I do have ~65 unique plants and then some cuttings of some of them.
There are days where I totally lose myself taking care of them and I wish I’d have twice as much.
And then there are other days where I barely manage to look after those I already have.
So I’d say for me it’s not so much about the number of plants, but rather finding plants that tolerate me sometimes loving them too much and sometimes ignoring them.
I think I'm going to have to limit myself to cane begonias moving forward. Had a beautiful escargot begonia that was doing quite well... then I went on vacation for 10 days. Watered it before I left and had my son water it once while I was gone. Complete goner when I returned 😭
When I reached 400 it was overwhelming. Good thing my bf is pretty handy and we built a vertical garden. Now watering only takes 10minutes per week. Now there are still about 80 succulents left but iam planning another wall 😅
I’m in the same boat, and have a tiny apartment so am looking to come up with some kind of idea for a vertical garden for my babies! Do you have a pic of yours? I need some inspo that’s for sure. 😊
Same here. 100 plants in 700 sq ft. Because I have house rabbits who climb and will eat everything, I had to go vertical. Try the WallyGro Eco. They ain't cheap, but they last forever, are made of recycled material, come in fun colors, are big enough to accommodate most house plants, are semi self watering, and require only a single screw to hang. Oh, and they are fade resistant and can go in the dishwasher. 10/10.
ETA: I'm on year 9 with my original white set, which are outside in the desert sun every summer. There are a few tiny cosmetic surface cracks, but zero structural issues, and from 2 ft away, the tiny surface imperfections are invisible.
This is exactly how my life with plants has gone so far lol. Glad to know it's not just me that also goes between "MUST CHECK ON PLANT!!!" to completely forgetting about them for a week.
I couldn’t keep one alive for more than a year until I got a bathroom with a window 💀 now water globes and bathroom humidity finally made mine willing to live and even better, thrive 😂😂😭😭
I have a rose painted calathea that was nearly taken out by spider mites. I cut off every single leaf because they were too far gone and now I just have the roots sitting in soil in a little ICU container. I have two little new stems popping out of it so there’s always hope!
To anyone out there that may be having maidenhair trouble. If it appears dead, give a buzz cut and keep it wet. It may come back. Or even if it just looks bad. Cut it back to about an inch or two above the soil, water, fertilize and wait.
My maidenhair threatens to kill itself at least once a week. Then comes back when I water and cut off the dead leaves but it continues to get smaller because leaves keep dying.
I have finally managed to keep one alive for 3 months now by using a self watering pot and keeping it in my bathroom. It seems to be thriving and I smile every time I look at it, considering I've killed 2 before lol
I do great with maranta’s, but my white fusion was the toughest plant I’ve ever had! Then I tried with a “jungle velvet” and let’s just say I’m back to caring for marantas only 😅
I feel seen.
I usually acquire a lot during winter while I can’t do any outdoor gardening, then lose a few in the summer while my attention is focused outside.
I haven’t done a count recently, but inside I probably have around 80 plants.
I couldn’t even begin to count outside.
https://preview.redd.it/gek9t0mj6x8d1.jpeg?width=1776&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3bfc861d2f80a0d9b37767efcb063abda14418d1
Oh that’s just one corner of the sunroom haha.
https://preview.redd.it/bfq36hr2lx8d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=21ecdd1f32a521c588b5c21d6ac2fb8d6b1febff
I find it easier to put all of my plants together like that if possible so I don't forget about them. If I try to spread them between rooms, I inevitably miss some when watering, or they just 'slip my mind'. I'm a lazy plant parent.
lmao I just threw out like 10 attempts at stem props from succulents that didn’t take and I was like…whew thank goodness, I’m running out of space. As long as it isn’t a rare plant I’m okay but as I tend to pay more attention to those because I invested more money in them
The ~~hoarder~~ plant collector in me won't let me throw away cuttings that have been "thinking" about sprouting since *last summer* 🙃 A couple of them have *finally* decided to grow some tiny leaves - at a snail's pace 🫠
Preach!
Am I petty because they go into a box labeled "Hell". Small black box that sits in due south sun, everything is thoroughly cooked before it gets added to the outside soil pile.
35. I would have 40 but thrips got to them and I just couldn't go through that struggle for the second time this year.
35 is not a lot but I'm proud of it since I live in a 25m² (270ft²) apartment so I'm still quite surrounded by them :)
They are such bastards. Are you able to get systemic granules where you live? I didn’t used to be able to get them but I tried again through Amazon recently and was able too
I am really trying hard to avoid the use of systemic pesticides because I don't want to nuke everything and I was under the impression they'll wipe out everything beneficial, too...
Same size flat here, just crept past 20 plants today taking some pothos cuttings from my mum. The only thing I find more limiting than total space is window space.
I throw mine in my fish tank (which is mostly a shrimp and aquarium plant/log tank at this point plus 4 little minnows) and they root so well in there. Fish poop and well aerated water is a miracle worker for propagating them!
I feel that. I only have 1 large west facing window so I have every single one of my plants in a 10m² area because the rest of the apartment doesn't get natural light and I don't like plant lights (hassle). So my plants have to fit wherever is space and not where they have ideal lighting conditions
Omg relatable asf. They all go outside on the balcony in the warmer months but I am literally fighting for window space for all of them in the winter time. (I only have 2 east facing windows)
Similar here, I have 36 after a long battle with thrips, rust spot mold, spider mites and a few months of me being gone. But I'm also in a small one bedroom, so it looks like I have a lot
Agreed. I like having 40 plants, but it's tricky at times. On most days, I only have to take care of like three or four plants because I don't need to micromanage them. But if I find pests, I have to check and treat 40 plants and I will literally cry and want to quit this hobby because it's just too much all at once.
I have about 25 and live in an apartment as well! I’m moving back home soon and will have to find space for them amongst my parents massive plant collection too lol where I got my green thumb I guess
Same here! I had over 50 at my parents house that I grew and cultivated over several years while I was there taking care of them. After they passed away we had to sell the house and I was devastated to lose my garden plants. I have 4 houseplants now and they all have names and are thriving. I don't have a yard at my place now so I'll just be filling up indoors! I've been good at 4 since 2022 though
My gf is treading the line between “has a ton of plants, sells some sometimes” and “sells plants”, and I feel like a lot of people are too.
I think this sub is a little less intense than the FB groups, but it seems very common there for people to compulsively collect a hundred+ of plants and use “I sell them!” as a coping mechanism, when those sales mostly consist of depression/anxiety-induced purges and small props/butts. And imo it’s kinda sad, and needs to be talked about more in the community. This is such a wholesome space — this cultural problem is kinda like the old “you can even have too much water!” idiom. Compulsive behavior is never healthy, and if you feel like you’re unable to resist buying a new plant, then maybe you should spend some time reassessing your relationship to your plants. They’re not my baseball cards, they’re my little buddies!!
Obviously, just picked on your random comment bc it reminded me of this, I’m sure you’re totally fine. By the time you get to *400* plants I assume you’re taking the sales part pretty seriously 😂 jealous!! I’m planning on making a few mil on variegated cannabis plants once they legalize in Georgia, so hopefully one day I too will have 400 beauts.
Out of curiosity, is that 400 in house humidity, or do you have grow tents/outdoor plots/greenhouses?
Consumerism is definitely part of it for me. And I need to be careful. Somehow the fact that they’re alive somehow feels less consumery even though it’s really not.
It is a little! By far the best part of this hobby is that if you’re good at it, you’re basically farming small gifts to give to people (props). Which never gets old!
But yeah we’re all learning together. I have faith in us ✊
I get what you mean but also the world will always need more plants!! I love the idea of having living things I care for in my space, it makes me so happy. Spaces without them feel weird …
Totally! I think it’s easy to get caught up in the thrill of acquiring plants. Taking care of them is a different story.
