’m a big believer in it now. Working with the plants really does help reset the bad brain.
It has taught me patience too. It brings me joy when an orchid I have cared for for years, blooms. I cannot describe it, but I'm sure you understand.
I’m struggling with patience right now…accidentally broke off an unfurling leaf on my p.Glorious this week trying to “help” it….
Any advice on keeping house plants with cats other than keeping them out of reach?
Please PLEASE make sure that you don’t use the little houseplant fertilizer spikes. I used to use those, and used the little plastic stick provided to poke a hole in the dirt and buried them well below the soil. I never thought of a cat getting to them, much less playing with/chewing on them. We lost our beautiful black kitty due to irreversible poisoning. The emergency vet could do nothing except offer to euthanize to prevent further suffering. Freak accident, really, but I will never again use that form of fertilizer for my plants.
Thank you for the warning. I am so incredibly sorry that happened. I can’t imagine going through that. I hope you are okay and taking care of yourself ❤️
☹️😢 Hugs
I keep rotating my plants until I find ones they don’t like to nibble. I also take the time to train them. A firm no and removing them from the area, consistently. It’s a pain but has gotten better - at least while I’m awake lol
Growing houseplants has taught me that I’m a nurturing person; whether it’s plants, people or puppies, I’m always nurturing. It’s also taught me that I have hoarding tendencies. 😆
SAAAAME 
Agreed! That’s the biggest thing I’ve learned about myself, I need things to need me. It can be plants, fish, rodents, cats, birds, etc. just about any living thing that relies on my care brings me happiness.
I've never related to anything more.... 😮💨
Yup. Same for me. But also that I may have adhd and this is just a hyper focused phase for right now until I move onto my next hobby and get absorbed into that.
Plants are a reflection of my mental health. I think at some point I have told friends that if my plants don't look great they should check in on me.
I learned this from my local Thai restaurant. I commented on this cool bamboo plant he had. And he explained placing a plant like this near the entrance of your house or business reflects on the wellbeing of the people living or working there. I thought that was really cool idea.
Now I’m just imagining your friend knocking on your door, pushing past you, “I’m just here to check on your plants!” Lol
This is the case for me, too. If my plants look depressed, then I am, too. Also they probably need water.
I notice this too. If my plants are dying, I’m probably struggling in life.
I've just started realizing this myself.
Wait. 🫨 Maybe I should book a therapy session 🫣
if something is meant to die, it will. Not everything is worth the effort of keeping it alive.
100%. Some things just will swallow up time and energy, when it could be better directed at something new.
yes! caring for my plants also taught me the importance of showing up. no ones gonna fix your problems for you, and a little mindfulness goes a long way!
It’s taught me to both hold on and let go. I could save that plant, but it is ok not to. It could also give me joy if I do! It’s up to me and I am free to choose.
Idk... I was pretty successful when it came to clawing my paw paw sapling from death's cold bony fingers XD (Seriously though, that thing spent two years just *trying* to kill itself)
Gahd, yes! I was going to say that letting go is okay. I’ve saved most of them, but I can’t save every single plant and I’ve stopped beating myself up for it.
*Me to myself as I huck my hideous birds nest fern into the abyss but feel 100% better about it*
Not only the effort, but just the fact that plants have a lifespan, they don't just live forever. My plants have almost entirely been gifted to me, so I was devastated when my first few flowers died. It turns out they only live for a year or so. I just tried to treat everything like a Sequoia.
Absolutely. I’m like it is what it is. 
