Before discussing today’s #PlantFailFriday, I’d like to share with you the House Plant Journal way of plant parenthood: 1) learn about the best conditions we can realistically provide, 2) choose plants accordingly, and 3) let nature take its course.
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I don’t consider every yellowed leaf a plant failure because it is simply unrealistic to think that your plant SHOULD never lose a leaf. Hear this: I GUARANTEE you will lose a few leaves – several at first depending on the environmental differences between your home and the nursery, then there should be an equilibrium of leaf loss to new growth once the plant has settled in. The severity and noticeability of this adjustment also depends a great deal on the species of plant – some adjust nicely, acceptably, or poorly.
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Yes, yellowed leaves and brown tips can be explained as types of stress but if you’re already giving the plant the best light you can possibly provide (and don’t just think “more sun”, think “more sky”) and watering accordingly, then stop using imperfections as signs of problems. What parent would panic when their child scrapes her knee? Just put a bandage on it and keep playing. A healthy acceptance of imperfections and an appreciation for all aspects of #plantlife will bring you more joy than chasing your tail trying to avoid yellowing leaves.
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Now, for today’s (actual) plant fail: my rotted Tillandsia gardneri. Unfortunately there’s nothing salvageable on this one. My analysis would be that because I water all 30-ish of my air plants at once, my efforts to shake off excess water were not enough for the gardneri – her compact, broom-like leaves on the bottom side must have trapped lots of moisture after each watering. The moisture definitely lingered because she only got indirect light from the skylight. If she had been on the windowsill, she would have seen a bigger part of the sky and also an hour or two of direct sun, which would have sped up moisture usage.
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Live and learn!
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#tillandsia #airplants #airplantlove #botany #natureinthehome #plantstyling #houseplantjournal #plants #gardening #botanical #greenery #authentic #reallife #plantparenthood
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