Three years ago my childhood best friend kicked off her (so far) longest-lasting obsession: plants. Throughout the 20 years that we’ve been attached at the hip, I’ve been witness to her many stages of obsession: Webkinz, blue eyeshadow, and nail polish/nail art, to name a few. So when she started fixating on plants, I figured it was just another one of her phases that she’d grow out of in a year’s time.
Initially, I thought her newfound adoration for plants was silly. Why spend so much time on money on something that just sits around and hampers your travel plans? However, as her love for them grew steadily, I found myself admiring her relationship with her plants. I could hear the passion in her voice when she called me from college to tell me about the new leaf her philodendron grew and it filled me with joy for her. I love watching the people I love be happy.
Fast forward two years and I found myself asking her for plants as my 20th birthday gift in March 2021. I had grown a deep admiration for the tender care she showed for hers, and I decided it was finally my time to give plant motherhood a try. Plus, it would be a way for us to bond over a shared interest.
On my 20th birthday, I received a package in the mail containing a string of pearls and a philodendron micans. (First of all, who knew you could ship plants?! I don’t even want to know how much she spent on that.) They were beautiful, but I had no idea what to do with them, so I immediately called my best friend and she helped me get them set up.
I’m not someone who likes routine. Unless I have an early morning obligation, I don’t really do alarms. I don’t stick to any sort of “bedtime rituals” or do any meal prep. However, I think that routine can do people so much good. It provides stability, peace of mind, and allows one to practice mindfulness.
For me, plant ownership was a perfect jumping-off point for implementing routine into my life. I stuck my finger into the soil every morning to check the moisture level, watered my philodendron every 6 days or so, watered my string of pearls every 2 weeks, and rotated both plants every couple of weeks for even sunlight exposure.
Now my plant collection has quadrupled in size. I strategically placed them throughout my apartment to give each plant the best possible environment to thrive in. I purchased macrame hangers and grow lights that supplement the minimal light in my apartment. I turn the grow lights on every morning around 8 am and I turn them off every night at 7 pm. Every morning I take the time to examine each plant for soil moisture and new growth. I don’t particularly enjoy the term “plant mom” but I certainly do feel a motherly sense of pride as I witness a new leaf slowly unfold over the course of a week.
I look forward to when my plants outgrow their pots and I get to re-pot them. I sit outside in the sunshine in my grimy clothes from 7th-grade summer camp and I sink my hands into the dirt and I carefully transfer a living item from one home to another. I feel grounded, and I feel purposeful.
The time I spend caring for my plants is some of the most meaningful time in my day. I love the routine of waking up and caring for something other than myself. The time I spend doing my daily plant check-in is relaxing and mindful. It acts as a precursor to caring for myself and eases me into my day.