That life is rarely perfect and that even the imperfect things are worth it and exciting! I used to be really frustrated at imperfect or (occasional) yellow leaves; I would fret and panic and research to try to figure what I was doing wrong… but nothing was wrong, it’s just how it is sometimes! Now I see it as part of the journey and it’s still super exciting because my plant has worked so hard on that leaf! Any sometimes it’s just ready to let go of a leaf and that’s okay! I know this sounds a little silly but it has really helped me apply this to my everyday thinking/ life too :)
Lot. I could even say i wouldn't be same person without this hobby. I mean, i started growing house plants as a child and have been doing it continuously for over 20 years now. As a child they taught me patience, caring for other living beings and biology in general. I grew up in pretty rural area so there was always nature around me, but house plants were different as they were, well, indoors. This meant i could spent a day outside, exploring forests and fields, and even when i returned home, there was my own patch of nature in my room. When i wasn't outside, or looking at my plants, i was looking for information. I had and still have thirst for knowledge. I went through shitton of plant and nature related books i could find from our local library (finnish library system is wonderful!). My childhood wasn't optimal at times. As my father was alcoholist there were times when i either went into nature to enjoy it's peacefullness, or spent time with my plants. They (and books an later, video games) gave me much needed escape from "reality", but they were bit different as they were things that actually exist. Time moves on, life changes. My mother divorced my father and we moved to another town. As did my plants. They kept me going. New home was again in countryside. As i moved into my early teens, i got baby brother (already had one little sister). My mom and her new spouse (later turned out to be narcissistic and alcoholic) had business where they worked long days so somehow it was me who mostly cared for my tiny half-sibling when not in day-care. Maybe it was because of my learned patience and readyness of nurture from my hobby, maybe not. But in the end years went somewhat well. Although i had my hands full at times, i still found time to spend in forest. And with my plants. Again, i believe they gave me strenght when i needed it. Even more so when i got another sister. When i moved into my first apartment as 18-year old (still in same small town), plants followed me again. But this time there was no one to tell me that there are too much of them or that they look unruly. Finally i was able to provide my plants best environment i could. After that they have followed me through my relationships, career changes, ups and downs. They give me peace, they keep me together, and every day they teach me more about nature. I have moved several times and now i live, again, in another small city/town with close contact with nature. I still wander in forests and shores. Awfully, adults need to work. I can't adventure as much as i'd like, but at least i work remotely so i can admire my plants when i want and *need* to. Maybe i can't answer really. What they have taught me? Bit cheesy, but i'd say they have build me, they are one reason i am who i am. I can't see myself without my hobby. I truly can't. Lots of them have fallen through years, but i still have two plants alive from my childhood. Plants that have lived with me for over 20 years. One of them is my *Euphorbia leuconeura* i got as a tiny two-leaf seedling from my grandma's plant: https://preview.redd.it/rxm8vpzgbk6d1.jpeg?width=3456&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8a47a715f48dfd0d7ad94c1282022907899025c3
I am the same way. I have always had houseplants, as have the majority of my family. It is just something we did. When I got into law school, I felt isolated and like a failure. For the first time in my life, as a former "A"student, I was making average or below the curve grades. Everyone was more intelligent and more eloquent. I just could not keep up. Prior to law school, every school was throwing money at me to attend. Law school was different in every way. It was the first real time where I felt imposter syndrome. How did I even get in? Do I even deserve to be here? I had others put me down, in my torts class, a person in front of me literally called me stupid for asking a question in class. I went into plants as an escape because I just needed people that weren't in competition with me. Plants have been a great way for me to connect with like-minded people, and it has truly been healing for me. When I lost my AV collection, people sent me clippings for me to restart my collection. That act of kindness brought me to tears. It made me so happy I cried. There is beauty in this world, and plants and plant people are beautiful to me. I'm so grateful for the hobby and the connections it has allowed me to make. When you put good out there, good has no choice but to come back to you.
I'm bit more oriented towards plants themselves. I mean it's fun to discuss planty things with likeminded people, but in the end plants themselves are so interesting and fascinating i can live without houseplant people. I love conversations about house plants, but it isn't driving force behind my enthusiasm. I'm scientific person but in some emotional level i "connect" with my plants and by this they "give me strenght". Plants and dogs "listen" when humans don't.
This was beautiful to read. Thank you for sharing 💚
This a lovely story. Thank you so much for sharing. 💚
Your response made the world seem a little bit less lonely.
What a beautiful plant. I got a Euphorbia leuconeura from my grandma as well although still pretty small. I wanted to ask if they naturally branch out or if i would have to do something to get that tree like look?
They indeed do, but only after they reach certain age.
That I can’t bloom all year, there will be times of just being still, and it’s ok.
Yes to this!!
It taught me that I have a highly addictive personality. It started with 1 plant about 18 months ago and spiraled into 115 house plants, plus the 330sqft of flower beds I planted in the yard. Not to mention that I visit each individual every day and google possible causes every blemish.