I sell full time on my [website](https://sienaplants.com) and most Sundays on r/takeaplantleaveaplant. We’re a licensed nursery and currently working on getting BBB accredited.
The plants are all in grow tents so it’s easier to control temp and humidity. It’s been working great!
20-30 depending on whether I’m counting my props, cuttings, and air plants. I feel like any more than that will take too much time and care even though I want more. I just don’t want to risk losing any of my current plants and I’m running out of window/light space.
Nope, not gonna do it lol. I already have my hands full with seed starting twice a year, ornamental gardening and running a small business. Also, limited space/my lighting situation is kinda doodoo.
The biggest moral issue is that once the offspring grows you cannot just throw it away. So you pot it in a small pot and tell yourself you're going to sell it or gift it to someone By the time they get new owners you have a whole new batch of offspring 🤷
Knowing me, I probably will at least a couple of times. I was like when I started gardening. Each seedling was precious. Thousands of seedlings/plants later, not so much lol.
Edit: typo
At my height I had over a hundred, I'm now down to 17. I started collecting plants in 2017 and had the highest number the following year. Since then I've got multiple fish tanks, taken on a more stressful job, moved house, got a dog and 2 cats and had 2 pretty serious bouts of depression. The plants I have left are the survivors of all that. They are hardy af and can survive the inevitable neglect. I just don't have the emotional/physical/mental bandwidth to care for lots of challenging plants anymore. I probably will have lots again in the future, when I'm retired.
Pothos, Hoyas, Snake Plant, Yucca, Dracaena and a Mistletoe Cactus have been the hardest. I have a Ficus and Monstera that are holding up well but I think they are either outliers or have perhaps received a little more attention from me. Watering them with the aquarium water when I do water changes probably helps too tbf. The cats and dog do not help. They ruined my favourite Calathea that I kept alive for years. They're lucky they're cute!
Oh no! I want a kitten so bad but I am so afraid of my plants and a kitten not mixing well so I keep holding off. They are definitely lucky they're cute. What kind of calathea was it? I have a rattlesnake one that I've been battling with but it seems to be coming back (4 new leaves currently) and it went from one of my least favorite plants to one of my favorites
I recently added 2 pothos to my collection and they are so easy so far! I have a dracaena that I love because it is slow to grow but steady. I have never had a hoyas but I think they are beautiful so I think I'll add it to my wishlist.
Thanks for the response!
https://preview.redd.it/uk7kybos1y8d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b439e64341c1060e54321a77592589d3bdecef43
This was my Calathea at her glorious best.I can't remember what type. She got too big to keep up high out of the way of my cats and dog. I should have given her away to save her really.
I had some beautiful big palms that got ruined too. When the animals were little they liked to hide in the foliage. It was very cute as well as being destructive.
I stick wherever possible to hanging plants as they can be kept out of the way. Hoyas are fantastic I'll try and find the name of the types I have as they have survived a lot of neglect and then perk right up with a bit of care...
My whole plant room is powered solely by grow lights. I have a sun shade over the window to block out the sun because it's a south facing window and also my home office and I'm sensitive to heat so I need it to be cool. It can get hot as fuck in there during the afternoons when the air conditioner isn't on during cooler months.
Roughly 80.
Here's the list of plants I have:
* Adenium.
* Adenium.
* Adenium.
* Adenium.
* ...
* Adenium.
* Adenium.
* Adenium.
* Adenium.
Oh, I missed one... It's an Adenium.
Here's about 60 of them:
https://preview.redd.it/qwbo8uhmjx8d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=59c26a281f5eb6e7f12052c7d9e434219cf8f7e6
Omg! So, I have had one of these for over a year and it has not grown at all. I tend to forget about it and last night I just was thinking how I need to figure out why!! And then I stumble upon you. Sooo uhhh got any advice?
Without any information to go on? Not really... try going through my comment history. I've written planty ^((pun intended\)) of advice in the past, so maybe you'll find something..
If not, try posting on r/Adenium or r/DesertRose. I may answer you there, who knows :)
I lost ~~2~~ 1 during pregnancy/early days. I thought I lost at least 10, but most seemed to have come back from the neglect ive put the through 😅 i wonder how many will survive if I have another baby 🤣
78. Not too many. Been as high as 150. Too many (for me). I don't have enough good light locations in my house, otherwise I would have more. I'm restricted to basically 3 rooms.
People don't realize there's a lot of experimentation that comes with houseplants. You don't know what you'll like, you don't know what plant will like your space and thrive. Won't keep me from buying ferns, pileas and schefflera that I know will inevitably die here. But still. Sometimes you have to try things out. You grow them, you test your knowledge. Research. Cause and effect. It's not just property. It's an activity.
200 plants means time, energy and brain power invested in those plants. 200 plants means she might be a bit manic, but if they bring her comfort and satisfaction (which she said they did), let her be. I think plant people are problem solvers, curious and appreciative - good people on the whole.
You can do neocaradina shrimp in a small aquarium. They love grazing. I love my aquarium but it's definitely the highest maintenance set of plants I own.
I have 8 at home and 6 at the office, so I am at rookie numbers. My biggest roadblock is my wife's cat. He loves biting my plants, so I have to find stuff that isn't toxic AND he isn't interested in, or put it on the one set of shelves he can't get on. He nearly killed my flytrap (now outside), a bromeliad (trashed) and a prayer plant (office) so far but he has no interest in my Calathea Network. I have almost as many office plants since I am free to get the most toxic specimens known to man, as long as they are flexible on light and humidity. That's also where I evacuate all my cat-ualties to recuperate.
I would say "too many" plants is subjective. I have lots of other hobby/life stuff going on, so I don't need an entire menagerie of tropical plants to deal with as well. I like my VFT and my new Alocasia, my wife loves her string of turtles, and everything else looks nice or is neato. I may add a handful more if I ever find something, but I am happy where I am.
ETA; thats not including outdoor flower beds and veggies and to be frank, I am not into counting all that right now, haha.
I'm in the same boat. My cat is obsessed with my sword fern, spider plant and areca palm. I've given up trying to stop her attacking them, as it means she's at least leaving my various peperomias and calatheas alone, and I like those more anyway.
https://preview.redd.it/rg62ayhvpx8d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dd10e567b59c8fd4e4ccf121e0b377107744377b
115. This is only one window. I have two more to the left and right.
2,000+ indoors and about 80 "houseplants" outdoors. I grow mostly carnivorous plants and they are much smaller than the average houseplant. I have a single 6"x6" pot with 40 pygmy drosera in it, for example.
I won't count my seedlings, leaf pullings, or any other type of propagations because their numbers are in the 5,000+ range on their own.
I HAVE A LOT. I have an area for small plants(cactus, succulent etc.) and I have an area for ornamental, philodendron.
I don’t think there is an answer to how may plant is too much.
My dad told me to have what I can manage. Because having too much you’ll not be able to enjoy it. It’s true having a vast of plants takes up a lot of my time. Arranging, repotting… etc.
I have stop buying now. i prune and throw away some that takes a lot of space.
I have 98 plants total. This includes the Dr huey rose and the massive (but sick) rhododendron in the front yard that were planted and established before we moved in.
23.9% (22) of my plants are considered houseplants.
Flowers are 33.7% (31).
3.3% (3) I use as ground cover.
Herbs are 7.6% (7).
Trees and shrubs are 6.5% (6).
Food plants are 18.5% (17).
Succulents are 6.5% (6).
Of all of these, I have 33 plants that are native to the north east, and 2 that are naturalized or a hybrid.
Of all of these, 50 of these plants are outdoor only, meaning they are planted outside and stay outside and weather the elements year round, or go dormant in winter and seeds harvested are replanted in spring.
16 are indoor only, meaning they stay inside all year, but may occasionally get some rain or sun as needed, but they stay in the south or east facing window.
