Self-care: Houseplants & Depression
Many of us collect houseplants because of the beauty it brings into our homes. Some collect the rare, others collect for fun.I began collecting in March 2020 when the pandemic began. I’ve also experienced several bouts of depression since then and here is my take on being a houseplant lover & someone who struggles with mental illness.At one point I had 80 plants! Today I’m down to roughly 45, and have maintained that number. Some given away, many dead.Something you don’t realise when you start is that it is very taxing to take care of that many plants.It’s even more emotionally taxing when your laying in bed, basically watching your plants die because it’s the feat of watering them all is so overwhelming.Mix pests into the mix and it’s downright devastating. 100s of trips to the shower to wash all the leaves, 100s of trips onto the balcony to spray them all with safers or other insecticides. 100’s of dollars spent on predatory mites that may not work.Here is my advice:Collect plants that are easy to care for. Rougly half of my plant collection are different varieties of Pothos & philodendron. They are beautiful, resilient & create a full look when they are older. Yes, many others are beautiful, but if they require special care while your struggling to take care of yourself, they are likely to die.Let plants go that you’re struggling to take care of. Nothing is worse then slowly watching a plant die.Bring one or two plants to water every day. You don’t have to do them all at once. Part of having easy to care for plants is the watering flexibility.If you have pests, tackle the problem early. I’ve had thrips for 2 years, most of my plants lost to them. This past winter was the first time I had them under control (because I initially ignored them).Lastly, ENJOY being a plant owner. Own an amount that fills your house with beauty but doesn’t tax your energy and your mental health. Collecting is fun until it becomes a chore.Happy collecting 💚🌱🌿🌵🍃 via /r/houseplants https://ift.tt/H57lPkS