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Post by goldenblind221 on Feb 24, 2017 18:02:34 GMT
Like, necrotic black thumb. I kill everything that I bring into the house. I don't understand this, because every woman in my family has a knack for gardening. I, on the other hand, managed to kill a cactus and a couple of really cute succulents in a matter of like, two or three days? My bf bought them for me and we put them in a cute little planter with rocks and gave them plenty of sun, and I gave them maybe two tablespoons of water once they were put into the planter, and they died. Houseplants have all gone the same way, whether they were in the original container or transplanted to a different container, nothing I bring into my house survives. It's ridiculous. So my question is... what can I keep as a house plant that I won't kill, and what specific pieces of advice do you have for me for not killing that particular plant? I just want ONE THING to survive.
Note: I live in Houston, TX, where it's warm/hot, there's usually lots of sunshine, and lots of humidity. I also have two dogs, so nothing poisonous in case they decide it looks like a snack.
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River
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,508
Location: Alabama
Jun 26, 2014 15:26:04 GMT
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Post by River on Feb 24, 2017 18:06:38 GMT
Slide over, I'm sitting on this bench with you!  |
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Post by goldenblind221 on Feb 24, 2017 18:09:51 GMT
Slide over, I'm sitting on this bench with you! Glad I'm not alone....  |
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Post by pastlifepea on Feb 24, 2017 18:12:53 GMT
I usually am pretty good with plants, but any begonia that enters my home has been sentenced to death. Ficus stand about a 75% chance of death. One that is really good and requires just lots of sunshine and very little water is the ponytail palm. I have one in a sunny window. It is super cute.
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PaperAngel
Drama Llama
Posts: 7,312
Jun 27, 2014 23:04:06 GMT
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Post by PaperAngel on Feb 24, 2017 18:16:40 GMT
I'm the same & finally accepted the only plants that survive my care are artificial! |
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Post by leannec on Feb 24, 2017 18:21:49 GMT
I live in the frozen wasteland of Canada where we only get about one month of summer ... I can't keep anything alive even in the house  |
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Post by colleen on Feb 24, 2017 18:29:23 GMT
A lot of succulents don't like direct sun! Some do -- but in warm climates like yours (and mine, I'm in So. Cal.) they actually grow better in indirect sun or partial shade. Buy one of those already planted bowls of succulents at Home Depot and find a spot where it gets some sun, but its not pounding on it all day. Water once a week or every two weeks, make sure the pot has drainage holes, and you should be good to go.
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MerryMom
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,538 
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Post by MerryMom on Feb 24, 2017 18:31:52 GMT
Over-watering is usually the culprit. Second is over-reacting to normal plant adjustments to being in a new location. Third is putting plants where they are in direct sun all the time and they are near glass so they are getting "cooked" by all that intense light.
I basically neglect my plants, I water them only when they look "droopy" and I let them get root bound. About once a year, I put a little fresh potting soil around the top--about 3/4 cup only. About once every 10 years, I repot them into a pot that is only about an inch wider.
I've had a peace lily for 21 years. Try a peace lily.
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schizo319
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,030
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Post by schizo319 on Feb 24, 2017 18:39:10 GMT
Peace lilies. They tell you when they need water by drooping - I only have to water mine about every 3 weeks. Here's an example: droopy lilyAnother plant you might try is mother-in-law's tongue or snake plant. I've had mine for years, but before I got it, it survived bare root in a walmart bag on my bff's back porch for an entire season before I got it. It looked like shit for a year (because I had to trim the dead off), but it's thriving now even after going MONTHS without water at times because it's tucked into a corner of the house where I forget about it. Spider plants are also relatively easy to grow and they're a good air purifier. They say succulents are easy to grow, but that's not been my experience (and I have a pretty green thumb), I tend to over water them or they get all weird and "leggy" on me. My mom has the greenest thumb of anyone I know and she cannot keep a succulent or a cactus alive. |
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schizo319
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,030
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Post by schizo319 on Feb 24, 2017 18:40:57 GMT
I've had a peace lily for 21 years Yep. My peace lily is from my dad's funeral - he died 19 years ago. |
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Post by mikklynn on Feb 24, 2017 18:46:24 GMT
Do you have a north facing window? If so, try an African violet. You add water only when it droops. I keep mine in the original plastic pot, set into a decorative pot. When it droops, pull out the plant and place an inch or two of water in the decorative pot and replace the plant. After an hour, dump out any extra water.
I also add a little fertilizer to the water.
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Post by birukitty on Feb 24, 2017 18:53:54 GMT
Slide over, I'm sitting on this bench with you! Me too, and I've come to accept this about myself. I now fill my house with good looking artificial plants. Yeah, I know. They aren't nearly as good as the real thing. But the real thing in my hands is dead. It does frustrate me, but oh well. Now cats-cats thrive in my hands. |
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AmandaA
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,501
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Post by AmandaA on Feb 24, 2017 19:18:25 GMT
A terrarium. I have an almost black thumb... like they die a long slow lingering death just to torture me. When these became popular again a few years ago, I went to a class at a local garden center and made one. I kept the thing alive and looking fantastic for almost a year with just rotating it and adding a little water & fresh air very rarely. I finally got tired of looking at it once the plants started to grow and get a little unruly, but I am sure it would have kept going even longer. You can even find them already assembled some places around here, but they aren't difficult to do yourself either.
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Post by phoenixcov on Feb 24, 2017 19:58:16 GMT
This tale from years ago might cheer you up.
