How to Have a Green Thumb
While some people are born with a natural green thumb, others are not so lucky and get cursed with a naturally black thumb. While some symptoms of black thumbs are not entirely curable, others can be managed with a proper routine, education, and willpower to not kill any more plants. Sometimes starting with a new plant-mate can be scary, but starting with a simple plant roommate can be a great way to start nurturing a green thumb as opposed to a black one. Get ready to have a thriving environment in no time after reading these methods of cultivating a green thumb.
Choosing The Right Roommate
Choosing a roommate in life can be extremely challenging as most take a shot into the abyss and hope you get lucky. The bright side of having a plant as a roommate is it doesn’t have to sign the lease, and you can kick it out essentially anytime. So many people with green thumbs think it’s a great idea to start with a succulent. What ends up happening to most succulents is they end up drowning, which does not cultivate a good roommate environment. Instead, try to nurture a healthy dynamic with a Pothos, Snake Plant, or Philodendron. While these plants require some effort, they are not extremely difficult to take care of. They just want to be loved as any other roommate would.
How to Not Kill Your Roommate
Picking out a plant is a great way to get started on your journey and have half the fun. Pick out a plant that you have done some previous research on. You don’t want to kill it by lack of knowledge. There are tons of tips and tricks for each plant that can be useful, down to how much water to give them each week or not. Do your research before buying a plant to see how much time, energy, or care they need. If you have a black thumb, don’t go crazy and build a greenhouse in your backyard before you have purchased your first plant.
Compost for the Win
Each plant has needs concerning soil and nutrition. Regardless of the type of soil they need, well-draining or compact, compost is a great way to make any plant happy for a more extended period of time. Compost is so good for any plant as it enriches the plants’ ability to hold nutrients for a more extended period. As a result, compost provides nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, which is highly beneficial for a young growing plant. While compost can seem intimidating, there are a lot of ways that a good compost pile can be started. Products like Lomi are a great way to begin composting without creating a mess. However, if you have the space, composting the old-fashioned way is incredible for most plants and, as a result, gives you a green thumb.
Grow Lights
If you are in the beginning stages of your new relationship with your roommate, a grow light will definitely set you up on good terms. Grow lights are a substitute for photosynthesis and are especially helpful in the winter as there is naturally less sunlight. Some tropical plants have an extreme need for humid or dry conditions with lots and lots of light. While grow lights will be helpful for pretty much any plant, make sure it’s not too close to the lights, or the plant will get sunburns. At the very least, getting a violet grow light will make your space look pretty chill.
Wonderful Water
Each plant is very particular about their amount of water they require or don’t require. Being well versed in your roommate’s water needs will help you keep that green thumb. It is best to have a well-draining water system built into your plant, no matter the plant. A couple of ways to do this are by putting rocks at the bottom of your planter to prevent root rot, adding mulch to your plant, mixing in various soils, and having a drainage hole at the bottom of your pot. Even if your plant likes water or doesn’t, this is a great way to prevent a lot of known issues that can occur from a heavy-handed waterer.
Need to Neem
Each plant that you bring can be prone to pests or diseases from any nursery. That does not mean that your new roommate should not be loved. A great way to prevent any type of pest before putting a plant into your space is to quarantine it in a shower, bathtub, sink, or outdoors if it is warm. Spraying it with neem oil and wiping off the leaves over a period of a few days will help the plant live a whole, nutrition-filled life.
Perfect Pruning
Each plant can sometimes have droopy leaves or even browning leaves. Let’s be honest, who doesn’t have some tough days. Someone that has a great green thumb will prune the plant of any dying or dead leaves. This will allow the plant to supply all nutrients to healthy leaves that are thriving as well as keep the plant looking like its best self.
TLC
Over a period of time, you might notice your roommate looking a little dusty, especially if it has larger leaves. A great way to combat this is by putting the plant carefully in the shower or sink and running water over the plant’s leaves. It is always healthy to do this once a month to keep the leaves in their best shape. Removing dust or any unwanted visitors in the plant, such as spiders from a quick shower, is a great way to maintain a happy and healthy plant. Once your plant has finished its shower, gently wipe down its leaves, causing the beautiful green textures and colors to pop. Be careful to not do this to plants that don’t have a drainage hole as that will encourage root rot from a significant amount of water. Instead, wipe the leaves down with a clean damp cloth to expose the beauty of the plant.