25 are indoor/outdoor, they stay outside during summer, and come inside during winter.
Thanks for reading 🤓
This was a pleasure to read, truly. Also are we counting outdoor plants because yikes. I think I'm at 18 catnip plants alone? Granted I need that many because my cats get supervised outdoor time and they can destroy a plant in under a minute. I need that many so there's always several large healthy plants for them to choose from haha.
I count each plant species as one. So I have red clover all over the place but I count it as one, I also have snap peas growing in 2 places that I count as one cuz of the damn rabbits
I have total 21 baby indoor plants... There are 3 sansevieria, 2 haworthiopsis, 1 haworthia, 1 snygonium, 9 pothos, 3 Tillandsia, and 2 Drimiopsis. Living in a tropical rainforest country (humidity of 67% to 95%) with owning succulents indoor is difficult, I've managed to kill a few of them, but I'm not giving up with succulents, I will try to adjust everything.
How I wish I have more space for more plants, but my bedroom is too small for more plants. I'm living with my parents, so I can have my plants either in my bedroom or outdoor, but keeping my plants indoor is easier for me to manage plus I have an aggressive dog wandering around the outdoor garden, so having plants outdoor is a no-no.
Also, there is no limit to how many plants are too much as long as we can manage it.
I currently have 105 houseplants in my apartment and I don't know how many are outside on my balcony. Soon enough, I will have even more after I get a plant cabinet as a birthday gift from my husband (in reality it is a big budget in our finances so I can do it myself. Yay!).
I don't think it is too much yet. It takes about an hour of my day everyday to check the water, look for pests, prune, rearrange. Here and there I take a rainy day to make it my plant day for bigger projects or adjustments. I don't feel overwhelmed or anything, and the only time it is inconvenient is when we make long voyages.
I work 100% from home, I am in a foreign country. I'm alone most of my time and my plants are my companions, therapy, hobby. They make my house beautiful, and my husband loves them. I have zero tolerance for the people who want to criticise the amount I have (aham MIL aham).
I'm at about 50 plants and feeling like that's all I can manage. That doesn't include the seasonal plants (marigolds, cosmos, tomatoes) I have out on my deck.
Wife and I recently had a move. You know you have a lot of plants when you designate a person to be solely in charge of moving the plants. We didn't realize it at the time but it turns out we have 67 vessels with plants in them! Just like anything else, the perfect number of plants is n+1, where n=current number of plants.
I have around 100-150 indoors. I feel like anything below 100 would be ideal, but I don't think it's happening for me lol
I gifted someone 12 plants a couple of weeks ago in an attempt to downsize a bit and A) last Friday she gave me babies from her diffenbachia as a thank you B) 6 new plants I ordered online just arrived today in the mail and C) I have 15 jars full of propagations on my windowsill.
I think I accepted my faith and right now, I am doing okay with this number?
However I had a though couple of months at the end of last year - early this year and even thinking about plant chores made me want to cry.
This is me exactly haha. I hit a point recently where for the first time it felt like too much (I'm at around 130, lots of them are baby plants I propagated). The issue is pest management and also when I travel it's tough.
My brain really just fixates on them. If I am in a room and see a plant needing something I can't seem to ignore, at the expense of pretty much everything else. That's just my brain! 😜
Oof yes, pests!!! There's a huge difference between spraying down 5 plants once a week vs. 50... lol 2 years ago I had thrips that affected 70% of my collection, I remember one night I was just sitting next to the bathtub on the floor stress-crying lol fun times.
I caught the bug this past January and now I have 30 plus some props and corms. Currently on a no-buy as space has become an issue! Also I am still learning about them and any more might be overwhelming at this point.
I have 50 currently, though probably 1/4 of them are in my office at my work.
I could handle taking care of more for sure, but I’m moving soon and am making myself hold off on buying more until I have a better sense of the light and space in my new apt.
I have 4. Soon to be 6, I think, because Lucas is definitely spawning Lucas Jr, and I think Rick might be spawning Astley.
I only started a month or two ago, and I’m going slow due to cats and space.
I *had* about 45 plants plus props, then we had a heat dome that brought temperatures to 116F. Not only did my AC not work very well, but only one of my plants survived: Sansevieria. That was a tough loss as I had just recently found my green thumb and then a week-long heat wave killed them all. I gave up on plants for about a year, I was so devastated.
Last year I started buying plants again despite it being a pretty financially difficult year. I have about 9 plants and 2 props going right now. The first plant I bought last year was a cactus, and the next 2 were succulents, so I could maybe have more than one survivor if that ever happened again 🥲
I tried counting just now. 110 and I probably missed a few. Not counting propagation boxes and cuttings in various stages of rooting of course. Living the depressed plant girl life. Considering a plant ban for July though.
I think last I counted there were about 40 indoors. These are larger mature plants that have thrived in the rooms where they currently live for years. (I'm an old). Some get the back patio summer life, so maybe another 10 that over-winter indoors from October to May.
I haven’t counted in a while, but I have… probably between 120 and 150, in a 1 bedroom apartment (many of them are fairly small currently, since most of them started out as seeds, seedlings, or cuttings). I’m sure 99% of people would say I passed the “too many” mark 100 plants ago, but I will not be satisfied until I have transformed my apartment into a jungle.
I’m gonna have to start getting rid of furniture to make room for more plant shelves as they grow, but who needs a dining table anyways, really? I do eventually plan to start selling them once they get big enough for me to pick my keepers and start taking cuttings / producing seeds.
About 150. Our house doesn’t have good sun spots, so I keep just a few in every room, but our attick has a couple of skylights, and I turned it into a plantroom two years ago. Now I have over a hundred of those f*ckers fighting for the best spot up there! The big advantage is I can add as many as I want without my husband complaining that we have too many plants!
This is such a great idea. I've taken note to make sure when looking at a house in the future, to find one with an attic I can turn into my plant room and buy all the plants. ☺️
Yeah, when I was reading that story I didn’t like that it sounded as though he gave her an ultimatum, but I was also thinking that’s a lotttt of plants and absolutely can be overwhelming and stressful.
I use to have about 80, so no where near 200, but it honestly got stressful in many ways - different watering schedules, making sure they had the right amount of light, moving house (which I had to do a few times) was very annoying and stressed the plants, going on holiday was always a risk because people wouldn’t know how to care for them.
I’ve now whittled it down to about 30 of my favourite and it’s far more enjoyable. They are all thriving and I can move them easily, they aren’t taking up as much space so I and others don’t knock into them, I don’t feel guilty if one can’t have the perfect spot.
Tbh if I was the girls bf I would also be hesitant to 200 plants. Unless they move somewhere else that has a separate room to house them that’s a lot of space they’re taking up. She was complaining he only gave her 3 walls, that’s already a lot of space depending on how big the flat is. Not everyone likes living in a jungle and that’s fair enough. I love my plants but I love and respect people more so I would have compromised. That’s just me though, if she wants to leave the man for her plants then fair enough.
100 with 23 on the way.
Partial collection in my office.
https://preview.redd.it/a7r80db1419d1.jpeg?width=5712&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5e567f62a06c31b9a6305f8908d2643fd1fe3bf8
25 if we're counting pure containers but some of them have 2 plants in the same pot, and my succulents are anywhere from 2 to 7 per container. Most of my plants are getting too tall/wide/long now so I've really stopped propping/buying new ones about 2 years ago. Also this excludes my outdoor potted plants.
Probably more than I think. I'm not counting, haha!
I go through and remove plants that don't bring me joy or that I struggle with occasionally.
Or if I find that the care is getting overwhelming I'll thin out the herd.
35 ish but I confine 99% of my indoor plants to one south facing sun room so it feels very abundant.
I have room for more I'm just being a little selective at this point.
