A Beginner’s Guide to Houseplant Shopping: AVOID THESE TRAPS 

That is one remarkable pothos! That is so cool and very sentimental 💚

I have a piece of my high school art teachers, grandmothers pothos. The original plant is probably around this old if not older! It grows like crazy during the summer and then gets cut back and grows back to 10+ feet every year.

That's incredible

That is so sweet and beautiful. Be aware that pothos is dangerous for cats if you have them! I didn't know they were toxic to kitties.

I love using plants as heirlooms its really amazing. When in uni my professor has a garden that has been tended by his grandmothers generations before him. It makes me excited to to the same.

Wow! Potting soil $2.99 where & what type? Good tips to follow. I totally agree if the plant is happy and growing leave it alone....😊🙏

@@annettenoga6182 A large bag of plain soil (indoor potting soil NOT outdoor dirt or mulch) from Menard's (or pretty much any big box store. It's a bit more money upfront to buy individual bags of dirt, perlites, peat moss etc. but per planter it is WAY cheaper over time and NO BUGS as seem to be found in Miracle Grow. The last I look... a SMALL bag of potting mix in a big box was over $6.00 for one third the size of the soil I buy and mix! I'm a frugal plant grandma!

@@donnaallgaier-lamberti3933 did you get is on sale lol??

I have always thought you had to repot a plant asap after buying it! Im seeing more and more advice to just leave them in the original plastic pots! What are the opinions on tgis??

is it bad to leave old mulch down?

This is super true! I have mine under grow lights for 15 hours and some of them still want more or be closer to the lights! It's amazing how demanding they can be - not as low maintenance as people would commonly say.

@@hoyitsdivine what grow lights do you use? I am new to succulents and just got some. I also wanted to get growing lights for mine

So much this! I have well over 100 succulents and grow them from seed too, and can never get enough light for them. They’re in the greenhouse all summer and under pretty powerful grow lights all winter and they still etiolate in the winter.

@@mako66123 I use Barrina T5 lights, so far so good. Another good brand I was told was Monios, all available on Amazon.

I am gearing up to buying my first plant and I want a succulent. I’ve been reading up and watching RU-vid videos. They are so weird with their needs (need space! No need of water all the time! Water only on Tuesday with a full moon and 45% humidity with a wind-chill of 3! Stop being stupid! Don’t mess it up! But aren’t I pretty?! 🥹” lol

Thanks, Lorena, for sharing that! That’s a great way to keep things under control! Not a total loss if you learned self control… I’m still working on that 🥴😅

Pothos are my fav. I've made my own jungle from one plant. I completely stick to pothos and philodendrons. Easy and cheap.

Any chance I could inform me how does one know when to water cactus?

@@ashleyallen8817 I'm not an expert but I think just let the soil dry between waterings... Think about its natural environment - the desert or other hot and dry lands... So they don't like to be sitting in moisture all the time and can actually survive long periods of drought. You just want to mimic what nature would be providing your plant if it was growing wild, those are the optimum conditions. Again I'm not an expert 😂 at all, but my plants are alive 🤷🏻‍♀️

Oh, god -- you, too. Our house looks like it belongs on CSI: Plant Homicide. The local nursery knows me by sight and they always smile BIG when I walk in the door. But I can't resist a gorgeous green leaf!!

Ha! This cracked me up too. I kept chuckling to myself about it through the rest of the video 😁

Lolol 🤗 🤗 🤗

My favorite ferns grow wild in my yard so I enjoy them outside.

🤣😂🤣😂

They sell soil especially for canivorous plants for a reason... Why people ignore these hints is beyond me.

Surely rain water is fine as rainwater is what the are adapted for

@@zoebenefer6149 Depends on where you are... Rain coming down picks up all kind of particles floating around in the air, so the chemicals (coming down with & in the drops) are not the same everywhere. We had a lot of "acid rain" years ago (because of pollution), and it affected the soil (washing out/dissolving too much) and so it affected the plants A LOT! Those who loved the more base soil were not happy :) now the rain is less acidic and now the sour-bottom-plants are unhappy... so it's complicated. (We still have calciumdeficiency showing up in birds etc.etc. very sad.)

I seriously considered trying to start growing carnivorous plants. I'm a succulent grower, and wanted to branch out a bit to other more unique plants. But after reading how sensitive their roots can be I decided they weren't for me! Succulent roots are so hardy and can take such a beating, it's a blessing for a clumsy plant owner like me who likes to go at things full tilt. It's just such a different way of caring for a plant! I greatly admire you and others who grow carnivorous plants. I worry I'd accidentally kill it by forgetting filtered water and using tap one day, but with my succulents I've literally watered some of my cacti with hydrogen peroxide before to kill off pest outbreaks and they've done perfectly fine. It's crazy how varied our flora can be!

