There are a lot of reasons you may have come across as to why it’s beneficial to have at least one plant somewhere in your home. Studies have shown that they can reduce stress response, boost mood, improve air quality, and sharpen your attention. They also bring a unique look to a space, as no plants grow exactly the same. These are all reasons I’ve found to be true, from having one plant to over one hundred.
I think there’s a little more to it than that, though. More and more people are drawn to their local garden centers every year, and I know so many others who’ve collected a jungle in as short an amount of time as I have or shorter.
What is it about a home bursting with nature that makes it so appealing? I think a lot about why I am the way that I am, and in this case there are a few things that my brain keeps coming back to as to why this checks out for me.
I can trace a connection with nature as far back as my memories go, which I can probably lend to the amount of time my family spent outside. I used to climb trees and sit there for hours reading or just hanging out, so much so that my mom used to tell me to go to “my tree” instread of my room. I have always been my happiest and most peaceful outside somewhere, fully immersed in wherever I am. That being said, seasonal depression in the winter always affected me at some level whether I realized it or not, so I don’t think it’s a coincidence that I bought my first indoor plants during a winter season. It was and continues to be a way for me to connect with nature inside my home, especially when everything’s dead and gray outside.
Another reason I think I’m so drawn to plants is because I’ve also always been drawn to growth. I want to grow into the best, most vibrant, flourishing Linds I can, while I can. Plants couldn’t be a more direct physical manifestation of growth. I’ve surrounded myself with beautiful, unique, physical reminders of something I value and strive towards the most.
Lastly, houseplants are excellent teachers, and I’ve learned a ton of lessons outside the scope of plant care while caring for my plants. Here are a few that I’ll carry with me for a long time:
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When I notice that a plant hasn’t been growing for a bit, I look at what its environment is like. I feel the soil to check whether I’m watering it enough, and I look closely at its leaves and stems to check for pests. Where is it in my house, and is it getting adequate sunlight there? I never attack the plant itself for not growing fast enough. I take stock of the environmental inputs, and then work to close the gap between what it’s getting and what it might need instead to do better. I move it, start watering it more (or less), and clean off anything that could be causing a problem. Treating yourself the same way is a game changer. We’re all basically just more complex houseplants anyways, right?
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Sometimes older or dying leaves need to be cut off in order for new leaves to grow. Loss at any level can be painful to the plant, but old, dying leaves take energy from the plant to stay alive. As soon as they’re removed, the plant can take the energy it was giving that leaf and direct it towards new growth, which is the main focus. The same thing applies to what’s not serving you or your growth anymore. Get rid of it, and put that energy towards your growth instead.
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Growing does not always look like you expect it to. A stem might grow in an unpredictable direction, or a leaf might open up smaller than you hoped. A leaf could also take forever to unfurl, but when it does it’s more beautiful and unique than you could have ever drawn yourself. When it comes to growing, you can control a lot in hopes of a certain outcome, but your scope of control has a hard endpoint. Nature takes over from there, and from then on you have to just flow wherever she leads you.
When I drill down, it really checks out that houseplants are a passion of mine. The indoor jungle route makes a lot of sense for me. I’ll happily keep growing alongside my one hundred (ish) living friends, giving the best care I can and receiving the benefits they offer in return.
The cool thing is these things don’t only come from having a garden center explode in your living room. Even one tiny cactus on a windowsill can help you feel more grounded, and it does humans so much good to connect with Nature. Start with whatever makes the best sense for you.
If you need any guidance along the way, Slow Green Death would love to be your houseplant shaman. Send us a message and we'll get you on the right plant path for you.
May all your plants’ deaths be Slow and Green,
Lindsey
Original post date: January 15, 2023