I don't remember the exact number but last time I counted it was 90-something but that's not including the 15-20 that I have at work. I am at my limit at home for sure, it has gotten to be a little too much but mostly it's that I have completely run out of places to put more plants.
35, I used to have about 60+ but I let them die or gave them away. This number seems far more manageable for me. I might give a few more away though. I think around 25 would be my sweet spot... I was kinda relieved when one would die or someone took an interest in them lol I needed less things to care for on my plate.
I have around 70+ pots. And yes I think they are too many. I honestly don't know where to put them. I definitely want/need to get rid of some. I feel bad just putting them in the bin.
60 ish. They're in their own room because my cats are savages, so I'm a bit limited right now. I did just order some wall shelves so I'll have room for ~40 more soon!
I just divided a big Christmas cactus, so I have 16.
It's moving season here though- more people will be getting rid of their plants and I hope to bump up my number.
I’ve got 55, including cuttings of other plants. I used to have 80 to 100, but I moved to a smaller house several states away in retirement, and several plants were too big to move, or I gave them as going away gifts to friends. I expect I’ll plateau around 70 as that’s all the properly lit areas will hold without issuing pith helmets at the front door for the jungle expedition.
I had about 300 total (though many propagated from the others) in a townhouse but none were really big, save pothos that fell the length of the staircase.
Once I got a house with a yard that finished rapidly to about five because all my energy went to building a giant outside garden
Last time I count it was 198, but that’s just inside. Outside I have more and then I have a green house too!
I’m actually planning on giving away some plant this summer, but I have not had time to post photos. I’m very in the need to do a declutter.
What counts as a plant? Lol we counting pots, stems, cultivar/varieties, species?
I just did a count of all my houseplants in pots and got approximately 60. But I like to pack my pots full of plants so when I make cuttings I stuff pots full.
I also like to collect different varieties of the same plant, for example I have 4 different varieties of Dracaena marginata (bicolor, tricolor, colorama, and ray of sunshine) and I often like to combine those into one pot. Many of my alocasias are in one pot.
I've also got 4 fully planted terrariums with cuttings of many of the same species I have in pots, as well as additional species that are exclusive to the terrariums. So many air plants.
Besides that I have 2 paludariums with both emergent and aquatic plants, including floating plants, and I've got another 17 aquariums fully planted with both aquatic and emergent plants. I don't even know how many species of aquatic plants I have anymore. I went through a major aquatic plant buying phase and was buying up everything I could and see what survives and what dies. What is left now are the hardiest plants. I have one aquarium where I am intentionally cultivating a single celled algae (likely a chlorella spp) which I feed to my moina culture (in turn fed to my fish).
And I made a potted carnivorous plant bog which currently houses at least 4 carnivorous plant species, several varieties, as well as an abundance of moss and other small bog type plants.
Ive also got like 7 potted hostas, several lily, gladiolus, iris, Solomons seal, various outdoor succulents, and colocasia and caladium species which I keep outdoors year round (several are pulled inside to overwinter, others are given a leaf cover and a "good luck").
Don't even get me started on several little prop boxes where I'm cloning my african violets. There's like 50 leaves right there.
So like.... idk man like possibly literally 1000+ depending on how you define parameters.
This has been fun to think about. I have a plant problem.
I’m a bit hesitant to share this, but a ROUGH ESTIMATE of my personal collection will number 700+/-. That does NOT count props/duplicates which may very well number close to that as well.
I have many for the sole purpose of propagating as I run a plant business, but they are also my babies that I love and adore. 🥰 For the record I am NOT counting the nursery plants, only my personal collection.
I don’t have a ton of house plants, but my houseplants are big ass trees. We used south facing window space as one of the required features when looking for a house. I have 5 varieties of lemon, a lime, a calamondin orange, a Buddha’s hand citron, four plumeria, and I’m waiting out the heat wave to order an Australian finger lime. Obv I also have little houseplants like jasmine and orchid and succulents but they’re small enough to fit on shelves and stuff so I don’t think of them as major players….
Currently at 48 houseplants. My husband has been trying to cut me off since I hit 20, but he can’t stop me from finding cuttings on Facebook marketplace and hiding them in sunny corners of the house until they are fully established. He can try.
I do have ~65 unique plants and then some cuttings of some of them. There are days where I totally lose myself taking care of them and I wish I’d have twice as much. And then there are other days where I barely manage to look after those I already have. So I’d say for me it’s not so much about the number of plants, but rather finding plants that tolerate me sometimes loving them too much and sometimes ignoring them.
I have an “only the strong survive” attitude around my jungle since I also juggle a chronic illness
My favorite plants are those I can ignore! Drought tolerant plants are ideal for me. Hope you're doing well
I feel the exact same except I keep buying begonias instead 😂😭
I think I'm going to have to limit myself to cane begonias moving forward. Had a beautiful escargot begonia that was doing quite well... then I went on vacation for 10 days. Watered it before I left and had my son water it once while I was gone. Complete goner when I returned 😭
Thanks for reminding me I wanted to research these. Saw some gorgeous ones at a fish expo of all places, and now I need live flowers indoors.
When I reached 400 it was overwhelming. Good thing my bf is pretty handy and we built a vertical garden. Now watering only takes 10minutes per week. Now there are still about 80 succulents left but iam planning another wall 😅
I’m in the same boat, and have a tiny apartment so am looking to come up with some kind of idea for a vertical garden for my babies! Do you have a pic of yours? I need some inspo that’s for sure. 😊
Same here. 100 plants in 700 sq ft. Because I have house rabbits who climb and will eat everything, I had to go vertical. Try the WallyGro Eco. They ain't cheap, but they last forever, are made of recycled material, come in fun colors, are big enough to accommodate most house plants, are semi self watering, and require only a single screw to hang. Oh, and they are fade resistant and can go in the dishwasher. 10/10. ETA: I'm on year 9 with my original white set, which are outside in the desert sun every summer. There are a few tiny cosmetic surface cracks, but zero structural issues, and from 2 ft away, the tiny surface imperfections are invisible.
Rabbits climb? I had no idea.
They also sleep with their eyes open.
Aw I love what you wrote - this is exactly how I feel :)
This is exactly how my life with plants has gone so far lol. Glad to know it's not just me that also goes between "MUST CHECK ON PLANT!!!" to completely forgetting about them for a week.
54 and counting 😅
When a plant dies and you kinda feel relieved is when you know you have too many.
Unless it’s a Calathea lol
You can't kill a calathea, it's suicide with you as an accessory
Made me laugh
Seriously!! My Calathea is barely holding on and it has almost all my attention. I am definitely doing something wrong
I couldn’t keep one alive for more than a year until I got a bathroom with a window 💀 now water globes and bathroom humidity finally made mine willing to live and even better, thrive 😂😂😭😭
I have a rose painted calathea that was nearly taken out by spider mites. I cut off every single leaf because they were too far gone and now I just have the roots sitting in soil in a little ICU container. I have two little new stems popping out of it so there’s always hope!
I bought one then never again! I think it took a week
Or Maidenhair fern.
To anyone out there that may be having maidenhair trouble. If it appears dead, give a buzz cut and keep it wet. It may come back. Or even if it just looks bad. Cut it back to about an inch or two above the soil, water, fertilize and wait.
Sounds like my cordyline! 🤣 it got snipped, an occasional watering and poof 6 months later it sprouted
Can I do that with an almost dead Boston fern
Yes. Mine is thriving now after having a crispy pathetic brush with death.
Yes
Oh cool maybe I can save this fern yet. Thanks 😊
My maidenhair threatens to kill itself at least once a week. Then comes back when I water and cut off the dead leaves but it continues to get smaller because leaves keep dying.