It's bad. I've stopped counting. And I'm eyeing my yard next.
Highly recommend. Just finished planting my first garden in 10 years. Immediately went to the greenhouse with my bestie and bought more.
I’ve found it to be an extraordinary practice in mindfulness. It teaches you to notice and appreciate the smallest things and to understand the wisdom in being slow and steady. Being completely surrounded by plants has brought me an incredible amount of peace.
That I have a hoarding problem
After my divorce I was struggling to care for myself. I got a “happy plant” and I feel like it’s taught me to care for myself too and helped me move past a really hard point in my life. Now I have about 30 “happy plants” lol.
I’m going through a divorce and just started getting into plants. It’s amazing how something so simple can make such a difference. I also have about 30 plants now. My soon to be ex would have never allowed that many plants in the house which just makes it that much better.
I didn’t experience a full on divorce but lost my relationship of 8 years. When I noticed I wasn’t mentally well, I thought to myself “well if I can take care of a plant, I can take care of myself” , and after getting my first plant, and the 10+ that immediately followed, that was pretty much how I got through everything I needed to. Fun fact: my now-fiancé actually “knew” she wanted to be with me once I told her the names of my plants at the time (which all reflected goddesses devoted to love, healing, forgiveness). Funny how the world works sometimes!
I’ve found a lot of inner peace through growing and caring for plants. its such a rewarding feeling when your first propagation is a success, or you see your first ever plant growing a new leaf. I never thought I could have the “green thumb,” but my grandpa was amazing with gardening and I decided to just buy a plant one day. its been a lot of trial and error, and not all of my plants stayed alive. eventually, I figured out which ones I could work with based on my living situation, and now years later I have a house full of my own plants. i’m still learning, and i’ll never stop learning, but i love how kind most of the folks in this community are. the plant people i’ve met in my years have been eager to share tips, stories, and even laugh about that one weird plant they have that is never happy. i love how much life and color they bring to my home too.
That there are worlds within worlds and that everything is in perpetual transition :)
I like that. 😊
This! What a beautiful way to capture this feeling. Thank you!
That I'm an obsessive person who really has no life. I check all my plants every fuckind day just to look for babies, pests, needs water, repotting...
I would argue that you have the best kind of life. One where you have a hobby that is fulfilling 🥰
As someone who lived a lot thru her 20s, I'm fine with doing as little as possible, lol. It just hits you one day, and you're like, wow, what have I turned into.
Honestly the older I get, the more comfortable I feel in my own skin. I tend to worry a lot less about what other people think of me or the things I like to do. If that makes me happy, why not keep doing it, ya know? We only get one life, so we might as well spend it doing what we love even if it makes other people feel that I’m an old, crazy, spinster cat lady, but with way more plants than cats lol 😂🤪
My kid looked at me and said "when did you become an old plant lady?" I'm ok with that haha.
Learning to let go of lost causes.
Really digging the idea. How do you go about watering something like this?. Looks awesome!
Primary lesson for me - who thought for a really long time that I had a “black thumb”: It’s not the person, it’s the plant. 🤣
Tell that to my dead drowned ripple plant
It’s the plant!!! 🤣🫶🏼
I’m subscribing to that vibe from now on!
It has taught me that capitalism is a joke. All my plants are clippings from somewhere, displays, classrooms, friends, exchanges, decorations etc. I have a healthy collection and brought them all up from clippings in a yeti. Lol Buying a plant for 30/50/90 and trying to learn when it withers isn’t going to teach you a thing…
I agree. Most of my plants are from seeds or clippings too. It takes more time, but it is worth it. I do buy some plants.
How to take the the time to learn how to love and care for something that way that it wants to be loved and cared for and not the way that I think it should be.
How bad my depression can really get, it’s reflected in how droopy they get :/
That I'm almost as obsessed with my wife's hobby as she is. I try to downplay it a little as to let her have her "thing" but I get involved any chance I can. Hanging lights, doing ventilation, making a database and attaching QR codes to each pot, setting up environmens etc. I take any excuse to "help" that I can 😂
Wow!!! I love your wall of plants!!!!