Yea haha, my sarracenia and nepenthes are doing amazing, and there the original ones I bought, however my 6th/7th venue fly trap in my life has just died, I'm stunned

That is an impressive feat! 👏 💚

The best tip I found to keep a maidenhair alive was to plant it in a terracotta pot with moisture wicks running through the soil. Then imbed that into a self watering pot filled with lachuza pon with the wick running into the water reservoir. Then HUMIDIFIER!!!!!

There is a 30+ year old giant one in my grandmas house. I don't know how she does it.

May be a good idea to get a grow tent or a terrarium to maintain the humidity!

Mine dried out after two days and I was so confused. I cut all but the two healthy fronds left and now spray it 4 times a day which seems to be working Update, one month later: Two new fronds!

Lmao! 💚

Bahaha, just read this comment and .2 seconds later he says it!

LIES!!! I think they’re pretty damn cute!

fax

Definitely not cute enough to be a diva

That’s a good one, and a very astute observation at that! There are some cool varieties of both the zz and snake plants that I love too!

I just water when the leaves get squishy, which can be as often as once a week when they’re in my south-facing window

Also, depends on the time of the year. I live in region 6b. When I have my succulents inside for the winter, they're dormant, and watering once a month is good. But when I have them outside, during spring, summer, and fall, they need more frequent watering. I water them least once a week when I have them outside.

That’s a great pro tip!

Does it get enough light in there though?

@@rachelgibson6800 If you have a window in your bathroom, it can be fine. The humidity really helps some plants. My coffee plant loves it.

@@rachelgibson6800Right my bathroom doesn’t have a window lol

wait, you can get in trouble for that? 🤔

@@MakaylasLifee HOAs are evil. If you’re fined you always have to pay the HOA for some stupid rule they made up to scheme more money out of you while they do nothing- or else they won’t let you sell your house. It sucks. I knew one guy who was fined $500 for not having his garbage cans off the curb before a specific time

How do you know when a succulent is thirsty? I be thinking they thrive on neglect🥹

@@ashleyallen8817 mine the leaves get thin and lose their bounce. They also get squishy and translucent when they're overwatered. I have aloes and echeverias

@@MakaylasLifee some neighborhoods have HOA which just means you have to keep your exterior of the house looking a certain way

Jade plants are great! They grow so fast too! A small baby plant will turn into a miniature tree in no time it seems lol

Fun fact: Jade plants are actually succulents! They're very hardy and can take a lot of beating. They're also one of the much more resilient and forgiving succulents for indoor growing, and are great to propagate. Some types will actually grow into miniature shrubs and trees! They're really great plants.

I absolutely love prayer plants! I have 5 different varieties. It all started with one little cutting from an online add for a barely rooted lemon lime maranta. I didn't even know what it was but the color of the leaves were beautiful. I brought it home and it struggled for a while. It lost 2 of it's 3 leaves then grew a bunch of leaves that it just kept losing. It is still small but it's finally grown tall enough to propagate. I can't wait to see what it looks like in another year! I've gotten confident enough with my prayer plants that I took a Dottie with no healthy leaves left from Lowe's and it has all new foliage. The leaves are only 1/4 of the size of the full size but they are beautiful. I can't get enough of how drastically the leaves move. You're amazing with yours. You have to have near perfect conditions to get a prayer plant to flower! I grew one flower on my red maranta this year. They're so delicate and pretty.

@@mcherry9137 I have a Lemon Lime too! That was the one that made me notice prayer plants. It wasn't the first one I bought, but it was the first variety I saw a pic of online and then I noticed we had a bunch of different ones at work (I work at Home Depot). My lemon lime has flowered now too. I've taken pictures of them, they're so cute! Yeah, I seriously don't know anything about plants so the conditions in my bedroom must be absolutely perfect for them lol! They're in a window that faces SW, but to the side of the window, not in the direct line of sunlight and the heating vent is along that part of the floor. But they are on a bunch of plant stands on a dresser so the heating vent is closed off, not open to blasting them. The AC vent is on the other side of the room and I don't like cold anyway so it's never below the 70s. I have a Red Prayer plant, the Lemon Lime, both of which have flowered, a Peacock Prayer plant,, and then I have one with huge dark green leaves with this magenta band across them, one that Nick has too (the one with the pink stripes on the leaves). I don't remember what they were cuz I threw away the name tags they came with.🤣🤦‍♀️

Wow. You've got quite the collection. I have a lemon lime and red maranta,rabbit foot, rattlesnake and Dottie calathea (Dottie has big round dark green to dark purple leaves with purple/pink lines that that make a more traditional leaf shape and dark purple bottom) and one white fusion that I purchased online.

