The Easiest Way to Create an Indoor Jungle Without Getting Overwhelmed
Welcome to the first edition of the Happy Planters Newsletter! Thank you to all the new subscribers who joined before my first release. It means a lot that you trusted I would create a newsletter you will enjoy without seeing any first. I will do my best to create quality content you will continue to enjoy :)
My goal is to create a portfolio of houseplant-related content that can allow ANYONE to create an indoor jungle of their own with thriving, happy plants.
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The Easiest Way to Create an Indoor Jungle Without Getting Overwhelmed
Everyone wants to have an indoor jungle. Well, maybe not EVERYONE, but if you're reading this, it means you love houseplants and want to learn more about caring for them.
Start Small
Seeing those giant indoor jungles on Instagram and Twitter with hundreds of beautiful plants can be awe-inspiring, BUT they are a TON of work. Some people see that and want to go buy plants until their own home matches the picturesque homes and apartments we see online. This can cause a lot of stress and disappointment when you realize how much work goes into creating that plant-filled home.
Starting small and slowly working your way up is the best way to work towards that goal. Get comfortable with one plant at a time and slowly get used to the weekly chores required to keep your plants happy.
Once you are comfortable with what you have and still want more plants, then go find another one that will fit well in your home.
Buy From Trusted Sources
Avoid box stores (I know this is hard...)
Buy from greenhouses and nurseries to avoid bringing pests into your home, especially if you're new and don't know the signs yet. A pest infestation when you don't know how to handle one could be devastating.
Greenhouses and nurseries go to extreme measures to prevent fungal infections and pest infestations including pesticide fogging, sulfur burners, and more.
Think about it, getting a bad infestation at a greenhouse could mean their entire crop goes bad ruining their whole financial year. At a box store, they would just need to throw out the small batch of plants they entice us with near the registers. Box stores put in almost zero effort caring for their plants because the risk/reward ratio isn't worth it for them.
Remember, regardless of where you buy your plants, LOOK FOR PESTS. If you see any signs of pests on that plant, it's not worth it.
Research Plants and make a list before buying
Buying a plant you saw at a store without planning on it just because it's pretty or looks cool can leave you disappointed when you don't know how to care for it or your home is not set up to support its needs.
Everyone that has ever purchased a Calathea without doing their research knows what I'm talking about ;)
Once you get a little more experienced caring for many different plants and recognizing the type of plants, THEN you can make those unplanned purchases.
Find the right type of plant for that space you want to fill. Not the other way around
Adding a plant to your collection and trying to force it to be happy in a spot that "looks nice" in your home can kill your newly acquired plant. Different plants have different needs and forcing a plant into that dark corner in your home will not end well.
If you have a certain spot in your home that you want to fill with a plant, do a little research first.
Ask yourself:
How much light does this spot get?
Is it drafty here?
Is it hard to reach and will this cause issues for watering?
Will my pets be able to get at it?
Will a plant easily outgrow this spot?
Once you answer a few of these questions, you can find a plant that will thrive in these locations.
Save money but do it smartly
If you are trying to grow an indoor jungle you will probably need a lot of plants to fulfill your vision. Buying plants on clearance might seem like a great option but you need to be careful. There is a reason they're on clearance and it's usually because they are struggling for some reason. Taking in a dying plant can save you a lot of money if you know how to bring it back to life, but they are also at a higher risk of spreading disease and pests to your other plants.
There are a few good ways to cheaply expand your collection without taking this risk. I will go over this topic further in a future newsletter, but one good way is to get a big, easy to care for plant like a Pothos, and split it into multiple smaller plants. This is a fast-growing and easy to care for plant that you will be able to fill a lot of space with within a short amount of time.
Enjoy Where You're At
Even if you only have one plant, enjoy it. Learn to care for it and make sure it's happy before you get another one. Repeat this process and before you know it you will be surrounded by beautiful plants.
You will look back and realize that your indoor jungle started one day with just a single plant.
Final Notes
Thank you for reading my first ever newsletter! I hope you enjoyed it and look forward to many more. I will be sending these out twice a month for now and may increase frequency based on feedback and engagement.
I would greatly appreciate sharing this with friends and family or give me a shoutout on Twitter (@HobbyistPlant) and let me know you enjoyed it :)
This Weeks Subscriber Submission
This is my Bird of Paradise. I got me and my step dad two seedlings nearly ten years ago after my mum died - they were her favourite plant.
Both of our plants are now fully grown and we’re competing over who gets a flower first (although it’s been a LONG wait). It’s been a nice way to remember her and stay connected with my step dad
Thanks for the submission by @Kit_katty10! What a beautiful story. I would love to see a picture when it finally blooms!
That's All For Now!
I will continue to improve these newsletters and add more exciting content as I go. If you have any suggestions please let me know.
Talk soon! Feel free to enjoy my content on Twitter until the next newsletter :)
-Houseplant Hobbyist