This Week In Houseplants

Let's look at all the plants coming back from the dead

The old ice cube ‘hack’ is still doing the rounds!

I refuse to resort to hysteria when it comes to things like watering plants with ice cubes. Is it ideal? No

Will it work? Maybe.

If you were thirsty and someone offered you an ice cube, it would SOLIDLY fall into the category of ‘thanks, I think…’

If they ONLY had ice cubes I would be so grateful. But I asked for some water, saw that they had water, and then was given an ice cube, I would find that very passive aggressive.

Would the ice cube be better than nothing? Absolutely.

Is it better than water? No.

Will it kill me? No, not unless there was something else wrong with me.

Actual houseplant hacks I can get fully behind:

• Using a pressure sprayer to water

• Hiring someone else to do all your plant care for you

I’m afraid everything else is just trial and error.

ANYWAY, let’s talk about dying plants.

Don’t give up your plants too soon! They may just be resting.

As long time readers will know, I go through HUUUGE ebbs and flows when it comes to houseplant care. Currently I’m loving it and the plants are well aware. It’s incredible what a few weeks of TLC can do. However, when I’m busy or my brain refuses to acknowledge my plants for reasons best known to itself, they can get a little, er, sad.

When plants look like they’re nearly past the point of no return, I don’t throw them out. Instead, I pot them up with other plants so care is halved but I still have the plant, should it decide not to walk towards the light.

I do NOT expect other people to do this. I carved out myself a very specific niche in which I send plants right to then edge then claw them back. Every dying plant is more content for me!

So I thought this week I’d go through some of the plants that are progressing well from leafless husks, and those that have popped up to surprise me this week:

I think this is a Philodendron Silver Sword. I think.

It was stuffed in a pot with an adansonii. Both initially thrips-riddled. Both seem to be doing ok after a good couple of years of doing naff all.

There’s an interloper to the right behind the adansonii. I think it’s parsley.

The fiddle leaf fig has EXPLODED. Me being me, I can’t simply leave it be whilst its doing well, so I’m going to put it outside and see if I can grow myself a tree.

I’m not removing that little plant in case they’re friends and I upset the FLF

This Hoya bella cutting gets a *smidge* more light than the mother plant and the flowers are much further on.

I think this is an epipremnum happy leaf. We may have to wait a little longer to be sure.

Also an epipremnum, but I’ve never had an exact ID. When it’s grown up a bit it’ll look like the most generic house plant you’ve ever seen, and I love it for that. You know those plants you get from supermarkets labelled ‘green plant’? That is the most apt description for this plant.

Possibly a neon pothos? Or a lemon lime philo. Probs a pothos.

Definitely a happy leaf. This reminds me of photos of abandoned buildings with rubble everywhere and one poppy living its absolute best life.

How did I revive them?

• Good light

• Watered them when they were dry

• Didn’t forget about them for months on end

• Picked off pests when I saw them

Still nothing from the Thai. It’s fine. Not frustrating AT ALL.

My Anthurium Clarinervium was pushing out a new leaf, but SOMEONE (twas I) saw a thrips and went a little to gung ho and leaf and plant got separated. Alas. All things are fair in love and war.

My next project is my sad Begonia. It’s fine - grows etc, but every new leaf causes the previous one to drop. I might boot the rattlesnake calathea out of the cloche and try the begonia in there.

Let me know your tips for bringing plants back from the brink - I love trying out new things.

Have an awesome week! I’ve started my new accounting course (AAT level 4) and got jumpscared by some simultaneous equations. Haven’t thought about those in years!