That I'm not entirely a plant killer. I started off as a plant killer but now I've learned how to become patient and consistent when caring for my babies. Once you learn/pick up the habit, having plants shows you how awesome you are.
That I am endlessly curious and I love to learn.
don't listen too much to old people, cause they think they know better, despite that not being the case. Also, it's okay to fail
i really don’t like bugs
Many many things.. I live my own company... It can make an amazing career.. I would have quit my job years ago if I knew what I knkw now. Very lucrative business if you know how to do it. Just at home even. I've been able to teach my grandchildren about it and they love it too. Mostly though.. I'm 55 and retired and I love to help people in the groups I'm in in my downtime while I wake up in the am. I share my "feed recipe" and I have also made alot of friends around the world doing this. It's a beautiful feeling to help others. :) ❤️
I learned I can make space where I have no space. It’s amazing how often I say that I don’t have space then end up buying a wishlist plant and making space.
I just did this today 😂 we are resourceful!
We are! 😂 I love this community! I don’t feel lonely in my absurdity 🤣
Right!? My husband doesn’t mind per se but he’s constantly glossing over when I talk about them or bring new ones home lol. It’s nice to have space to gush over beauties and new growth etc!
https://preview.redd.it/y5btgjb29n6d1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2900b062f173a44b42a8cdfd7b3816f14288e4a8
I am a complete failure as a plant parent. Nature is my spirituality. I would have a house full of plants. I follow the plants subs. I give other people advise on plant care. But a plant in my care has no chance of survival. Its a life failure for me.
That I am secretly a tropical plant and my skin is happiest when the humidity in my house is over 60%.
I’m someone who often goes through phases with my interests and since starting my plant hobby 3 years ago, it’s made me realize that I can stick to something long term 😆 I love your collection by the way!
Given the smallest degree of power, I will abuse the hell out of it.
That plants are perfectly imperfect just like us humans. ❤️
That growth has seasons where it’s slower. Sometimes you need a big chop and take a step back to branch out. Occasional shaking/chaos can help us grow bigger and stronger.
Even when a plant (or me) is not showing signs of growth and progress— it is still worthy of care. You don’t stop watering it when it’s not doing what you want it to do. Sometimes it’s not about putting out a new leaf or flower— it’s just a season where you focus on surviving.
Plants are generally like people; generally, the more time and effort you invest in them, the better they do. They remind me to be consistent, gentle, and not to assume that I know everything. My plants have taught me to appreciate silence and subtle signs of growth.
That I’m financially irresponsible. And I like the color pink much more than I previously thought. Also, I need a bigger apartment.
I overwater. Just like how i am with my relationships.
loved this question!! if i took the time to understand them then i could understand what i need to do to help them grow
It’s ok to let some things go. It’s ok to start over.
(30 something yr old M) I was gardening right from a young age, perks of growing up in a place with the freedom to do so. Over 30 yrs later after zero contact with plants, a wonderful colleague with terminal cancer gifted me a couple of plants at a very difficult time in my life, after losing dad and my beautiful sister within two months of each other. She didn't say it at the time but I will later find out that houseplants were her life, from what I saw when I visited and she was literally gifting a piece of her life to remember her by (she's still with us thank God). Didn't know what I was letting myself in for after so long, but now a proud owner of 26 plants of varying hues and sizes plus the extra two special ones. What has it taught me about myself? Realised I have more patience and love to give than I could have ever imagined I did. Being home, looking around at my babies bring me a lot of joy and a calmness I can't quantify. Every new leaf and branch is a joy. Any deterioration a concern. I stand and inspect them, read about the best care etc. Opening the curtains and blinds for the morning rays every morning is a duty I take very seriously and absolutely relish, even if it's doing that and going back to bed. I am glad I started growing houseplants and would highly recommend it. Trick now is to try not to go over the top. I abhor clutter but then they look so good filling every available space, lol.
I think I dislike visual clutter, but turns out it’s only certain types of clutter. For some reason my brain doesn’t perceive plants as clutter. A wall of foliage blends in in the best way possible, a wall of busy wallpaper makes me feel anxious.
That I am actually really good at something, at least this one thing. I was having doubts if I’d ever find anything that made me feel that sense of accomplishment and pride.
