Do people still keep houseplants?

[Ginevra]

Probably seems like a silly question, but I'm starting to wonder. I love to have houseplants. They clean the air, they are pretty and they contribute to some kind of good feng shui, I think. So, here's a poll. Do you keep houseplants? Why or why not? 

[Miss Peregrine]

If I could keep them alive, I totally would. I agree with all of your reasons above.

[RebeccaS]

If I'm going to keep something alive in this house, it had better be able tell me it needs attention.  None of this silently dying from thirst. I do like them.  However, I voted too much upkeep, for me, and my house isn't suitable for them really between a toddler, a dog, and two cats.  Tried it, didn't work.  Gave up.

[PrincessMommy]

I have one I love.  It's a shamrock.  I used to keep it on my desk next to my computer.  Unfortunately, my bird also loves it and liked to bite off all the stems.  :glare:   I now keep it up in the kids bathroom where there's a sunlight.

[Mom in High Heels]

I love house plants.  I haven't bought any since we moved, and I'm really feeling the lack of them.  If I'd had time today (thank you DMV rabbit hole to the land where time stood still), I was planning to pick some up.  Maybe I'll get some tomorrow.  The house just feels sterile and empty without something green.

[Dmmetler]

DH does-we have a houseful of plants and animals. I mostly keep up with the animal side of things. We have four plants that were at my son's funeral 12 years ago, and DH has two that he had in college.

[redsquirrel]

I would love to have some, but I have terrible allergies. They foster mold growth in the soil etc and I just can't have them around.

[Arcadia]

My plants in my patio die except for cacti. My houseplants are water based as my soil based ones don't thrive. They are small ones so taking up very little counter space.

[Jennay]

I would like to have some but my cat would eat them (he's a strange cat).  Also, it seems that if something doesn't cry, ask, or meow to be fed it doesn't get fed.

[texasmama]

I have four. One is an aloe vera I was given. One is a plant sent to me after the birth of my 13 year old.  I have managed to not kill it.  One is a peace lily from dh's grandfather's funeral.  The other is a helicopter plant which I rescued from work as a tiny, discarded cutting which someone left by the microwave.  I thought it wrong to let it die so I stuck it in a Styrofoam cup of water for a month.  Then I stuck it in a small pot and left it at work.  Then we developed gnats at work so my officemate complained until I took it home.  Then I left it in my car in August in Texas and it darn near died.  Then I took it home and stuck it in a window absentmindedly.  Suddenly, it thrived and grew more in a month than it had in a year.  It was a Christmas miracle. 

 

I am an accidental plant owner,

[HRAAB]

I don't keep any because I have a problem with remembering to water them.  My dd, however, has quite a few plants so we still benefit from them, and I don't have to care for them.  If it was up to me, we wouldn't have any.

[Danestress]

I do.

 

I have plants from clippings of a plant that belonged to my great grandmother.  It is a wax plant and is not particularly pretty.  I have never made it bloom in the pot, but I have taken clippings that bloomed in the vase, and the blooms are amazing.

 

  I also keep a few African Violets  - they remind me of my great aunt.

 

I have a ficus tree that I keep to fill a space, but also because it is green and alive and growing - all of which seem good to me.

 

I have three Christmas cactus.  They are nice when they bloom.  One was a gift when my Border Collie died in November - so that every year when it blooms I can think of her.  I thought that was a sweet gift.

 

I have a garden tub that is built into a corner that seem to get just the right light to grown my orchids and violets.  So I think that is probably part of why I have a number of houseplants - if you have good light, it is easier. 

[Jean in Newcastle]

Yes, I keep them.  Yes, I like them.  But I have a black thumb when it comes to houseplants.  When someone gives me a new one, my family places bets on how long it will take before I kill it.  I am a houseplant serial killer.  

[Pawz4me]

I voted "yes but I don't care," but that's really not true.  I do care, but OTOH I can't say that I *love* them.  They're just kind of nice to have around.  They clean the air and add a bit to the decor.  I've only got four.  A couple of parlor palms, a golden pothos and a very small peperomia that got sizzled last summer and I'm trying to nurse back to health.  I have to be careful of what plants I bring into the house because we have two cats.  The golden pothos lives in a large glass container to keep the cats away from it, since it's toxic to them.

