If there's one thing to be said about my mom, she has the biggest green thumb. Her indoor plants are perfection, with lush green leaves and sturdy stalks. Once, I went to her office and followed one of her philodendron from its too-small pot to the very last leaf on the vine. It could have wrapped around her cubicle three times, easily.
Then there's me. For the longest time, I couldn't grow spider plants. Or philodendrons. Cactus were out. Anything I tried to nurture simply shriveled up and died. It was a shame because I love having plants around. For some inexplicable reason, plants give me warm fuzzies. It's like having a bit of Nature indoors.
There have been numerous studies indicating how important house plants are. House plants actually clean our indoor air and can reduce stress levels and make us feel calmer. In work environments, house plants increase our productivity.
I didn't get many plants until about six years ago when a friend of mine gave me all of his houseplants, but surprisingly, they not only survived, but thrived. I still have quite a few of them now.
I was given one of my plants during my field research in Bethel. It's been living in our bathroom for the last few years. During my trip to Wisconsin, it didn't get enough water and has been in a slow decline ever since. I was pretty upset because I really liked the plant and thought I might be able to save it. I put it in some water (something I'd seen my mother do to establish roots) and waited.
Two weeks later, the plant has developed some roots and will hopefully come back to life (even though it seems kind of silly to hope that a plant of all things lives). If the roots continue to grow strong, I should be able to put it back in the dirt in another two months.
Sometimes it feels good to nurture something, even if it is just a plant.
Blessed be.
Then there's me. For the longest time, I couldn't grow spider plants. Or philodendrons. Cactus were out. Anything I tried to nurture simply shriveled up and died. It was a shame because I love having plants around. For some inexplicable reason, plants give me warm fuzzies. It's like having a bit of Nature indoors.
There have been numerous studies indicating how important house plants are. House plants actually clean our indoor air and can reduce stress levels and make us feel calmer. In work environments, house plants increase our productivity.
I didn't get many plants until about six years ago when a friend of mine gave me all of his houseplants, but surprisingly, they not only survived, but thrived. I still have quite a few of them now.
I was given one of my plants during my field research in Bethel. It's been living in our bathroom for the last few years. During my trip to Wisconsin, it didn't get enough water and has been in a slow decline ever since. I was pretty upset because I really liked the plant and thought I might be able to save it. I put it in some water (something I'd seen my mother do to establish roots) and waited.
Two weeks later, the plant has developed some roots and will hopefully come back to life (even though it seems kind of silly to hope that a plant of all things lives). If the roots continue to grow strong, I should be able to put it back in the dirt in another two months.
Sometimes it feels good to nurture something, even if it is just a plant.
Blessed be.
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