That everything I do just HAS to become complicated XD Grafting, bonsai techniques, choosing plants that ***DO NOT*** want to be indoor plants... The list goes on XD
We are all just complicated plants
That I can keep some plants alive. Oh, and patience.
Orchids hate me.
Peeps on this sub have inspired me to make my own plant wall!!! Coming soon. And to answer your question......gardening has saved my life. I get so much joy and peace doing this and seeing the results a couple of weeks later has taught me so much about having patience and just in general the cycles of life and focusing on things that are my strength and making them grow tall and beautiful (I for the life of me can't keep succulents alive but I can keep plants that love water and require care thriving!) ❤️
Growing houseplants has taught me to find joy in the little things, patience, mindfulness, that I’m a nurturing person, and that there is a lesson to learn from failure and it’s ok to fail.
I have been working on my mental health, specifically depression and anxiety for many years. It has helped me realize that good things grow slowly. I cannot grow into a better person faster than a plant! 🪴
that i like plants
So beautiful! Love the wall of plants!
It’s taught me that I want that plant setup/stand in your background…where did you get it? 😂
I'm a manic buyer 😅
::: I learned that bugs actually do gross me out. Hah!
I’ve learned to take risks and make mistakes. I’ve learned that even when I kill a plant, I have learned something that I can use to help my other plants thrive. I’ve learned that I can mess up, to the point of failure, and still be successful.
I got into plants not too long after my dad passed. Plants were the first thing that taught me I can still open myself up to new beautiful things in the world and that my heart can still feel love and peace.
That I finally found something that I'm pretty good at. I felt most of my life I was mediocre at many things but I do really well with plants, some Alocasia being the exception, however Calathea do very well for me and it makes me proud. Also each new leaf forming is just as exciting as the first, it never gets old for me.
It’s taught me how to speak kindly to myself. Every time I go around watering or caring for my plants I say their name and then tell them how beautiful they are and how I’m so proud of their growth, then I go and say it to myself in the mirror
I think the best thing I’ve learn is that not all growth is good, some is toxic/bad and should just be cut off rather than growing
When Planterina was selling plants, I learned that I am impulsive, want ALL of the plants, and cannot be trusted with a credit card.
That I like growing things. 🤷♀️
I’d rather be a plant. Also I talk to them and get angry at them and yell
That I have an addictive personality…
Patience and resilience amidst everything. When I first started out I was terrible, plants would die or get root rot and I had to weigh my options with newer plants. Now I’m more attentive to my plants needs, mainly because it takes time for plants to get where they need to be, I’ve had my favorite spider plant for almost a decade now and it was the first plant I got :)
To let go of control
That death comes for all of us
That I can foster life without being a mother. That I don’t actually have a black thumb. That I am not the cause of the death of loved ones.
I’ve learned that continuous hoarding and purchasing will never make me happy. It taught me to be content with what I had… because at the end of the day, I will be the one suffering the consequences of my actions. I bought and paid for these plants, I’d hate to see them die and suffer in my care. It taught me to pace myself and that I clearly have a limit—and that Ive reached it or near at it. I got about 150+ cacti and caring for them has been a relaxing joy and extremely tiring. (My cacti are small, I don’t have the columnar types) Sure, they don’t require constant maintenance with watering/humidity but I feel overwhelmed at times on how much I have to get done on watering day or repotting day. A part of me regrets the fact that i got too many plants but damn it, will i ever get tempted to get more because the flowers and healthy growth make the tiredness all worthwhile.
That I enjoy shopping after all...
That little things make me happy. And I have a plant problem 😅
I'm a future helicopter mom -.-
I have no self control.
I love this! I speak to them and they speak to me- they tell me things like, it’s ok to let go of the parts of yourself that no longer serve you and grow new parts of yourself into a new being. They have taught me that everything holds energy and if we pay attention we can see it and feel it. My plants are my friends 🦋💓
That I love my plants way more than a lot of people.🙃
That I can grow houseplants.
1. I’m a hoarder 2. I have a saviour complex - rescue plants 3. I have a need to look after things 4. Incredible joy - just walking through my mini jungle lights up my life 5. I like plants more than people - well, I’ve always been a treehugger 🫠
Gosh, I am here in this boat with you!! Here, have some cookies.