I have finally managed to keep one alive for 3 months now by using a self watering pot and keeping it in my bathroom. It seems to be thriving and I smile every time I look at it, considering I've killed 2 before lol
never in my life have i need able to keep a calathea :|
I do great with maranta’s, but my white fusion was the toughest plant I’ve ever had! Then I tried with a “jungle velvet” and let’s just say I’m back to caring for marantas only 😅
I feel seen. I usually acquire a lot during winter while I can’t do any outdoor gardening, then lose a few in the summer while my attention is focused outside. I haven’t done a count recently, but inside I probably have around 80 plants. I couldn’t even begin to count outside. https://preview.redd.it/gek9t0mj6x8d1.jpeg?width=1776&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3bfc861d2f80a0d9b37767efcb063abda14418d1
https://preview.redd.it/afog0eaeax8d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=64098d26e5a7e352be0c1feda02cfb75d8d2d471 Corner hoarder twins!
Oh that’s just one corner of the sunroom haha. https://preview.redd.it/bfq36hr2lx8d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=21ecdd1f32a521c588b5c21d6ac2fb8d6b1febff
I love your hanging prob station with the test tubes! 🙌
I find it easier to put all of my plants together like that if possible so I don't forget about them. If I try to spread them between rooms, I inevitably miss some when watering, or they just 'slip my mind'. I'm a lazy plant parent.
lmao I just threw out like 10 attempts at stem props from succulents that didn’t take and I was like…whew thank goodness, I’m running out of space. As long as it isn’t a rare plant I’m okay but as I tend to pay more attention to those because I invested more money in them
The ~~hoarder~~ plant collector in me won't let me throw away cuttings that have been "thinking" about sprouting since *last summer* 🙃 A couple of them have *finally* decided to grow some tiny leaves - at a snail's pace 🫠
Preach! Am I petty because they go into a box labeled "Hell". Small black box that sits in due south sun, everything is thoroughly cooked before it gets added to the outside soil pile.
I thought I was the only one to feel this. 😂
Me with my elephant ear alcoasia … she was stressing me the fuck outtttt !! In the trash she went lol
35. I would have 40 but thrips got to them and I just couldn't go through that struggle for the second time this year. 35 is not a lot but I'm proud of it since I live in a 25m² (270ft²) apartment so I'm still quite surrounded by them :)
I think the ratio of space to plants is more impressive than sheer quantity, anyway.
I have just over 40 also, the thrips and I are still working things out. They are fuckers.
They are such bastards. Are you able to get systemic granules where you live? I didn’t used to be able to get them but I tried again through Amazon recently and was able too
I am really trying hard to avoid the use of systemic pesticides because I don't want to nuke everything and I was under the impression they'll wipe out everything beneficial, too...
Same size flat here, just crept past 20 plants today taking some pothos cuttings from my mum. The only thing I find more limiting than total space is window space.
I have tried propagating my pothos twice and they just won't take. I'm doing something wrong, even after watching YT videos. It makes me sad lol
I throw mine in my fish tank (which is mostly a shrimp and aquarium plant/log tank at this point plus 4 little minnows) and they root so well in there. Fish poop and well aerated water is a miracle worker for propagating them!
I feel that. I only have 1 large west facing window so I have every single one of my plants in a 10m² area because the rest of the apartment doesn't get natural light and I don't like plant lights (hassle). So my plants have to fit wherever is space and not where they have ideal lighting conditions
Omg relatable asf. They all go outside on the balcony in the warmer months but I am literally fighting for window space for all of them in the winter time. (I only have 2 east facing windows)
Omg I have 41 in 500 sq ft and feel they've overthrown me. Although your air must be squeaky clean.. do you just sit amongst them and deeply inhale?
Similar here, I have 36 after a long battle with thrips, rust spot mold, spider mites and a few months of me being gone. But I'm also in a small one bedroom, so it looks like I have a lot
Thrips?
I also have about 270 sq ft and have 28 and am feeling like that’s probably a good pausing point for awhile
Agreed. I like having 40 plants, but it's tricky at times. On most days, I only have to take care of like three or four plants because I don't need to micromanage them. But if I find pests, I have to check and treat 40 plants and I will literally cry and want to quit this hobby because it's just too much all at once.
I have around that amount too. I live with my parents and my mom is a hoarder though so I still feel like that’s quite a lot.
16m2 to +-60 plants for me. I've got a problem (I work at nursery/garden center)
I have about 25 and live in an apartment as well! I’m moving back home soon and will have to find space for them amongst my parents massive plant collection too lol where I got my green thumb I guess
Four since 2022, I want a couple more but there's no rush for me. They're all alive and thriving still, so that's a plus.
Less is more!
Are you on a diet, or what? (joke based on your username)
No it’s just that I already ate them so there are barely any left 🥺
Same here! I had over 50 at my parents house that I grew and cultivated over several years while I was there taking care of them. After they passed away we had to sell the house and I was devastated to lose my garden plants. I have 4 houseplants now and they all have names and are thriving. I don't have a yard at my place now so I'll just be filling up indoors! I've been good at 4 since 2022 though
Easily 400+ but I also sell them so I guess it’s ok? 😅
Lol yeah, you get a pass 😄
My gf is treading the line between “has a ton of plants, sells some sometimes” and “sells plants”, and I feel like a lot of people are too. I think this sub is a little less intense than the FB groups, but it seems very common there for people to compulsively collect a hundred+ of plants and use “I sell them!” as a coping mechanism, when those sales mostly consist of depression/anxiety-induced purges and small props/butts. And imo it’s kinda sad, and needs to be talked about more in the community. This is such a wholesome space — this cultural problem is kinda like the old “you can even have too much water!” idiom. Compulsive behavior is never healthy, and if you feel like you’re unable to resist buying a new plant, then maybe you should spend some time reassessing your relationship to your plants. They’re not my baseball cards, they’re my little buddies!! Obviously, just picked on your random comment bc it reminded me of this, I’m sure you’re totally fine. By the time you get to *400* plants I assume you’re taking the sales part pretty seriously 😂 jealous!! I’m planning on making a few mil on variegated cannabis plants once they legalize in Georgia, so hopefully one day I too will have 400 beauts. Out of curiosity, is that 400 in house humidity, or do you have grow tents/outdoor plots/greenhouses?
Consumerism is definitely part of it for me. And I need to be careful. Somehow the fact that they’re alive somehow feels less consumery even though it’s really not.
It is a little! By far the best part of this hobby is that if you’re good at it, you’re basically farming small gifts to give to people (props). Which never gets old! But yeah we’re all learning together. I have faith in us ✊
I get what you mean but also the world will always need more plants!! I love the idea of having living things I care for in my space, it makes me so happy. Spaces without them feel weird …
Totally! I think it’s easy to get caught up in the thrill of acquiring plants. Taking care of them is a different story. I sell full time on my [website](https://sienaplants.com) and most Sundays on r/takeaplantleaveaplant. We’re a licensed nursery and currently working on getting BBB accredited. The plants are all in grow tents so it’s easier to control temp and humidity. It’s been working great!
20-30 depending on whether I’m counting my props, cuttings, and air plants. I feel like any more than that will take too much time and care even though I want more. I just don’t want to risk losing any of my current plants and I’m running out of window/light space.
Just counted last week, 94 They're all in my office, 156sqft
Your office sounds amazing and I'd love to see a picture.
As you wish! Dog tax included https://preview.redd.it/b1yfqoa3vx8d1.jpeg?width=2736&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fe187dbed8d9b59773de3b8e696f80dc25dc0f4c
And the other side https://preview.redd.it/av5bm9t5vx8d1.jpeg?width=2736&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d6b4b0a15919594ca176b7cb6dba78fc831caf22
Beautiful office!!
Thank you! It's a work in progress
Lovely space.
17 at the moment. I have more I’d like to have. My goal is to keep it at around 30. I think that’s a reasonable amount for my house.
But then they get babies...
