A Different Approach to Raising Plants for the Beginner
Let’s get one thing straight: just because you haven’t been successful with plants yet doesn’t mean you never will be. Like anything, growing healthy plants requires knowledge, experiences, and time. In this present age, many of us could successfully live without ever growing a plant. But for thousands of years, mankind has depended on plants. It is possible to learn how to have a happy house full of flourishing plant life.
But I’m Just Not a Plant Person
Typically, when we’re not good at something right away, we assume we’re just “not that person,” we just can’t do that thing. We cast aside the thought of ever being good at or understanding it. I’ve created this series to challenge that way of thinking.
Here’s how this looks when growing plants: Someone is successful with a few plants right off the bat and we say they have a green thumb; they are “good with plants.” On the other hand, when our plants die, we say we have a brown thumb. We say we are “bad with plants,” or even more dramatically, we are “plant killers.”
It’s extremely tempting to fall into this pattern of thinking. We use it to protect our tender ego and save ourselves from shame or frustration when something doesn’t work out. But we are not stagnant beings with a limited capacity of skills. We can learn and grow. And we’ll be happier when we do so.
Why do Plants Seem so Hard?
Our world is oversaturated with systems and instant access. Push the right buttons and our machines will do what we tell them. Everything is instant. We have to deal less and less with failing, making mistakes, and most tragically, learning, because so many things can be done for us. Raising plants takes us out of this instant world.
Caring for plants can make us happier and healthier people. It’s rewarding to see the results of our efforts. But if you stop here and go buy a bunch of plants to fill your home, you’re missing out on an important reality check: caring for plants is not always easy. You will likely lose some plants along your journey.
Most people make the mistake of experiencing this and never trying plants again. But losing a few plant babies has no reflection on your future ability to care for plants. This is simply part of the process. The elation you’ll feel from pushing through and trying again will far outweigh the pain of losing a few plant babies. As everything in life: try try again!
Forget Everything You’ve Been Told: 4 Things You Should Actually Know
I am by no means a plant expert. But I do own over a dozen. And the dead of winter has left me watching every plant and gardening video and snatching every plant-related book off the library shelves that I can find.
Most resources, I’ve noticed, have some holes. This may sound presumptuous to say as a non-plant expert. But experts do not always remember what it’s like to be a beginner. And you must return to being a beginner in order to teach a beginner.
In response to the resources I’ve consumed and as a reflection of my own experiences which I know will help you, here is a different approach: 4 things you should actually know when raising plants.
#1: Be Observant
It’s simple enough for a plant expert to create a plant care tag, guide, or video and say: here’s this plant, it needs this much sunlight and this much water, etc. Boom! Go have fun. But here’s something important you should actually know:
Care tips are guidelines that are generally true. It’s up to you as the plant parent to observe your plant and learn what it may need.
Even for indoor plants, the weekly care you may give the exact same plant will look slightly different for someone living in California compared to Arizona, Texas, Michigan, or New York. Even two houses in the same city may care for their plants differently based on how their home is set up and where they choose to place their plants. Consider the following:
- The exact direction your window faces
- How much sunlight comes through the window
- Whether your plant is in a kitchen, bedroom, or bathroom
- If you use a grow light or use natural light
- How porous your pot is
- What soil you use
- How much you water when you do water
Each element will bring a slightly different care requirement. I say this not to overwhelm you, but actually to comfort you. So many people follow plant care guidelines and their plant still dies.
At this point, they assume it’s their fault. They are simply a plant killer.
Hold up.
Maybe you live in a very dry climate like southern Arizona and all you need to do is water your plant more frequently than the general guidelines recommend. This is why you must be observant. Check on your plants regularly instead of relying on a formulated watering schedule that may or may not be accurate for you or your plant. Ask:
Is your plant drooping today or is it perky and happy?
Is the soil soaking wet or dry to the touch?
Are your leaves becoming crispy and dry at the ends?
How did your plant respond to being watered, fertilized, or repotted?
Make it part of your daily routine to observe your plants. Even every few days will do. Go in for a close up and feel the leaves and soil. You must get close to ensure there are no pests and know whether or not they are really doing well.
Absolutely follow the general guidelines. But as you observe daily or weekly, take note of how your unique environment may require an alteration.