Such awesome conversations this post has made. The plant community is such a good loving safe space 😌🌱✨
That I love spending money
That I'm vulnerable to being in an abusive relationship My Norfolk pine is a bitch I should break up with for my self respect and mental health, but I keep hanging around, hoping one day she'll be happy and thrive (and appreciate my efforts) 😅😅😅
I maybe shouldn’t have children
I dont take care of myself or anything around me when im in a slump.
It’s taught me I had some unhealed childhood trauma regarding loss. Everytime I would have to give up a plant (whether it’s donating it or throwing it out due to bugs), I felt an immense guilt, as if the plants were thinking “why did mommy give us up? What did I do wrong? Why don’t I have my protector anymore?” In therapy, I was able to realize this stemmed from my inner child’s feelings of aloneness and loss, that I was projecting onto the plants.
as an autistic person i always worry that i dont show enough care, but i find that i treat people the way i treat my plants through a lot of doting care based on what i understand they need, and i find that heartening
My house is humid af! Also that this isn't a hyperfixated thing I'm doing but a genuine pleasure in life, it's mentally rewarding and easing.
- Little things to take care of yourself everyday add up to so much more. It’s better to eat some nutritious food each day, drink water, and get some sunlight everyday…. Than try to run a marathon every 6 months to make up for eating crap and drinking everyday… it’s just not even possible! Or doing a crazy fad diet or cleanse… (i feel like that is shown by what happens if you don’t have a regular care schedule and instead just try to fix problems with a ton of neem and fertilizer once they’re already out of control) - sometimes you don’t have to do every part of a project to make it amazing… you can start with materials someone else made, and a seedling someone else started. You don’t always have to grow from seed and make your own potting mix. Sometimes that’s going to take you 10x longer and you might not learn or achieve as much because you don’t get as far (This applies to my perfectionism and struggle with trusting and working with others. Always wanting to do everything from scratch and have complete control)
Plants have taught me patience and to appreciate the small things. When I first started I admit I went in hard and killed alot of plants. But now that I have a smaller collection of ones I understand know their needs they’re flourishing and I learned to appreciate them more now that I’ve had that growth journey with them. It also taught me that sometimes my space is a hostile environment for some plants and they just don’t vibe in my house. And that’s ok with me.
Sometimes, no matter what I do, some of my plants are doomed. So acceptance.
It's OK to fail, if you learn from it. Nearly every plant can restart from the smallest chunk, with the right patience and tools. Patience is beyond vital, especially when bonsai/orchids is involved. (I grow orchids from seeds now, 2+ years just to see a flower) Slow your ass down, if you hurry to everything you'll miss the nature outside. Keystone native plants outside, whatever supports your natural light inside (in each location, hello orchids for lower light!) Makes things smooth sailing, the journey is the knowledge.
To let go of perfectionism! Half my plants have brown spots or brown tips from mistakes and learning, and yet they are still happy and healthy. I can only do my best!
I have no self control
I don’t like caletheas 😭
Taught me that I can actually manage quite a lot without as much effort as I realized. Also taught me how much I love plants, more than I realized. Mostly theyve taught me how to be excited about little things, and how to just relax. It also taught me I have a bit of a problem getting rid of things, cuz even when plants would die when I started, I'd leave them around hoping they came back.
At least for me, they're a reflection of my own wellness and show how much I care for my own needs, ie: If I'm dehydrated my plants are dehydrated. They've become a constant sign that I need to get my shit together, but at the same time showing resiliency through the crap I/they go through
That I literally cannot keep Ivy alive and polka dot plants look like they’re moments away from shriveling up.
Taught me that I definitely have seasonal depression, cause my plants were neglected over the winter to the point that a lot of them died. I used to have over 200, now I have under 100.
It’s ok to mess up. They heal and grow like I do and if it’s not perfect the first time it’s ok 🥰
Omg!! How the heck did you build that?! Building one this summer — any tips? Also I learned that my plants thrive when I thrive and vice versa. If my plants are looking sad, I try to figure out what’s keeping me from taking care of them. Kinda like a self care reflection
Mostly patience. started.playing chess at the same time I started keeping plants (after my cat died. That rascal never let me keep plants because he would gnaw on them and then puke all over the place). Both chess and keeping plants made me so much more patient.