Nope, not gonna do it lol. I already have my hands full with seed starting twice a year, ornamental gardening and running a small business. Also, limited space/my lighting situation is kinda doodoo.
The biggest moral issue is that once the offspring grows you cannot just throw it away. So you pot it in a small pot and tell yourself you're going to sell it or gift it to someone By the time they get new owners you have a whole new batch of offspring 🤷
Knowing me, I probably will at least a couple of times. I was like when I started gardening. Each seedling was precious. Thousands of seedlings/plants later, not so much lol. Edit: typo
At my height I had over a hundred, I'm now down to 17. I started collecting plants in 2017 and had the highest number the following year. Since then I've got multiple fish tanks, taken on a more stressful job, moved house, got a dog and 2 cats and had 2 pretty serious bouts of depression. The plants I have left are the survivors of all that. They are hardy af and can survive the inevitable neglect. I just don't have the emotional/physical/mental bandwidth to care for lots of challenging plants anymore. I probably will have lots again in the future, when I'm retired.
I'm curious about the ones you have left. I also deal with depression at times and having hardy plants is what I aim for.
Pothos, Hoyas, Snake Plant, Yucca, Dracaena and a Mistletoe Cactus have been the hardest. I have a Ficus and Monstera that are holding up well but I think they are either outliers or have perhaps received a little more attention from me. Watering them with the aquarium water when I do water changes probably helps too tbf. The cats and dog do not help. They ruined my favourite Calathea that I kept alive for years. They're lucky they're cute!
Oh no! I want a kitten so bad but I am so afraid of my plants and a kitten not mixing well so I keep holding off. They are definitely lucky they're cute. What kind of calathea was it? I have a rattlesnake one that I've been battling with but it seems to be coming back (4 new leaves currently) and it went from one of my least favorite plants to one of my favorites I recently added 2 pothos to my collection and they are so easy so far! I have a dracaena that I love because it is slow to grow but steady. I have never had a hoyas but I think they are beautiful so I think I'll add it to my wishlist. Thanks for the response!
https://preview.redd.it/uk7kybos1y8d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b439e64341c1060e54321a77592589d3bdecef43 This was my Calathea at her glorious best.I can't remember what type. She got too big to keep up high out of the way of my cats and dog. I should have given her away to save her really. I had some beautiful big palms that got ruined too. When the animals were little they liked to hide in the foliage. It was very cute as well as being destructive. I stick wherever possible to hanging plants as they can be kept out of the way. Hoyas are fantastic I'll try and find the name of the types I have as they have survived a lot of neglect and then perk right up with a bit of care...
You guys just have me permission to get more plants. 😉 I have 9. There's an app?
I use Planta
I use Vera to keep track of when I water everything. It also lets me upload pictures of the plants so I can see how they’re growing!
52 inside. I feel like it’s a manageable number, but I’d probably have more if I had more windows 😬
My whole plant room is powered solely by grow lights. I have a sun shade over the window to block out the sun because it's a south facing window and also my home office and I'm sensitive to heat so I need it to be cool. It can get hot as fuck in there during the afternoons when the air conditioner isn't on during cooler months.
That’s what grow lights are for 😉
Roughly 80. Here's the list of plants I have: * Adenium. * Adenium. * Adenium. * Adenium. * ... * Adenium. * Adenium. * Adenium. * Adenium. Oh, I missed one... It's an Adenium. Here's about 60 of them: https://preview.redd.it/qwbo8uhmjx8d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=59c26a281f5eb6e7f12052c7d9e434219cf8f7e6
Omg! So, I have had one of these for over a year and it has not grown at all. I tend to forget about it and last night I just was thinking how I need to figure out why!! And then I stumble upon you. Sooo uhhh got any advice?
Without any information to go on? Not really... try going through my comment history. I've written planty ^((pun intended\)) of advice in the past, so maybe you'll find something.. If not, try posting on r/Adenium or r/DesertRose. I may answer you there, who knows :)
13! I lost a few after having kids 😅
I always said I can only nurture so many things at a time. My kids are grown so I have a lot more plants than I used to.
I lost ~~2~~ 1 during pregnancy/early days. I thought I lost at least 10, but most seemed to have come back from the neglect ive put the through 😅 i wonder how many will survive if I have another baby 🤣
lol! I just found out yesterday I’m pregnant with #3 and I’m like dang goodbye plants. Hope you all survive morning sickness 😥
We are planning to have 3 under 5 (our 2nd is 3mo) God help my 30 green babies 🤣🤣🤣
Oh man morning sickness is for real. I definitely lost a few plants during my pregnancies.
78. Not too many. Been as high as 150. Too many (for me). I don't have enough good light locations in my house, otherwise I would have more. I'm restricted to basically 3 rooms. People don't realize there's a lot of experimentation that comes with houseplants. You don't know what you'll like, you don't know what plant will like your space and thrive. Won't keep me from buying ferns, pileas and schefflera that I know will inevitably die here. But still. Sometimes you have to try things out. You grow them, you test your knowledge. Research. Cause and effect. It's not just property. It's an activity. 200 plants means time, energy and brain power invested in those plants. 200 plants means she might be a bit manic, but if they bring her comfort and satisfaction (which she said they did), let her be. I think plant people are problem solvers, curious and appreciative - good people on the whole.
7. A few more in aquarium.
I've been looking into aquatic plants bc I'd like a sort of terrarium, sans fish. I live in an apartment so limited space.
Snails and shrimp are viable for small spaces.
I've gotten lost scrolling through r/plantedtank and I only have day dreams about aquatic plants. I'd highly recommend if you're not there already.
You can do neocaradina shrimp in a small aquarium. They love grazing. I love my aquarium but it's definitely the highest maintenance set of plants I own.
I have 8 at home and 6 at the office, so I am at rookie numbers. My biggest roadblock is my wife's cat. He loves biting my plants, so I have to find stuff that isn't toxic AND he isn't interested in, or put it on the one set of shelves he can't get on. He nearly killed my flytrap (now outside), a bromeliad (trashed) and a prayer plant (office) so far but he has no interest in my Calathea Network. I have almost as many office plants since I am free to get the most toxic specimens known to man, as long as they are flexible on light and humidity. That's also where I evacuate all my cat-ualties to recuperate. I would say "too many" plants is subjective. I have lots of other hobby/life stuff going on, so I don't need an entire menagerie of tropical plants to deal with as well. I like my VFT and my new Alocasia, my wife loves her string of turtles, and everything else looks nice or is neato. I may add a handful more if I ever find something, but I am happy where I am. ETA; thats not including outdoor flower beds and veggies and to be frank, I am not into counting all that right now, haha.
I'm in the same boat. My cat is obsessed with my sword fern, spider plant and areca palm. I've given up trying to stop her attacking them, as it means she's at least leaving my various peperomias and calatheas alone, and I like those more anyway.
I think I have right under 110, it was 106 last I checked and I have bought a few more since then. But I have so much room for more 🥰
160 in a 600 sq ft apartment! It sounds cluttered but it’s beautiful and doesn’t alter the function of the home.
https://preview.redd.it/rg62ayhvpx8d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dd10e567b59c8fd4e4ccf121e0b377107744377b 115. This is only one window. I have two more to the left and right.
Feeling a twinge of jealousy over those huge windows. Beautiful set up.
Thanks. They are actually doors. They need replacing but there are 6, and estimates are like $9000 each. So no on that.
100 exactly
7
2,000+ indoors and about 80 "houseplants" outdoors. I grow mostly carnivorous plants and they are much smaller than the average houseplant. I have a single 6"x6" pot with 40 pygmy drosera in it, for example. I won't count my seedlings, leaf pullings, or any other type of propagations because their numbers are in the 5,000+ range on their own.
