Calling all Plant Lovers!

Hello! 

I wanted to hop on here and talk about some things I have been learning lately, in case I have some plant lovers who check out my site!

I have always loved plants as accent in my home and for their air purifying abilities, however in my younger years buying plants was like buying milk. I would pick up a cute plant and within a few weeks or months, it's dead and time to buy a new one. I felt like that was normal! Eventually I found snake plants and pothos. I recently learned the name of my pothos. I have cared for these two types of plants successfully for many years. They grow, I re-pot babies and now they're practically all over my house. Anyway, if you love plants and you suffered like I did in my earlier years, go with one of these types! Easy care, low death rate (haha) and they're beautiful!

Fast forward to my early thirties, I found a lady on Facebook Marketplace selling Monstera, Pilea and Elephant Ear, so my botanical loving side decided to purchase a few of her starters. It has been over a month since these little guys have been in my care and recently I noticed a moldy appearance on the top of the soil of all six of these plants. So, I am thinking I need a "fungicide" spray? Luckily, I chose to take my Pilea with me on this trip for help from someone with better knowledge than I on plant care. I felt like I was taking one of my kids to a check up.

I walk into a garden center and meet just who I needed, Jennifer! Here are the main tips I learned from this woman:

1. The plant you purchase is in a pot it will thrive in for up to a year and when it is time to re-pot due to plant growth, only go one size up on your pot. I always thought the pot size meant: the bigger the pot, the bigger the plant will get, you know, like a fish in a fish tank. Wrong. Roots love being in tight spaces. Okay, lesson one learned from Jennifer.

2. When you water a plant in a pot, you should water until the water begins to run out of the bottom, let it sit for about 15 minutes and then empty the water from the tray. Never let the pot sit in water. Do this process over once the soil becomes dry again, about 2 - 4 inches deep (okay that part is common knowledge). I always left water in the tray and thought that plant could drink when it wanted to, you know, like my dogs. 

3. "Get yourself a bag of Perlite and mix in about 1 - 2 handfuls". Done. This helps with drainage and aeration! I usually throw a couple rocks in and call it a day.

I am in the process of re-potting all these lovely's and really wanted to talk about plants, but my 2 year old could give a hoot less, so why not just write about it and if it could help someone who has experienced the same issues as me, well I am glad to share the knowledge.