I really don't know how I got into keeping plants at my petite small house.

Saw an IG post one time of a monstera leaf, and that was it, that was all I could remember. Maybe this was what they call jatuh cinta pandang pertama lol.

But..it was honestly NOT a smooth-sailing process. Especially when you have zero experience and knowledge to start with, and in the end when one by one keeps dying, you just want to tear your hair out because they can survive in Amazon forest with insects and wildlife and whatnot and can't even survive in that small clean corner of my house. The audacity.

So yes, this is what I have learned from growing indoor plants.

Before


After!

My favourite is obviously monstera. Monstera has different variegations so I'm not going to get into that detail, but from pictures I'm sure you can see how many I have in my collection. Accidentally killed some too, it was a heartbreaking journey but when I see a new leaf growing it's like falling in love all over again😍

I'm no plant expert, but these are a few things that I have learned throughout this experience:

  1. Reading a lot of materials on how to grow indoor plants really help. I learned how to water them properly rather than just spraying here and there and where to put in the corners of the house.
  2. When watering, refrain from using spray - water them thoroughly to the bottom until you see water dripping. This is where I learn pots with holes at the bottom are the real deal. Avoid those hard, ceramic pots with no holes cause you're just killing your plants that way. This would cause root rot and plants are unlikely to recover from this.
  3. After buying from a store, don't repot them immediately - let them "sit" in their old pot for a while. Just like us, they need some time to adjust to a new environment - we might as well make it easier for them.
  4. When they have new leaf growth, that means they are comfortable at where they are. Refrain from changing their positions too often, unless you see they're getting weaker at their spot. At first I had to change some plants' locations to see if they are improving, and it helps. 
  5. How to revive a weak/yellowing plant? Less water, put them near a window.
  6. Don't lose heart whenever a plant dies. It could be due to many, many causes - and sometimes your house environment just doesn't suit it. Don't be too hard on yourself, learn and move on - do more study on which plant suits your house environment.

As for me, the plant wishlist is just getting longer now even though husband has hinted "our house looks like a mini jungle" #subtle

Pray for my house everyone😌

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