[shanvan]

We have quite a few.  Ds collects succulents, and he has several in his room.  Then he runs out of room and starts keeping some in the kitchen until I get after him b/c I need space for my plants.  Dd has a collection on her windowsill-- various african violets, gloxinia, polka-dot plant, not sure what else.  I've got several different ferns, some kind of pink striped plant, a new plant that is native to China that my mom gave me, and a wandering jew.   Oh, yes, a jade plant our 4H leader gave Dd and a spider plant.  Dd is also making a strong case for keeping the poinsettias my mom gave us.  I get sick of them, but she wants to keep them in her room and let them live.  The trouble here is that we end up fighting over valuable plant real estate.  Not enough sun.

[texasmama]

Yes, I keep them.  Yes, I like them.  But I have a black thumb when it comes to houseplants.  When someone gives me a new one, my family places bets on how long it will take before I kill it.  I am a houseplant serial killer.  

Get an aloe vera.  You cannot kill it.  I promise.  Ask me how I know.  :)

[Berta]

I love them but can't seem to keep them alive. I had a huge potted snake plant that my mom had for years and years. She gave it to me when she moved and my cat used it as a litter box! I couldn't keep her out of it!

[Occasionally]

Get an aloe vera.  You cannot kill it.  I promise.  Ask me how I know.  :)

 

Funny, DH just killed one the other week.

 

We have plants, but they're my DHs job, since benign neglect doesn't work too well.

 

When my grandfather died, I somehow ended up with the peace lily that had been in their living room since the Kennedy administration.

[Lolly]

Get an aloe vera.  You cannot kill it.  I promise.  Ask me how I know.  :)

 

 

I have done it. Yes, I killed an aloe vera. It took me several years, but I finally accomplished the impossible...

 

 

I have two house plants in my room from fil's death...two years ago??? I'm shocked that they still live. I kill anything in a pot. I really need to replant one of them. It is Big Ass Plant. (Dh named it when it arrived...) It is some sort of treeish thing. It has way overgrown its pot and won't stand on its own now. I have to balance it. The other is a little thing. It was pretty big, but I almost killed it. Seems that it waters itself as it dies or something. I noticed in time to start watering it. 

 

We really can't have plants in the house though. Dd21 is too allergic to everything to even attempt. Since she has gone to college, I am trying...

[texasmama]

Funny, DH just killed one the other week.

.

Then he is a special kind of Houseplant Killer. (Capital letters denote title of respect). ;)

[Wheres Toto]

We only have one houseplant at the moment - an elephant ear plant that was from dh's grandmother.  We thought it had died off but we put it outside last Spring and it revived with all the rain.  I've managed to continue keeping it alive this long.  Everything else we've had died from neglect.

 

I would love more plants but we don't have much space, the house is very cold and drafty in winter especially near the windows so it's hard to keep them alive even without forgetting to water them.

 

I do have a nice dish garden on my desk at work that dh got me for Christmas. 

 

I've had the best luck with things like philodendrons, ivy, and cacti.

[Mommyof4ks]

I can keep ivy alive, but that is all. I have 2 ivy that I love, and they have been around a few years. The cleaner air is nice too.

[El...]

I had a few, but they are now outside and dying of frost because I re-potted them last fall and they got gnats! 

 

Did you know that a lot of the potting soil you could buy at, say, Home Depot, has gnat eggs in it!?!!?  At least that's what Google and I concluded was the problem.  I realized that we got a plague of gnats in the house every year after I repotted the houseplants.  And I'm probably never going to bake the potting soil before I use it.  I just don't have that kind of time on my hands.

 

If anyone knows of a good way to avoid the gnat plague, I'd like to know it.  I liked houseplants.

[Annie]

My insane cats would eat them so I don't have any. On the rare occasion I get flowers, I have to keep them on the stove or on top of the fridge. If it wasn't for the cats, I would probably have a couple.

[TechWife]

I voted "something else" and "they're too much upkeep."  We received a plant for a housewarming gift 12 years ago. I kept forgetting to water it, so about 10 years ago I "gave" it to my husband. He waters it when it starts to look dead. It's hanging in there. 

[Cosmos]

We used to have a lot of houseplants. I love the look and feel they add to a house. Unfortunately our cat eats nearly anything green (and then throws it up), so since he joined us in 1998 our houseplants have dwindled one by one. Right now we just have a cactus and a couple of aloe vera in our kitchen window. At least he leaves them alone! We also have two big artichoke plants overwintering in the laundry room. Luckily it has a door because the cat has tried to eat them too and they make him sick.