In other words, be a pirate: “The code is more what you’d call ‘guidelines’ than actual rules.”
#2: Sometimes it Just Doesn’t Work Out
This one is a hard pill to swallow. And it’s something most plant guides don’t address. Let’s jump in and rip off the band-aid:
Sometimes plants just don’t make it.
Sure, sometimes it’s directly your fault: overwatered, underwatered, too much light, not enough light. But these mistakes are lessons we all learn. And sometimes, you just can’t truly know something without learning the hard way.
Similarly, it may be indirectly your fault. Maybe you didn’t necessarily do something wrong, but something went wrong you could have fixed. Pests or disease, for example. Again, sometimes you have to learn through failures such as these. In the future, you’ll know what pests and diseases to look out for and how to heal the plant before it’s too late.
Finally, the cruel reality of nature: sometimes plants don’t make it and it’s not your fault. Take propagation, for example. Propagation is the act where a whole new plant will grow from taking a leaf or branch cutting from a plant. Sometimes, these pieces won’t grow a new plant like they’re supposed to. Some succulent leaves may grow a new plant and thrive, and others may not make it.
Regardless of which situation you find yourself in, your plant is dying or has died and you have two choices:
- Allow shame or frustration to sink in and give up on plants
- Learn from what went wrong, accept the reality of loss, and try again with more knowledge and success
Yes, losing a plant may be: frustrating, maddening, annoying, or saddening. But that’s life. Things go wrong and sometimes you can’t do anything about it. You move on with the lesson learned. If you learn well, you shouldn’t make the same mistake twice.
That got deep, huh? Just another beautiful thing about growing plants: we learn about life.
#3: Outdoor vs. Indoor
When I was younger I’d help my mom in the garden. She would buy flowers like petunias and pansies. I’d help her take the flowers out of the thin plastic nursery planters, break up the soil and roots, dig a hole, plant and water. And I remember they needed to be watered every day.
This made me think I understood plants.
Newsflash: I did not understand plants.
Try watering an indoor plant every day and see what happens — those of you who own them know, this is not a good idea.
But if you live in a hot climate like Texas, your outdoor plants won’t last long days in the sun without consistent watering. So remember:
Outdoor plant care is different from indoor plant care.
This makes sense when you think about it. The outdoor environment is much different than the indoor environment we live in. Just remember, if you jump between indoor and outdoor plants, that the care will be different. And check your outdoor plants often! They will need more water than indoor plants. This leads us perfectly to our next and final point.
#4: Your Garden is a Zoo
Let’s imagine you own 4 different pets: a dog, a bird, a snake, and a frog.
They’re all animals. But very different animals. They all require different amounts of water and types of food as well as fluctuating frequencies of feeding, different temperatures, and even habitats, to survive. You wouldn’t think twice about feeding the dog kibble, the bird some seeds, the snake a rat, and the frog some flies.
You realize they are different and you can’t care for them all the same way.
Take this line of thought and connect it to plants.
Learn about each plant like you’re learning about a new breed of animal.
Why do we assume plants are all the same? Yes, they all need water and sunlight. But that’s often where the similarities end. How much and what kind of sun do they need? How often do they need water? What soil or fertilizer should you use?
When you understand what an individual plant needs and likes, when you observe it, you’ll begin to recognize when something goes wrong and understand what it needs to thrive.
Remember, you already do this with other things in life. Give yourself time to learn about the characteristics of each plant.
Bonus Tip: Start Small
Let’s clear the air and make your life easier: Start small. Don’t collect 10 plants on your first day.
You don’t have to own a forest on your first day. Or ever. One little plant could be enough for you. And that’s fine. Learn things one step at a time.
Start simple. Try different plants. See what works for you. Some people prefer succulents. Some love plants that need high light, others low light. Everyone’s home, personality, and preferences are different. That’s a good thing.
Start small and find what works for you.
Additional Resources
For the nerds like me who want to browse through books and consume video and podcast content, here are the resources I found to be the most helpful for overall plant tips.
Youtube
Books
- How to Houseplant, Heather Rodino
- The Cook’s Herb Garden, Jeff Cox and Marie-Pierre Moine
- Decorating with Plants, Baylor Chapman
Podcasts
- Plant School
- Epic Gardening
Happy learning and happy growing!
