Do you have a graveyard of cacti and succulents littering your windowsill?
Find yourself wracked with guilt for all the plants you’ve destroyed?
The good news is you’re not alone.
While seven in ten millennials consider themselves ‘plant parents, the average person has killed seven plants they’ve brought into their home.
Seven. That makes us serial plant-killers.
A study conducted by OnePoll in conjunction with Article found that people’s experiences of ending plants’ lives has made them scared to love greenery again – 22% of the 2,000 millennials surveyed said they were apprehensive about owning a plant because they’ve accidentally killed one in the past.
All the pressure to be a good plant parent leads to anxious feelings for many, with the pressure simply becoming too much – that’s despite 81% saying adding plants to their home has had a positive effect on their mental and physical health, and four in five saying that taking care of their plants has led them to start taking better care of themselves.
So, what are plant parents worrying about?
What's troubling plant parents?
The top five challenges of taking care of plants:
- The proper sunlight needed
- How much water is needed
- Whether the plant is best indoors or outdoors
- The importance of pruning plants
- How easy it is to kill a plant
The top five plant parent worries:
- Making sure they have enough sunlight
- Ensuring they have enough water
- Keeping them alive
- Stressing out the plant(s) when they move them
- Finding a plant sitter when away/out of town
And more importantly, how can we stop killing plants?
The key is tuning into how your plant is doing and adapting your care in response.
Choose the right plants for your space
Don’t just choose plants based on how pretty they look.
If your home gets a lot of light, don’t choose a shade-lover. If you know you need a low-maintenance plant, don’t go for an orchid.
Do your research before you buy your plant to make sure it can thrive in your home and with your lifestyle.
Don’t overwater
Overwatering is very often the cause of death for a plant. Again, do your research to check how much watering your plant needs.
A good rule of thumb: if you push your finger into the soil and it’s dry to the second joint, it’s probably time to give it a good water.
Make sure they can drain
If you water your plant in a closed pot, you’ll leave the roots to soak and rot.
Use a pot with draining holes and place on top of a saucer to collect excess water.
Feed them occasionally
Fertiliser and plant food can help your plants thrive, but be careful not to overdo it.
Only feed during the growing season, April to September, as the majority of plants are dormant in winter. Never feed a sick plant as it will only making it unhappier.
MORE: Millennials love plants because we have nothing else
MORE: Why do millennials hate going to the Post Office?
source https://metro.co.uk/2020/01/26/millennials-bunch-plant-killers-12124472/
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