I used to go to a friends house and always admired the beautiful large Maidenhair Fern in her bathroom.
I tried to grow those ferns but they always died after a few months, even though everything else I grew did ok.
After loosing yet another fern I asked her what was the secret to growing it so large.
She said that they were so big because every time one died she bought another large plant to replace it,
that was her little indulgence in life.
What a let down.
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Post by miss_lizzie on Feb 24, 2017 20:02:04 GMT
I like spider plants. They seem to be easy-going enough to survive my earnest, yet inept, care.
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Post by padresfan619 on Feb 24, 2017 20:08:06 GMT
I have a black thumb because I've killed a peace lilly....
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Post by chaosisapony on Feb 24, 2017 20:11:38 GMT
I kill most plants but I do pretty good with Pothos plants and the occasional African violet.
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scorpeao
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,521
Location: NorCal USA
Jun 25, 2014 21:04:54 GMT
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Post by scorpeao on Feb 24, 2017 20:13:01 GMT
chives will not die no matter what. I have some planted in my herb garden which hasn't been tended to in years. The chives are still going strong.
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Post by Moochiemama on Feb 24, 2017 20:22:01 GMT
Slide over, I'm sitting on this bench with you! Glad I'm not alone.... I am with you gals. I thought, there is NO way that I can kill a cactus.....well, yes I can. I don't like fake plants so I don't have any plants in my house. |
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Post by shaniam on Feb 24, 2017 21:04:19 GMT
No advice here. My husband says our house is where plants go to die.
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Post by donna on Feb 24, 2017 21:48:22 GMT
I am on the bench with you as well. The only thing I can grow is children. My son says it is because babies make a big fuss when they need something and plants don't.
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johnnysmom
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,682
Jun 25, 2014 21:16:33 GMT
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Post by johnnysmom on Feb 24, 2017 21:51:23 GMT
Make room on that bench! I tell my kids it's amazing they've survived given my history with plants |
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Grom Pea
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,944
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Post by Grom Pea on Feb 24, 2017 21:53:43 GMT
I have managed to kill several air plants so I gave up and just enjoy the plants dh keeps up outside.
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AmandaA
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,501
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Post by AmandaA on Feb 24, 2017 21:54:25 GMT
I have a black thumb because I've killed a peace lilly.... too have killed the unkillable plant. And of course the darn thing came from a funeral, so added guilt for its demise  |
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Post by goldenblind221 on Feb 25, 2017 1:51:55 GMT
Over-watering is usually the culprit. Second is over-reacting to normal plant adjustments to being in a new location. Third is putting plants where they are in direct sun all the time and they are near glass so they are getting "cooked" by all that intense light. I basically neglect my plants, I water them only when they look "droopy" and I let them get root bound. About once a year, I put a little fresh potting soil around the top--about 3/4 cup only. About once every 10 years, I repot them into a pot that is only about an inch wider. I've had a peace lily for 21 years. Try a peace lily. WOW! That's longer than most pets! I definitely might have overreacted to my poor cactus, but it started turning to jelly from the inside out and it just seemed very strange that it died. |
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Post by goldenblind221 on Feb 25, 2017 1:53:41 GMT
Guys, I just Googled peace lily, and this was literally the first plant I brought into my home and killed. It lasted a couple months though!
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Post by goldenblind221 on Feb 25, 2017 1:56:26 GMT
I have a black thumb because I've killed a peace lilly.... too have killed the unkillable plant. And of course the darn thing came from a funeral, so added guilt for its demise omg, so wrong... LOL |
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Post by goldenblind221 on Feb 25, 2017 1:59:22 GMT
Another plant you might try is mother-in-law's tongue or snake plant. I've had mine for years, but before I got it, it survived bare root in a walmart bag on my bff's back porch for an entire season before I got it. It looked like shit for a year (because I had to trim the dead off), but it's thriving now even after going MONTHS without water at times because it's tucked into a corner of the house where I forget about it. Spider plants are also relatively easy to grow and they're a good air purifier. They say succulents are easy to grow, but that's not been my experience (and I have a pretty green thumb), I tend to over water them or they get all weird and "leggy" on me. My mom has the greenest thumb of anyone I know and she cannot keep a succulent or a cactus alive. That's really pretty! Maybe that will be my next victim. |
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Post by goldenblind221 on Feb 25, 2017 2:00:58 GMT
A terrarium. I have an almost black thumb... like they die a long slow lingering death just to torture me. When these became popular again a few years ago, I went to a class at a local garden center and made one. I kept the thing alive and looking fantastic for almost a year with just rotating it and adding a little water & fresh air very rarely. I finally got tired of looking at it once the plants started to grow and get a little unruly, but I am sure it would have kept going even longer. You can even find them already assembled some places around here, but they aren't difficult to do yourself either. was it easy? I'd be tempted to buy it because, you know, thumb of death, but if you found it easy enough, I'd love to give it a try! |
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Post by goldenblind221 on Feb 25, 2017 2:01:38 GMT
This tale from years ago might cheer you up. I used to go to a friends house and always admired the beautiful large Maidenhair Fern in her bathroom. I tried to grow those ferns but they always died after a few months, even though everything else I grew did ok. After loosing yet another fern I asked her what was the secret to growing it so large. She said that they were so big because every time one died she bought another large plant to replace it, that was her little indulgence in life. What a let down. Now THIS sounds like my kinda gardening! |
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