This week in houseplants
Up this week: washing your towels everyday, back to school blues, and the (potential) scam around fertilising houseplants
What are you up to this weekend? Drop a comment below if you're going plant shopping and keep us abreast of any cool plant shops.
I’m studying for my exam (bleugh) and visiting my friend (yay!). I could probably squeeze in a nap or two as well. Perhaps a pizza. Maybe a glass of wine.
This post is a little chaotic because…that’s how it turned out.
Are we supposed to move our plants when we clean?
I only ask this because someone on Facebook did a poll asking how often people change their towels. A good HALF of the participants (of which there were dozens) claimed to change their towels after every wash.
Every. Wash.
I have so many questions. I shall share a few:
Why though?
How dirty are you?
How many towels do you own?
How often do you change your PJs?
And bra?
I endeavour to wash my towels weekly, same as my bedding. Every day is…too much.
Back to plants, specifically, moving them to clean shelves ‘properly’.
Who has the time? Especially if you have pets and dust builds up quickly.
I can highly recommend one of those disposable dusters - I know they’re awful for the environment but I’ve been a low-consumption-aesthetic girl my entire life so I’m allowed a disposable duster.
(that’s actually a thing - I saw it on TikTok.
I love it when I’m trendy without having to
a) do anything or
b) spend money)
The advantage of disposable dusters is they can fit into very tight spaces, so they can do a decent job of removing all the dust around the pots AND the dust clings to them better than a normal microfibre cloth.
I have, on occasion, moved my plants and cleaned the shelves beneath them (with hot, soapy water and a cloth, if anyone cares) but on a day-to-day basis* it’s a no from me.
*Day-to-day is a turn of phrase. My actual shelf cleaning schedule is to clean the shelves diligently every week for about a week, then completely forget for about three months, which then prompts a deep clean.
It works for me!
Freaking September
Really though, 2024? Calm down. It’s not a race.
It’s hitting even harder for me this year because I’m training to be an accountant (don’t ask why unless you want to actually make me cry) and I have exams.
Like a child.
I AM THIRTY-EIGHT.
I didn’t want to go a whole year without making a video so my very hungover self made this one last Saturday.
Did you see my orchid?? It flowered!!
If you could all subscribe and watch each of my videos a thousand times so I don’t have to do my exam I’d be very grateful.
Jokes, but also…it would be nice.
Fertilising houseplants - what a SCAM
That’s a bit of clickbait for you, right there.
Kind of.
I haven’t fed my plants since about last September. I can’t remember exactly when, but I definitely haven’t fertilised in 2024.
They’re totally fine!
Growing perfectly well, sizing up, and flowering as appropriate.
Look at her go!
I’m aware that at some point they will need more nutrition so I may have to feed them at some point, but also, if you feel bad for not having fed your plants in a while…they probs don’t really care as much as you do.
And by the way, I haven’t cheated by adding fresh soil or repotting. Other than watering I haven’t done anything with my plants for all of 2024 EXCEPT last week I propagated my Syngonium Mottled.
It was definitely time:
I was hungover and had my camera gear out so expect that video next week.
It was somewhat chaotic.
I am in this reel and I don’t like it ⬇️
This was one of those reels that I knew the punchline to before it had played, but I was drawn in by those beautiful plants. Those anthuriums! That begonia!
How cute are these fridge magnets?!! I can NOT be arsed to make them myself but they would be such a cute gift idea!
Have an awesome weekend guys.
Caroline, I love your newsletter/video/YOU! Thank you for sharing your successes & your failures. Knowing a fellow plant lover experiences similiar ups & downs is encouraging. Looking forward to following your continued journey online:-)