CARING FOR ‘RARER’ PLANTS
A couple of months back, rarer plants were exactly that – rare! New growers have come out of the woodwork and taken us all by surprise, so now some of the harder to come by plants aren’t so hard to get anymore. BUT they still come with a price tag. We are going to outline some tips from personal experience at how to overcome the ‘this plant was expensive and therefore valuable’ anxieties you may have!
Maybe you got a cutting off the Facebook marketplace? Maybe you stalked the Bunnings delivery truck for weeks until you finally scored something good after seeing so many other people get awesome stuff. The reasons don’t matter – but the anxious feeling of possibly murdering it in cold blood is still brewing inside you.
- RELAX, MAX. It’s a plant. Look, it may have taken you longer to acquire, but 9/10 times the care requirements are the same as something you already have or have had before. A Thai Constellation Monstera is just a regular Monstera with variegation – so adjust light settings to reflect this and not burn the leaves. A Syngonium Confetti is just a Syngonium with gorgeous spots. You get where I’m going with this.
- RESEARCH. Sometimes you get a new plant on a whim and other times you have it in your cart forever, meticulously looking at it and seeing if it’s something you can accommodate in your life. I am very much the latter, which probably stems from OCD! Looking up a plant before buying it, in literally any case is a great idea. What if it has light requirements you cannot fulfil? What if it’s super toxic and you can’t hide it from your fur babies? All things to consider, especially if you’re paying big bucks to introduce a new ‘family member’
- SOURCES. Some things are too good to be true. A cheap bargain online? Is someone selling from their house? These are all great opportunities for new and rarer plants, but you need to make sure they’re reputable. Some online stores have a reputation for displaying photos of rare plants they aren’t actually selling (sometimes the mother plant, or a picture from Google), and you receive a little runt when you open your eagerly awaited package!
- MEDIUMS. I don’t mean Alison Dubois and speaking to ghosts… I mean what you have your plants potted into! Make sure when you receive a new plant from anyone, you check what it’s potted into. It may have been just popped in a wetting agent or moss, and ready for a new and well-draining medium. It’s also a good way to check on the roots and for any pests.
That’s it! These are personal tips, and how I have managed to not kill any of my more delicate and rarer plants. This varies from person to person, and what one person considers rare someone else may not!