My Secret Shame

I kill houseplants . Mymodus operandiis not to water them . Sometimes , just for a change , I will put them out of doors – to catch some rain or something – and then leave them there . I ’m not evil . I ’m just forgetful .

out-of-door plant have a combat fortune because the rain usually comes to their rescue . Or they die before I get attached to them , and I only dimly call back their existence ( “ Did n’t I plant someastrantiassomewhere ? I inquire what happen to them ” ) .

Houseplants do not go quietly , however . They spend a lot of time showing me their sag leave , and I walk by them thinking , “ I should water that . ” But I get distracted by more important project like doing whatever it was my wife say me to do or looking after our 18 - calendar month - old Logos . I ’d like to water the plants , but I know that I will terminate up explain how I let cute , little Evan tumble down the stairs or eat a Magic Marker by say , “ Well , the philodendron looked a petty wilty . ” So a few workweek of looking at a athirst plant is followed by a month or so of looking at a numb one . They get withdraw only because “ throw aside drained plants ” shortly arrives at the top of my “ things my wife want me to do ” list .

The first step on the route to recovery is n’t incessant complaining ( I tried that ) ; it is admitting you have a job . After being inspire by study Julia Hofley ’s clause on creative houseplant combinations ( “ bust the houseplant rules”Fine Gardening , Jan / Feb 2010 ) , I confessed my crimes to the rest of the FG staff . To my surprise , I was greeted not with the insulting contempt I expected but with admittance that they , too , had killed a few houseplants . One ( I wo n’t name names ) even admit to having killed lucky bamboo – double .

I have n’t watched enough daytime talk shows to know what the 2d footmark to convalescence is ( I hope it ’s eating ice cream ) , but I now feel positive enough that maybe , if I put together some houseplant combination that are as wonderful as the ones in the clause , then it wo n’t be possible to leave about them . But mayhap I will waitress until Evan arise out of his Magic - mark - eating stage .

Fine Gardening Recommended product

A.M. Leonard Deluxe Soil Knife & Leather Sheath Combo

Fine horticulture receives a delegacy for items buy through link on this site , including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertizement curriculum .

Get our late tips , how - to articles , and instructional videos sent to your inbox .

Signing you up …

The Secret Garden

Making a Secret Garden

A Secret Side Garden

Sully’s Secret Garden

Join o.k. Gardening for a free engage live webinar featuring Dr. Janna Beckerman , a notable industrial plant pathologist as well as professor emerita at Purdue University and the ornamentals proficient handler …

When I spotted a particular Amandine Aurore Lucie Dupin dollar cactus ( Astrophytum asterias ) at the Philadelphia Flower Show a few month ago , I lie with I was in difficulty . With a delightful color pattern …

When we only prioritise plants we need over plants our landscape painting needs , each season is satiate with a never - terminate listing of chores : pruning , pinching , watering , treating , amending , and fertilizing , with …

Video

Touring an Eco-friendly, Shady Backyard Retreat

You must be measured when you enter the backyard of garden designer Jeff Epping — not because you ’re probable to trip on something , but because you might be dive - flunk by a brace …