☺️🙌🏽Aww, thank you for watching!! Everything you said is so true! Encouraging a love for plants can hopefully make the world a healthier place in some way 💞💞💛💛💙💙💞💞

I know I did! Thankfully, I had my tried and true pothos to keep my head slightly in the game before diving in again

I agree! This is such a wonderful, informative & unique idea 💚🪴✨

@@Patadendron Yes! SO helpful and presented in such a fun way. I kept thinking "I want this guy as my neighbor!" I'm pretty good with certain plants, but (sorry, this is a downer...) I lost all of mine in a house fire. I KNOW! Had a gloriously happy Peace Lily that would cost more than I can afford to replace, if I could even find one as large and healthy. So, I'm starting over. Can't afford to buy many similar sized plants, and I really want ones that I do buy to thrive. Who knew that of all the things you lose in a house fire, your plants would be among the things you miss the most? Anyway, Patrick, you never know who you will both help and cheer up with something like this post! Thank you! 😇

Omg i want to move in

@@annacostello5181 @bfitnessforlife, me too! They would have to drag me out of there. It's kind of like how a great library makes me feel - like I've entered a magical realm and the rest of the world disappears for a while!

Yay! Thank you for subscribing! 💚

Same, I love your vibe!! I am always annoying people around me with my plant talk. It's good to see someone so passionate about this 😍

Haha I like yiur husband's humor 😂 thanks for the chuckle lol 💚

@@Patadendron I forgot to mention Henry and Eleanor PLANTagenet -- they live while the others die off... I think they're vampires for chlorophyll!

Yes! And the basic heart leaf philodendron - big pillowy green hearts ☺️💚

Can I get an AMEN !!!!???!!!!

AMEN 🙏🏻

My ripple peperomia just perished, very sad. Watching this video I’m kind of surprised it lasted for a year because I’m not too attentive to it. I also tried the maiden hair fern like three times because they’re just so pretty and I couldn’t help myself and every time they were gone within a month. My calathea is currently dying on my kitchen table. Everything makes so much more sense now 😂

@@kayleepauley2160 my ripple peperomia dropped all its foliage and now it's got these dinky lil leaves

It took me a while but I figured out my maidenhair ferns. They are DIVAS but so worth it🖤

I'm known as the plant killer 😬. I've killed two succulents, once because I was going on a trip so I drowned it in water and a 2nd time because I kept it inside my restroom, thought it looked cute there 🥲

It was a sad sad day when I realised my maidenhair fern was not going to make it🙈 she was sooo beautiful but I’m not putting myself through that again!

I live in a 15% humidity house and the calathea do NOT survive no matter what 😂 glad you have success with them!

I have had a similar experience. I have not found them hard to care for personally!

I’m the same way. Plants that need a lot of attention to, I seem to do okay. The plants that go forever without water and care, I kill because I just forget lol

That's so cool! I bet the nature up there is gorgeous! Hope to visit up there someday soon! 😍

I just got a purple passion plant, and I have a firefly leopard plant and a pink syngonium on the way. I'm hoping I'll have good luck, the purple passion already gave me a scare because it is so dramatic when it needs water!

I have a mini phalaenopsis and a minin dendrobium. Super easy - orchid girl channel is very helpful to care for them

Exactly. I always thought the same thing. However, over the past few years, I've attached some to trees, literally ripped them off that tree after a year with my bare hands, repotted it, and it still keeps growing. I find they're impossible to kill.

Thanks for watching Newman! You’re an expert so your compliments mean a lot! 💚

That’s perfect! Maidenhair ferns are so beautiful!

Aww thank you for those kind words! 💚💚

Thank you!! Congrats on your new place!! Finding plants to fill it with is going to be FUN🙌🏽

Yes! Keyword learning! Each trap was a learning experience although I still love and buy calatheas, my expectations have just been… adjusted lol

Thank you so much Miss Betty! That Calathea white fusion is SUCH A TRAP! Lol I’ve been there too 😅🙌🏽💚

Thank you so much!!! Thank you for watching my video, and I hope you stay a while 💚

I did too! 😝 I’ll still fall in love with a calathea from time to time. Glutton for punishment here 🙄🙋🏻‍♂️😅

my mom got me a kimberly queen fern... why I’m here lol

I agree! Loooove hoyas!

I have 2 huge fiscus ..had them over 25 years, reaching the ceiling now :) they dont like to be moved and let them dry out between waterings

Me too! I love Calatheas! lol I’ll always be into calatheas. Just felt it was my duty to let everyone know what to expect 😝💚