Plant Inspiration Is A Real Thing

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I’ve been talking to so many of you about house plants these past few weeks and I’ve got to say, it has been so amazing connecting with each of you on this subject. I love hearing your plant stories and how you’ve gained some inspiration from this blog. You have seriously made my whole year! For so long I’ve wanted to share my writing but never had the courage until recently. I didn’t even know what I wanted this blog to be about & I think it’s safe to say we have all found the answer. Always Willow wouldn’t be here without you, so from the bottom of my heart, thank you. We are on this journey together and I hope you enjoy it as much as I am.

Some of my readers are first-time plant parents & I just want to say, Congratulations & you’ve got this! Shout out to you lovelies! House plants are a growing trend with a beautiful community of plant lovers. If you’ve never owned a plant or have, but killed it, then you may be a little hesitant of getting one. I’m here to tell you, that you can do it and be successful no matter your past! The number of messages I have received since starting this blog of people admiring my plants but stating they could never have any because they have a black thumb is unreal. The truth is most of us “plant people” have killed plants too. Some plants can be super tricky and the care labels are super vague. Plus, did you know you don’t have to water as frequently in the winter because their rate of growth slows and some even go dormant? For a new plant parent, that is important information left out, which is a set up for failure.

If you are one of those people that like plants but believe you would kill them, I encourage you to get one. Pothos are beautiful beginner plants that give a lot of growth and you can propagate easily. They are popular in stores & inexpensive. If you want to know the secret (if we’ve been messaging the past couple of weeks, you already know the secret) then keep reading.

I’ve been a plant mom since about 2012 and I’ll be honest, I didn’t know what the heck I was doing at the beginning of my plant journey. My pothos took one hot mess of a roller coaster ride because it had yellow leaves (too much water), crispy leaves (not enough water), no sun, too much sun. It was a survivor though. I just couldn’t wrap my head around the concept of the correct amount of water and sunlight. I took it from one extreme to the next which is a lot for a plant. My sansevieria’s were much easier since I only had to water them once/month and they did extremely well in low light. I slowly got a handle on it and began to grow my plant collection over the next few years but as I ventured out into the more needy plant options, I was met with failure. I loved & wanted plants so much that I just kept buying them even though most didn’t make it. Each time I had the will to make sure it survived but as I stated earlier, those care labels are super vague, and I’ve learned that plants sometimes aren’t even labeled properly at the big box stores! It became a running joke between my husband & I that when I would purchase a plant we would say, “Do you want to come home with us…to die?”

Flash forward to about 2017, when we planned a trip to NYC to visit our favorite uncles. When we walked into their Brooklyn apartment I was taken aback. We literally walked into an urban jungle. Don’t know what that is? Check out these photos!

It was the most beautiful sight I had ever seen. His plants were not just surviving, they were thriving! I knew right then; I wanted our home to look similar & I needed to pick up my plant game. This also gave me a few opportunities:

1) I got to see how plants are supposed to look when they are healthy & happy.

2) I got to see it was possible to use plants as home décor! They really step up the “welcome home” vibes.

3) The best part honestly, was seeing how happy they made Uncle Chris.

Over the next year, I did get better. I was more committed to researching specific plants before purchasing to make sure I could give them everything that they would need. I grew our collection with plants that we still have today but I was nowhere close to Chris’s expertise & passion. I wanted it though. That fall, I sent Zach on a surprise bachelor trip to Brooklyn & while there, they spoke about how I was still struggling as a plant mom. By the time he returned home, there was a package in the mail for me. What was in that Amazon box didn’t seem like much, in fact, I was a little disappointed it wasn’t a plant when he told me he got me something! However, it was the biggest game-changer & I am so grateful now!

He bought me a moisture meter. Basically, it’s a probe that you stick in the soil of your plant and it reads the moisture. At the time, I don’t know why it didn’t seem like much. I didn’t fully understand it because I hadn’t used it which made me hesitant to even try it. As I’m typing this, I do realize how crazy I sound. Then he said those magical words, “Uncle Chris uses one.” Oh, what the heck, I’ll give it a try!

I recommend this inexpensive device to anyone who cares for a plant. It takes the guesswork out of the equation and gives you a more concrete base to work from. So, for succulents or cacti, you would wait until it was completely dry (Red-1) before watering completely. Something like a Pothos or philodendron you would wait until it read dry (Red-3) before watering thoroughly. There are more things you can do to help your plant thrive like the type of water, fertilizer, soil, sun, and pot but that is for another post. The first thing you should do is learn when to water and how much as you bring new plants into your home.

Plants can bring happiness into your life. You don’t have to understand everything about them right away, you just have to be open to trying. It’s a learn it as you go practice that most people don’t bother trying or give up right away. Some plants are much hardier than you might think. My best friend Ali thought her Peace Lily had died but kept the container for sentimental purposes. This spring, the lily started showing signs of life! I walked her through the steps of repotting & well just take a look!

Her peace lily is growing more healthy each day and has even sprouted new leaves!

These are some before pictures within a three-day span.

She also had a tub of Prickly Pear Cactus that she didn’t know what to do with. It can be overwhelming when you know nothing, but I promise, a little research goes a long way. With a little plant inspiration, she now has two healthy Peace Lily plants and over 20 propagated Prickly Pear Cacti! She is amazing, & in case you are wondering; she did have to remove some needles after all that. Well done!

Check out these magnificent before & afters!

Let’s see your plant babies! Don’t forget to tag @always_willow on Instagram and #alwayswillow.

Always,

Erikka