How to be a plant parent

The money tree sitting on the coffee table in my living room.

Online school was boring, to say the least. During drawn-out lessons, it was ridiculously tempting to claim that you had “WiFi issues” and promptly turn off your camera, enabling you to zone out from class — admit it, you did it too.

So, instead of studying isotopes during chemistry class, I poured hours into studying every nook of my home and quickly realized how monotonous it looked. And instead of drudging through yet another documentary in World History class, I found myself absently browsing house decor websites until I landed on a site called Bloomscape, an online houseplant retailer with over 75 varieties in its inventory. 

After seeing the enticing plant pictures on the site, I realized how easily a few houseplants could add a pop of color to any corner of my house, whether it be to brighten an empty coffee table or liven a dreary living room.

Hence, I handpicked four potted plants for our living room: three small pothos plants (Pearl and Jade, Hawaiian and neon) and a mini money tree.

The plants arrived at my doorstep a week later. In truth, they were quite small and rather pathetic. I set them up skeptically around my living room.

Initially, I assumed that adopting houseplants would just add an ounce of life to my home. Somehow, within only a couple of days, it evolved into an oddly therapeutic practice. I found it genuinely soothing to wake up early and water my plants every day. I returned every morning to plants that seemed the slightest bit healthier and greener, which incentivized me to continue serving as a pseudo-parent for my growing plants.

With time, I learned each plant has its specific preferences. My mini money tree, which I situated right next to the blinds, loves lots of water and direct sunlight, while the Hawaiian pothos preferred only a slight shade. While the money tree required little to no extra maintenance, all of my pothos plants needed constant trimming and fertilizer to stimulate leaf growth.

After only a month of care, my houseplants had grown considerably and fostered an element of natural vibrancy in my living room. Now, I can step back and look at my living room with pride.

I hope to challenge myself and tackle plants that require more maintenance in the future — I already have a red prayer plant and a huge bamboo palm lined up in my Bloomscape shopping cart. 

Eventually, I hope to nurture an elaborate plant family in every room of my house. And with no more “Wifi Issue” ditch passes, what’s better than tending indoor flora to relieve the pressures of in-person school?