My whole view on houseplants flipped after a single trip to the hardware store in Tacoma

I was grabbing some caulk and saw a Golden Pothos that looked half dead, so I bought it for like $5 on a whim. After putting it in a spot with indirect light and watering it just once a week, the thing exploded with new leaves in under a month. It made me realize I'd been killing plants by caring too much, not too little. Has anyone else had a plant totally surprise them by thriving on neglect?

3 comments

3 Comments

rileyowens4d ago

That part about killing plants by caring too much is so real. It made me wonder if some of us just have a "rescue complex" with plants, where we overwater and fuss to feel useful. The ones that do best are often the ones we forget about for a bit, which is a weird little life lesson.

the_kai3d ago

Ever think we treat plants like bad relationships? We smother them trying to fix something that isn't broken. It's a hard habit to break.

aaronallen3d ago

Oh man, that "rescue complex" idea Riley mentioned hits so close to home. I've definitely been the overbearing plant parent, watering on a strict schedule because I was worried. It's like we need the plant to need us to feel like we're doing a good job. The peace lily on my shelf that I basically ignore is thriving, while the one I fussed over turned yellow. It's a tough lesson in just letting things be.