 

ETA: I voted "none but I wish I did" since the cactus and aloe vera don't really count and "our house isn't suitable".

[sunnyday]

Unfortunately it's not good feng shui if they die. ;) For years that was part of the reason I kept few plants indoors. But since moving here almost 5 years ago, I've slowly ramped up my collection and now every windowsill and the hutch in the dining room are full. I keep mostly very easy plants, and especially succulents (my cats won't eat jade!) I kill African violets like it's my job.

 

I have a repeating reminder in my iCal to water the plants every 4-5 days or as needed (about half my plants are in a fast-draining soil mix that basically cannot be over-watered.)

[laundrycrisis]

I have a plant who has lived with me for 25 years, and in three states.  He (I gave him a gender, and a name) has outlived three birds and two dogs.  He has appeared to die multiple times, but come back from the roots to thrive again.  There is some serious feng shui going on with this plant. 

[Melissa in Australia]

I have a pitcher plant in the bathroom, a palm in the lounge room and 6 other palms in my bedroom.

[Pod's mum]

In the words of George Orwell, "Keep the Aspidistra Flying".

[La Texican]

I'm on my third try on a little succulent called "burros tail" that apparently like to be misted, not watered. I'm on my second try on a tiny variety of cherry tomatoes called "tiny tim" that can supposedly live indoors in a little pot. My favorite plant lately was outdoors. I planted pumpkins for the first time and I put them under a tree. Apparently they can climb trees, and climb over the fence, and climb up a neighbors tree. I didn't get a single pumpkin that made it, but it was fun.

[amyco]

I love my plants!  I really like Christmas cactus, have several that were my mom's and one that was my grandma's.  They have survived Cub Scouts and kittens.  Also have a hand-me-down wax plant, a 6 foot ficus that was 1 foot when I got it in college, an angel wing begonia, and various others.  I put on my calendar when to water them, otherwise I'd forget.  I only water every 2-3 weeks. 

 

About the gnats...it's true, fungus gnats often come in commercial potting soil.  They also get worse when plants are overwatered.  The only things that have worked for me are the sticky strips that you lay on top of the soil to "catch" them.  (found them on amazon)  You might have to replace the strips several times, but eventually the gnats seem to go away.  Insecticides don't really work.  Another thing that worked a little for me is putting hydrogen peroxide in the soil...I added some to the watering can and watered.  But they are definitely a nuisance! 

[mom2scouts]

I like houseplants and tried to have them for years, but I have cats.  My cats would chew the plants, dig in the dirt, and tip the planters over, so I decided they just were not worth the trouble.

[Dory]

I keep thinking I need some, but have never gotten any. Green things make me happy in the long winters. I know it's a good feeling when I'm in a home with houseplants and our first house had some, but they died in the moving around.

[Serenade]

We have three houseplants, but they all take a summer vacation outside.  Usually, it does them good -- the ficus always looks so much better after its summer vacation.  Although the cheeky squirrels got into the other two houseplants, and near 'bout did them in.  Under our covered patio, no less! I might have to get something new.  Interestingly enough, two of the houseplants my DH had before we were married, and that's been 18 years. 

[Word Nerd]

I had quite a few beautiful, well-cared-for houseplants when I was single but don't have any now except one at work. I'd like to have shamrocks again.

[school17777]

I did before kids. Almost every Sat morning, I would fill the tub with a couple of inches of water and soak all the plants at the same time. They loved beautiful. Once the kids came, I couldn't keep up with even just watering with a pitcher and they either died or I gave them away.

[sbgrace]

I do like houseplants.

 

My sons' allergies and asthma, though, don't like houseplants (molds)! So we forgo now.

 

 

[Kim in Appalachia]

We have 1 houseplant.  We've had that plant for over 20 years!  It has moved with us since we got married.  We keep it in the bathroom and my dh takes care of it.  

 

I would love more houseplants, but right now is not the time in my life to have them.  If I had to water and care for them, they would all be dead.  I would not be able to keep them up.  Someday, when the kids are gone, I may get plants.  I do think they are great to have in the house, but not right now.

[Laura Corin]

I like to have them around, but I'm not passionate about them.  I mostly remember to water them, but I'm better at that in the winter than in the summer - I'm indoors more and not so busy.  I repot them when they start to fall over because their pots are so small.  I did kill one - it couldn't cope with my erratic watering regime.

