We know, we talk a LOT. So we thought we'd take a break from that and listen to some plant parents in our community! Like any new parents, you're bound to make mistakes with raising your plant babies. But sometimes it helps to hear from other parents who have gone through the same problems as you. So we asked advice from one of our favourite Plantsome customers, Sonia!
What does your collection of plants look like?
"I started with just a few plants that were in our family for years, but with COVID locking us into our home and with online shopping, I have slowly grown my collection to 20 plants, from basic plants to some unique ones that you don’t see everywhere. I have 2 trailing plants, a few low light, hard to kill plants (as these are a must for those corners that are dark), 2 larger plants that fill corners, a few that show up on everyone’s Instagram, and a few small plants that just are super special unique finds which make me feel special."
What are your favourite plants? What are your latest additions?
"My favourite at the moment is my Triostar Stromanthe and the Pilea Peperomiodes which I had wanted for so long. I have just received String of Pearls and the Hoya Carnosa for my birthday."
What kind of trial and tribulations have you had with plants? What plants have you struggled with in the past?
"I have really learned that I don’t need to water my plants all the time and that they don’t really need cups of water. Most are more resilient than I thought. I have struggled with my Fiscus Audrey as I never realized how sensitive it was to being moved and I really needed to monitor its water levels. Now I give it a daily mist and watch it take in the sun as it sits right under a window that it loves. It gets a nice deep watering when it needs and its happy. Audrey truly gave me a heart attack when it started losing leaves but I soon began to understand her temperament."
What is your motivation for having plants at home, what does it mean to you or how does it affect you?
"My mother-in-law loved plants and we have worked hard to keep her plants alive. Once COVID hit we started to appreciate all the people (past and present) in our lives and really wanted to acknowledge and do something they loved. With my mother-in-law's love for plants, we needed make sure we built our collection up again after we lost a few dear plants of hers. We also felt we were ready to take care of plant babies now that our kids are in university. After buying one, and then two, and then several, it became an addiction. It is so rewarding to spend time walking around appreciating the new leaves or when they perk up after a nice drink of water. I also forgot to mention that it feels so nice to breathe air that has been cleaned by our plants. Our house just feels more comfortable that it ever has. Not sure of it’s the feeling of having a jungle or just breathing in the cleaned air."
Are there any tips that you want to share, or things you've discovered?
"I have learned so much about my plants by researching about them and also joining plant lover groups on Facebook and Instagram. Through these groups I learned not to freak out when things were not going well, and also when I saw one of my plants get spider mites I knew what to do as I had read so many posts on taking care of pests. A bottle of Neem Oil now lives in my cupboard. Finding others who are also plant lovers has really helped me become a more experienced plant mom......not saying I’m an expert, but like any mom, I am learning."
Thanks for sharing, Sonia! Have any plant tips to share with us? Send us an email at hello@plantsome.ca, or send us a message on Facebook and Instagram!