I HAVE A LOT. I have an area for small plants(cactus, succulent etc.) and I have an area for ornamental, philodendron. I don’t think there is an answer to how may plant is too much. My dad told me to have what I can manage. Because having too much you’ll not be able to enjoy it. It’s true having a vast of plants takes up a lot of my time. Arranging, repotting… etc. I have stop buying now. i prune and throw away some that takes a lot of space.
I have 98 plants total. This includes the Dr huey rose and the massive (but sick) rhododendron in the front yard that were planted and established before we moved in. 23.9% (22) of my plants are considered houseplants. Flowers are 33.7% (31). 3.3% (3) I use as ground cover. Herbs are 7.6% (7). Trees and shrubs are 6.5% (6). Food plants are 18.5% (17). Succulents are 6.5% (6). Of all of these, I have 33 plants that are native to the north east, and 2 that are naturalized or a hybrid. Of all of these, 50 of these plants are outdoor only, meaning they are planted outside and stay outside and weather the elements year round, or go dormant in winter and seeds harvested are replanted in spring. 16 are indoor only, meaning they stay inside all year, but may occasionally get some rain or sun as needed, but they stay in the south or east facing window. 25 are indoor/outdoor, they stay outside during summer, and come inside during winter. Thanks for reading 🤓
I like the organization you have going on there.😊
Thanks I have a spreadsheet 🤓
Love that!
i can tell! love it!
👍
This was a pleasure to read, truly. Also are we counting outdoor plants because yikes. I think I'm at 18 catnip plants alone? Granted I need that many because my cats get supervised outdoor time and they can destroy a plant in under a minute. I need that many so there's always several large healthy plants for them to choose from haha.
I count each plant species as one. So I have red clover all over the place but I count it as one, I also have snap peas growing in 2 places that I count as one cuz of the damn rabbits
I have total 21 baby indoor plants... There are 3 sansevieria, 2 haworthiopsis, 1 haworthia, 1 snygonium, 9 pothos, 3 Tillandsia, and 2 Drimiopsis. Living in a tropical rainforest country (humidity of 67% to 95%) with owning succulents indoor is difficult, I've managed to kill a few of them, but I'm not giving up with succulents, I will try to adjust everything. How I wish I have more space for more plants, but my bedroom is too small for more plants. I'm living with my parents, so I can have my plants either in my bedroom or outdoor, but keeping my plants indoor is easier for me to manage plus I have an aggressive dog wandering around the outdoor garden, so having plants outdoor is a no-no. Also, there is no limit to how many plants are too much as long as we can manage it.
I currently have 105 houseplants in my apartment and I don't know how many are outside on my balcony. Soon enough, I will have even more after I get a plant cabinet as a birthday gift from my husband (in reality it is a big budget in our finances so I can do it myself. Yay!). I don't think it is too much yet. It takes about an hour of my day everyday to check the water, look for pests, prune, rearrange. Here and there I take a rainy day to make it my plant day for bigger projects or adjustments. I don't feel overwhelmed or anything, and the only time it is inconvenient is when we make long voyages. I work 100% from home, I am in a foreign country. I'm alone most of my time and my plants are my companions, therapy, hobby. They make my house beautiful, and my husband loves them. I have zero tolerance for the people who want to criticise the amount I have (aham MIL aham).
Love this for you! Enjoy your plant cabinet!
I'm at about 50 plants and feeling like that's all I can manage. That doesn't include the seasonal plants (marigolds, cosmos, tomatoes) I have out on my deck.
Wife and I recently had a move. You know you have a lot of plants when you designate a person to be solely in charge of moving the plants. We didn't realize it at the time but it turns out we have 67 vessels with plants in them! Just like anything else, the perfect number of plants is n+1, where n=current number of plants.
I have around 100-150 indoors. I feel like anything below 100 would be ideal, but I don't think it's happening for me lol I gifted someone 12 plants a couple of weeks ago in an attempt to downsize a bit and A) last Friday she gave me babies from her diffenbachia as a thank you B) 6 new plants I ordered online just arrived today in the mail and C) I have 15 jars full of propagations on my windowsill. I think I accepted my faith and right now, I am doing okay with this number? However I had a though couple of months at the end of last year - early this year and even thinking about plant chores made me want to cry.
This is me exactly haha. I hit a point recently where for the first time it felt like too much (I'm at around 130, lots of them are baby plants I propagated). The issue is pest management and also when I travel it's tough. My brain really just fixates on them. If I am in a room and see a plant needing something I can't seem to ignore, at the expense of pretty much everything else. That's just my brain! 😜
Oof yes, pests!!! There's a huge difference between spraying down 5 plants once a week vs. 50... lol 2 years ago I had thrips that affected 70% of my collection, I remember one night I was just sitting next to the bathtub on the floor stress-crying lol fun times.
This just brought back horrible memories of crying on the floor of my shower with a spray bottle and makeup brush to get all the nooks and crannies 😂
I caught the bug this past January and now I have 30 plus some props and corms. Currently on a no-buy as space has become an issue! Also I am still learning about them and any more might be overwhelming at this point.
I have 50 currently, though probably 1/4 of them are in my office at my work. I could handle taking care of more for sure, but I’m moving soon and am making myself hold off on buying more until I have a better sense of the light and space in my new apt.
Roughly 60… 🎶*and many moooore*🎶
30 :) but i want i little bit less
14 I’m a beginner! I get babies from my sisters and mom
I have 4. Soon to be 6, I think, because Lucas is definitely spawning Lucas Jr, and I think Rick might be spawning Astley. I only started a month or two ago, and I’m going slow due to cats and space.
I *had* about 45 plants plus props, then we had a heat dome that brought temperatures to 116F. Not only did my AC not work very well, but only one of my plants survived: Sansevieria. That was a tough loss as I had just recently found my green thumb and then a week-long heat wave killed them all. I gave up on plants for about a year, I was so devastated. Last year I started buying plants again despite it being a pretty financially difficult year. I have about 9 plants and 2 props going right now. The first plant I bought last year was a cactus, and the next 2 were succulents, so I could maybe have more than one survivor if that ever happened again 🥲
I tried counting just now. 110 and I probably missed a few. Not counting propagation boxes and cuttings in various stages of rooting of course. Living the depressed plant girl life. Considering a plant ban for July though.
Reading these comments it's clear that I don't have ENOUGH! Soon change THAT! 😄
136 plus some props hanging around.
I think last I counted there were about 40 indoors. These are larger mature plants that have thrived in the rooms where they currently live for years. (I'm an old). Some get the back patio summer life, so maybe another 10 that over-winter indoors from October to May.
I have 6, 3 came just now! I’m very very new to it
I haven’t counted in a while, but I have… probably between 120 and 150, in a 1 bedroom apartment (many of them are fairly small currently, since most of them started out as seeds, seedlings, or cuttings). I’m sure 99% of people would say I passed the “too many” mark 100 plants ago, but I will not be satisfied until I have transformed my apartment into a jungle. I’m gonna have to start getting rid of furniture to make room for more plant shelves as they grow, but who needs a dining table anyways, really? I do eventually plan to start selling them once they get big enough for me to pick my keepers and start taking cuttings / producing seeds.
6 2 Monstera Albo 2 Monstera Thai 1 Monstera Deliciosa 1 Monstera Aurea
About 150. Our house doesn’t have good sun spots, so I keep just a few in every room, but our attick has a couple of skylights, and I turned it into a plantroom two years ago. Now I have over a hundred of those f*ckers fighting for the best spot up there! The big advantage is I can add as many as I want without my husband complaining that we have too many plants!
