Green Thumb or Plant Killer?

Have you ever heard of the term, “green thumb”? I have and I can tell you that I don’t have it! I also can tell you that I come by it naturally. My Mom could never keep a house plant alive and it was a running joke! I am pretty sure it is genetic because I have a really hard time keeping plants alive. My daughter, Paige has a green thumb. It must skip a generation! She has so many beautiful indoor plants and succulents.

I inherited a few plants about two years ago. My older sister- Chrissy had house plants all over her home. She did not inherit the plant killer gene either. When she passed away I took two of her favorite plants. The first one is a house plant called, Anthurium, which is typically grown in Hawaii. The second is Pothos, which is supposed to be one of the easiest house plants to grow. I have two other plants that I recently purchased on my own because I was getting confident in my home gardening ability. I purchased a Majesty Palm and a Ponytail Palm.

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Why do my indoor plants not thrive?

I have a guess, I often forget to water them. I typically remember when they start to look “thirsty”. I think it might be a good idea to start setting a reminder on my phone to water and fertilize my plants. I love the look of living plants. I could just purchase artificial plants but those don’t look as good in my mind, not to mention the benefits of having living plants in your home. These are just a few of the benefits of having live plants in your home:

1. Fresh air – research has shown that indoor plants help to rid the air of indoor pollutants and toxins. You should try to keep the plants leaves clean and dust-free.
2. Improves mental health – studies have shown they reduce stress and mental fatigue. I think I might need to move several into my home office!!
3. Sense of accomplishment – people take ownership of the plants and help to raise them and when they succeed it gives a person a sense of accomplishment.
4. Companionship – This is a win-win for both the plant and you! Your plant grows better when you talk to it and it makes you feel better when you talk and sing to your plant. This is a proven fact!
5. Therapeutic care – it is therapeutic for many people to take the time to plan and take care of their plants.

We will start with my plant that they claim is supposed to be one of the easiest house plants to grow, Pothos. They do well in any kind of soil, dry or nutrient-rich. They will also thrive with bright indirect light or low light. This is a great plant for an office that doesn’t have any windows, you just need to remember to water it occasionally. They recommend watering it when the soil begins to dry out. Mine is starting to get a few brown leaves because I have been forgetting to water it…

The Anthurium is not supposed to be difficult to grow but is a little more than the Pothos. They need bright indirect sunlight to thrive. They also do not like to be overwatered. When the soil begins to look a little dry you should water it. Overwatering can cause root rot and they are susceptible to that. Oh, and the color on the plant are not flowers they are colored leaves. You only get a few colorful leaves throughout the year. Important note! These are poisonous if ingested, so be careful with small children and animals.

I have only had my Majesty Palm for a few months and it is not going well. I don’t think I have it in a well-lit room. They need 4 to 6 hours of bright light a day and the soil needs to stay moist. My forgetfulness with watering my plants has not been helpful for my new plant. I love the look of palms and it seems to be slowly dying. I need to find a new spot in my house for it.

I have had my Ponytail Palm for a few years now. Recently it has started to look like it is dying and I think it might be because it isn’t getting enough light. I have it in my front hallway. This plant thrives in bright light and can survive in dry conditions. Mine is not doing well because I need to move it somewhere with brighter light.

I have found some great planters that go with my coastal decor. A few of them are available to purchase online and some I purchased at local stores but I will link a few similar ones below.