I'M BACK

 I’m Back, Y’all! (And I Still Have Plants)

Remember me? The one who promised to share all the plant-based wisdom in the world, then disappeared for what felt like a hundred years? Yeah, that was me. The first two weeks of August were… a lot. I got hit with a sickness that wasn’t COVID, but it definitely felt like it had been training for the Olympics. All of this, of course, was perfectly timed with my son starting school for the very first time. Send help (and coffee).

But I’m back! And while I was catching up on life, I was also catching up on my plants. A few of them looked a little… crispy. And while I was trying to resuscitate them, I also went down a deep, dark rabbit hole of plant Instagram. You know the one. Suddenly, you're looking at someone's page, and they're telling you that the secret to a happy Monstera is serenading it with show tunes. And you think to yourself, "This person is a plant goddess. Should I try this?"

The answer is: maybe.

Here’s the thing about plant advice: It's all great, and I love that we have so many people sharing their knowledge. But what works for someone in their perfect, humidity-controlled greenhouse in San Diego might not work for you in your drafty apartment in Titusville, Florida. That's why I'm here to remind you of a very important plant truth: taking advice is good, but doing your own research is still essential.

For example, I have two different
Alocasia plants. From what I’ve seen online, many people swear that they thrive best in PON (a mineral substrate mix). And from what I've seen, their Alocasias are living indoors under grow lights. But for my Alocasias, they are thriving just fine in my chunky soil mix! The reason? They live outside in the glorious Florida weather, soaking up all the sun, rain, and humidity they could ever want.

When I first learned about PON, I wasn't going to switch out my soil right away. I wanted to see what would happen with my current setup. The roots look great, and I've even gotten a new leaf! My plants are so happy, they're pulling off surprise moves. I had no idea I had a corm in my dragon fruit cactus until an Alocasia plant just popped out of it! And get this—I don't even water that cactus very much. It goes to show that sometimes, your plants know what’s best for them, even if you don’t.

Yeah, learn from others, understand how it works, and also ask yourself: "Will this work for me?" And a big one to consider is the cost of the setup. For me, I don't want to go overboard. I'm still working on opening up my own business and offering my services, and right now I need to understand all the plants and what will work. That way, I can pass that knowledge on to others in my area, based on what I’ve learned firsthand.

Now, will I ever add plants indoors? Yes. I do want to start bringing plants inside to see how my setup needs to change compared to how I do it outside. But it will be a while before I can give tips and my personal advice on that. I need to get things set up first. Plus, I need space, and right now with a 4-year-old, two dogs, and four birds, space is limited at the moment.

Before you drown your fiddle-leaf fig in coffee grounds because some guru on the internet said it was a good idea, do a quick search. Is that actually good for the plant? What kind of soil does it like? How much light does it need in your specific location? Your plants, your home, and your environment are unique. So while you can get inspiration and tips from the plant enthusiasts of the world, remember that you are the ultimate expert on your own plants.

And on that note, wish me luck. I have a lot of leaves to prune and a lot of catching up to do!