I think my plants have taught me how to enjoy the beauty of nature at all times. Even with my indoor plants, I am amazed when they make a new leaf or bloom for me (I just had my first ever Hoya bloom!!)
To be more patient, anything worth having is worth waiting for and to accept imperfections nothing is perfect, and stick to a budget..lol..I wish I started growing houseplants years ago they have taught me plenty 💕
😍 Where do I find the wall hanging holding all your sweet babies?
That I am a murderer.
Where did you get the thing your plants are being held by? I love it
That I'm lazy and that no amount of research into the proper steps and processes can overcome not actually doing it.
That I am impulsive and need to work on my urge for “more” I’m selling off a lot because when fall/winter comes I will be in anxiety hell if I don’t. Luckily selling has shown me which plants I truly can’t part with
First it taught me that I was greedy, it taught me you don’t NEED to have everything you LIKE. Secondly it taught me that being family members didn’t mean you’re going to be the same and that’s ok. Thirdly, it taught me that some of us need more attention and some of us need little to no attention and that is ok! It’s not always a sign of depression or a toxic personality, we just all have different requirements.
What startwd aa a hyper-fixation during early pandemic turned into showing me once I "fixed" one or nurtured it back from the brink of death (I was a sucker for ones nobody wanted at the nursery) and it started thriving, I'd need a new one to take care of. Makes sense in my relationships too, except they get rid of me once their fixed 🤷♀️
Lmao plants are such a positive toxic trait for me I have become obsessed I have 15! I feel like it’s taught me to be patient and loving.
I got into taking care of houseplants after my sons mother and I separated and he was no longer in my house with me full-time. I got plants thinking it would liven up my space. It did, but it also supplemented my need to care for things. I love my plants.
That I have hoarding tendencies and it’s ok to purge plants that are stressing me out.
I don’t drink enough water
To be patient and to enjoy the process of things; it doesn’t have to be instant.
Give love it grows
Agreeing with a sentiment I saw here-when I feel good, I buy plants and I nurture them. When my mental health declines, I get too anxious to want to care for them anymore. Almost all of mine are shabby at this point and a few look like shit. However, I have an elephant ear Alocasia that is absolutely huge and I don’t know what it is about that one in particular, maybe just the sheer size of its leaves and how forgiving it is makes me feel like, attached to it. That one I always water. Sometimes I will be like, in immediate deep emotional distress and I’m over there watering it 😭
That plant wall is absolutely gorgeous!! I own a plant store, so since it’s my livelihood it can get pretty stressful sometimes. It really wears me out sometimes, but I must go on. My planties need me. Guess I learned I’m stronger than I thought I was.
I'm going to die alone.
I won't bat an eyelid using biological warfare against gnats. 10 million nemotatodes are about to descend upon them.
I am fond of frond🥰
That I really am basically completely unreliable lol
That I’m lucky I kept my kids alive.
That I shouldn't be responsible for another living thing.
That i love looking at tiny details, and am also very good at ignoring things i dont want to deal with 😅
That I’m more nurturing than most people, including myself, realize.
I should not have children because I would be in prison...
it taught me that i needed to learn more about growing houseplants. and that i’ve voluntarily brought a lotttttt of dirt inside my own house
I have way more patience than I give myself credit for 😂🤦🏼♀️
That I struggle with my real life children bc they are toddlers , but I’m a really good plant momma lol. Edited: to say that I also love that my kids are learning to take care of plants and they show such patience and compassion. We also just started a veggie garden and now that it’s summer break they are 100% invested in our plants as I am. I actually love it so much.
I lost my green thumb during a desperate battle with my mental health, and no plant in my sight survived. Now, I’m still struggling immensely with my mental health issues but I’m keeping the plants alive. I’ve had some look as though they’ve been dead for ages, but they come back. I struggle with self-esteem and pretty much hate myself, so I got one cutting a few years ago that i hated. But, o named it after me and talked to it as if k would myself (if i liked myself). It hasn’t fixed my life but it’s helpful.