 

L

[Guest]

Thank you all for telling me your plant stories! :D 

 

I have houseplants. My goal is to have at least one in every room, but I don't know how well they will make it in the kids' bedrooms. I have a Sunroom in my house; they grow best in this room. 

 

I have a cactus that dh and I bought when we got married. Three times, he has cut it way back because it grew to the ceiling. That thing is amazing. I don't really like the cactus that much, but I got to give it credit for persistence. 

 

I also have a spider plant that has about 30 "babies" hanging from it. I took a cutting from my dentist's office a few years ago and that thing has grown freakishly well! I'm proud of that pretty girl. 

[Pawz4me]

Two things help me keep my four little houseplants going:

 

I use a moisture sensor meter to help me gauge how much I need to water each one.

 

And watering the plants is a Friday chore.  I'm one of those people who does certain things on certain days to stay on track and organized.  So Friday is wash/sanitize the cat water fountain day, wash a load of towels day and water the plants day.

[Chris in VA]

I put that I don't and would like to, then remembered I do have one--a few plants, actually, in one container. I received it as a thank you from the mom of one of my friends after she passed from cancer. It is special to me, but doesn't require a lot of care (some sort of ivy and a peace plant and a fern all together).

 

I used to keep ivy in the schoolroom on the windowsill--I love it, but haven't had that for years. My mom always kept plants.

 

We were tickled when we moved to FL (when I was in high school), because we found plants that were considered houseplants growing in people's yards! We particularly loved the Wandering Jew plants as they are so pretty--and yes, our Jewish neighbors had them all over their yards, which, as we were getting used to the multicultural surroundings after living in a very homogenous area in Ohio, we found a little humorous.

[mom31257]

We have 2 house plants, but I can't say I love plants. These are special only because of how we got them. We have a big peace lily that we received from my grandmother's funeral over 3 years ago. I'm so glad it has survived and still blooms.  The other is a bamboo, which my husband bought for Valentines's a couple of years ago. He knows I don't care for cut flowers because they just die. I really don't have a true affection for this one because I don't think it's very pretty, and he takes care of it more than I do. I do have affection for him, though! LOL! 

[mamaraby]

I have two both the result of a cutting I took from work way back when we were first married. I have no idea what kind it is - it's viney, green leaves, would climb if you gave it suitable structure (not ivy). I had two huge ones, but then I put it outside too early one year and it died. The other one is still going strong and I have a little one I started from a cutting of the living one. I usually put my houseplants outside in the summer. They seem happier that way.

 

I especially like that this particular plant can stand to be forgotten whenit comes to watering. Poor plant. :0)

[kewb]

I love houseplants.  Before we moved to this house I had lots of plants.  This house is situated in such a way that the only room with good light for plants is the kitchen-so that is where I have them.

[Alicia64]

We only have one. She's become part of the family. We call her Sheila. Dh almost killed Sheila on his drive to our new state. I was so mad. But Sheila rallied.

 

I've had her at least 14 years now. Probably more.

 

We had a ficus we called Bob -- and my boys still talk sadly about "leaving Bob behind." If I'd known it would be such a big deal I would have gotten Bob 2 and told them it was Bob 1.

 

Btw, Sheila is a peace plant that I should have let get big. She's still in her original pot. She'd be huge by now. The ficus was more like 4 to 5 feet, but not wide.

 

Alley

[DragonFaerie]

Yes, I keep them.  Yes, I like them.  But I have a black thumb when it comes to houseplants.  When someone gives me a new one, my family places bets on how long it will take before I kill it.  I am a houseplant serial killer.  

 

Me, too.  I actually managed to kill a cactus.  Yep, a CACTUS!  But you guys are making me want plants again.  I wonder if I can manage a kitty garden, maybe they'll let me have a shamrock for my desk without eating it.

[AK_Mom4]

DH can grow anything and currently I am sharing my bedroom with a pencil cactus.  I say "sharing" because it is currently well over 5 foot tall and 4 feet across. 

 

 

Does a 100 cubic feet of cactus count as a "house plant"?

[Cera]

I keep house plants and I love them but I don't have a green thumb.  I have a $20 per month plant replacement budget (it's my alternative to stopping at Starbucks once a week) and I don't get upset when they die.