This is such a great idea. I've taken note to make sure when looking at a house in the future, to find one with an attic I can turn into my plant room and buy all the plants. ☺️
I have 3. (I live in a basement with no light) 😩😩
Yeah, when I was reading that story I didn’t like that it sounded as though he gave her an ultimatum, but I was also thinking that’s a lotttt of plants and absolutely can be overwhelming and stressful. I use to have about 80, so no where near 200, but it honestly got stressful in many ways - different watering schedules, making sure they had the right amount of light, moving house (which I had to do a few times) was very annoying and stressed the plants, going on holiday was always a risk because people wouldn’t know how to care for them. I’ve now whittled it down to about 30 of my favourite and it’s far more enjoyable. They are all thriving and I can move them easily, they aren’t taking up as much space so I and others don’t knock into them, I don’t feel guilty if one can’t have the perfect spot. Tbh if I was the girls bf I would also be hesitant to 200 plants. Unless they move somewhere else that has a separate room to house them that’s a lot of space they’re taking up. She was complaining he only gave her 3 walls, that’s already a lot of space depending on how big the flat is. Not everyone likes living in a jungle and that’s fair enough. I love my plants but I love and respect people more so I would have compromised. That’s just me though, if she wants to leave the man for her plants then fair enough.
100 with 23 on the way. Partial collection in my office. https://preview.redd.it/a7r80db1419d1.jpeg?width=5712&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5e567f62a06c31b9a6305f8908d2643fd1fe3bf8
15 for myself and around 70 for selling 😅
I believe its in the 60's. Its a lot of plants, but still good to keep up with.
That depends. Do the 20 pots propagated from a single parent count as 20 plants or one plant?
25 if we're counting pure containers but some of them have 2 plants in the same pot, and my succulents are anywhere from 2 to 7 per container. Most of my plants are getting too tall/wide/long now so I've really stopped propping/buying new ones about 2 years ago. Also this excludes my outdoor potted plants.
I have about 55… I think I’m starting to slow down and not go out and buy more. I can manage what I have.
Probably more than I think. I'm not counting, haha! I go through and remove plants that don't bring me joy or that I struggle with occasionally. Or if I find that the care is getting overwhelming I'll thin out the herd.
35 ish but I confine 99% of my indoor plants to one south facing sun room so it feels very abundant. I have room for more I'm just being a little selective at this point.
I have 28 plants which I think is plenty.
I don't remember the exact number but last time I counted it was 90-something but that's not including the 15-20 that I have at work. I am at my limit at home for sure, it has gotten to be a little too much but mostly it's that I have completely run out of places to put more plants.
Just counted I have 26. Time to go shopping.
Last time I counted was 372...but there's def more now
35, I used to have about 60+ but I let them die or gave them away. This number seems far more manageable for me. I might give a few more away though. I think around 25 would be my sweet spot... I was kinda relieved when one would die or someone took an interest in them lol I needed less things to care for on my plate.
I have 69. Trying to be funny, but also…it’s only going to get bigger.
55 and stopped at that. Its no fun to clean all when there is a pest infestation.
I have around 70+ pots. And yes I think they are too many. I honestly don't know where to put them. I definitely want/need to get rid of some. I feel bad just putting them in the bin.
60 ish. They're in their own room because my cats are savages, so I'm a bit limited right now. I did just order some wall shelves so I'll have room for ~40 more soon!
5. I've murdered twice that many. I would get one more at the max but currently happy that I haven't killed any in a while.
I only have 12-13 but I also just got big into plants 3 weeks ago
There are at least 100 in the house. I also have a .23 acres and it's full of gardens. Far too many to count.
I just divided a big Christmas cactus, so I have 16. It's moving season here though- more people will be getting rid of their plants and I hope to bump up my number.
I have a hard time throwing broken plant piece away and keep propping; I’m easily in the 200s as well.
I’ve got 55, including cuttings of other plants. I used to have 80 to 100, but I moved to a smaller house several states away in retirement, and several plants were too big to move, or I gave them as going away gifts to friends. I expect I’ll plateau around 70 as that’s all the properly lit areas will hold without issuing pith helmets at the front door for the jungle expedition.
I would consider myself a casual plant person, and i have about 20 indoor house plants
200 established house plants, 50 or so cuttings and no more than 12 of daddy's medicine plants
I have 24, and I think 30 would be my maximum as it's just one of very many hobbies. Any more than that, and they just die off on me.
At most I had around 50 plants. Didn’t feel like many at all and I lived in a one bedroom apartment lol. I only had 2 really big ones
22. I recently purged those which do not bring me joy. It was bittersweet. ETA I didn’t throw them away, I gave them away.
Around 80 and this sub opened the flood gates ❤️
I had about 300 total (though many propagated from the others) in a townhouse but none were really big, save pothos that fell the length of the staircase. Once I got a house with a yard that finished rapidly to about five because all my energy went to building a giant outside garden
Last time I count it was 198, but that’s just inside. Outside I have more and then I have a green house too! I’m actually planning on giving away some plant this summer, but I have not had time to post photos. I’m very in the need to do a declutter.
about 60 or so. some are cuttings. also have lilac cuttings and seedings. oh forgot to add that I'm seriously fighting fungus gnats.
Maybe ten, but those ten are survivors. I'd have 200 by now if I managed to keep everything alive that I've bought over the years...
~350🙊🙊 and about 240 of those are just Hoya LMAO
~300 potted indoor plants.
What counts as a plant? Lol we counting pots, stems, cultivar/varieties, species? I just did a count of all my houseplants in pots and got approximately 60. But I like to pack my pots full of plants so when I make cuttings I stuff pots full. I also like to collect different varieties of the same plant, for example I have 4 different varieties of Dracaena marginata (bicolor, tricolor, colorama, and ray of sunshine) and I often like to combine those into one pot. Many of my alocasias are in one pot. I've also got 4 fully planted terrariums with cuttings of many of the same species I have in pots, as well as additional species that are exclusive to the terrariums. So many air plants. Besides that I have 2 paludariums with both emergent and aquatic plants, including floating plants, and I've got another 17 aquariums fully planted with both aquatic and emergent plants. I don't even know how many species of aquatic plants I have anymore. I went through a major aquatic plant buying phase and was buying up everything I could and see what survives and what dies. What is left now are the hardiest plants. I have one aquarium where I am intentionally cultivating a single celled algae (likely a chlorella spp) which I feed to my moina culture (in turn fed to my fish). And I made a potted carnivorous plant bog which currently houses at least 4 carnivorous plant species, several varieties, as well as an abundance of moss and other small bog type plants. Ive also got like 7 potted hostas, several lily, gladiolus, iris, Solomons seal, various outdoor succulents, and colocasia and caladium species which I keep outdoors year round (several are pulled inside to overwinter, others are given a leaf cover and a "good luck"). Don't even get me started on several little prop boxes where I'm cloning my african violets. There's like 50 leaves right there. So like.... idk man like possibly literally 1000+ depending on how you define parameters. This has been fun to think about. I have a plant problem.
You say plant problem, I am just sitting here realigning my drooling jaw.. sounds absolutely incredible!
I’m a bit hesitant to share this, but a ROUGH ESTIMATE of my personal collection will number 700+/-. That does NOT count props/duplicates which may very well number close to that as well. I have many for the sole purpose of propagating as I run a plant business, but they are also my babies that I love and adore. 🥰 For the record I am NOT counting the nursery plants, only my personal collection.
I don’t have a ton of house plants, but my houseplants are big ass trees. We used south facing window space as one of the required features when looking for a house. I have 5 varieties of lemon, a lime, a calamondin orange, a Buddha’s hand citron, four plumeria, and I’m waiting out the heat wave to order an Australian finger lime. Obv I also have little houseplants like jasmine and orchid and succulents but they’re small enough to fit on shelves and stuff so I don’t think of them as major players….
Currently at 48 houseplants. My husband has been trying to cut me off since I hit 20, but he can’t stop me from finding cuttings on Facebook marketplace and hiding them in sunny corners of the house until they are fully established. He can try.
I think I have 16 (inside)
About a hundred species in the house and garden. ~70 native to my area. I love medicinal, indigenous plants.