How to Break Up with Your Plants | tips for exiting the houseplant hobby 👋🏼

[@seragonally]

I'm not sure why this made me so emotional I'm not planning to leave plants anytime soon at least, but just listening to this while doing some plant chores has me tearing up! I think it's sometimes so powerful to hear someone give us permission to leave the things that no longer serve us in our lives, no matter the previous financial, physical or emotional investments we've made. Definitely now one of my all time favorite videos, thank you Becca!!

[@writegirl2937]

I cannot imagine breaking up with my plants since I started keeping plants 35+ years ago. However, I do see a lot of value in your presentation, especially for many who took up the plant hobby during the most depressing days of the pandemic when they were locked indoors away from the lives and people they loved. Plants saved many from losing their minds. Thanks for this, Becca. I believe you will help a lot of people with this session. I really appreciate your channel.🧡

[@BeckyS]

Im also not interested in totally "getting out", but I absolutely have downsized or sold plants which I just didnt enjoy keeping any more. Each time, it was really helpful in reviving my joy in my collection. I think the idea of going through any collection and only keeping those that you actively enjoy having is a good idea.

[@Beeplabeep]

I'm not breaking up with my plants-- we are trying to work things out and refocus on the relationship.... But this was beautiful.

[@BeccaDeLaPlants]

I love that perspective!!

[@ginafrench9198]

Fantastic tips for not only plants but other things in life. For example, I got heavy into fish tanks. Had up to 13 tanks. Realized the upkeep for that many fish tanks was just too much for me. I only have 2 tanks now.

[@LulaMae21]

Anytime I see people talk about their fish rooms, I just wonder how they have the time and energy lol

[@ShakiBee541]

Thank you Becca 🌱😊 This is such an important subject that I feel doesn't get talked about enough. So many channels promote endless plant hauls and if you're easily swayed, which I have been at times, you can end up being overwhelmed. I dislike when it becomes just another form of consumerism/hoarding/keeping up with trends etc. 💚😊🌱

[@naturalgalwilliams]

Hello friend. I got into plants/gardening by punishment..my sister and I had to pull the weeds and I didn't care for it until many moons later. Today planting/gardening are my THERAPY!! I love challenging myself to care for those I didn't have the knowledge of caring for. Overall I love the dirt. Many blessings. OneLove ❣️

[@janinebean4276]

This is so important! Just because something was only a season in your life, doesn’t mean that season wasn’t valid or didn’t add to your life at the time! This applies to hobbies, jobs, relationships, places, lots of things! There’s this shame applied to not sticking to something forever, especially relationships, but with hobbies I feel like it’s honestly a lot of neurotypical shaming. People with ADHD often change hobbies and THAT’S GREAT! experiencing lots of different things is GOOD! it doesn’t mean you’re not committed, it means that you don’t stubbornly stick to things that don’t serve you anymore, and that you are passionate and interesting! ❤

[@moremiaj4786]

I have a beneficial relationship with my plants. I used to get situations in the summer whereby my home would smell stale. Ever since I got houseplants, that has no longer been an issue for me. Also they moderate the temperature inside my home. For the last 4 years of owning house plants, I have not needed to regulate my thermostat because the temperature inside remains stable never falling below 70. And interestingly in the summer, they keep the inside temperature cool. I dont know how these guys do it. But I am grateful for them and they leveled up my decor by a factor of 100. I am so grateful for them. But I have ones I will never get again. Mostly in the Calathea family.

[@sarah9314]

I’ve been slowly down sizing and like cycling new easy going plants in at the same time. It’s been good for me. My friends and people in my kids lives have been happy to receive their plant babes too

[@loes6839]

Thank you for talking about this! I've was overwhelmed with the amount of plants I had at the end of summer and during the fall/autumn. I had gotten a lot of new plants in the growing season. Ended at around 75 or so. Have been decluttering them quite a lot this new year. Slowly rehoming all the ones that don't spark joy anymore. Maybe a tip for people: I've been also potting more species into pots together so I can still keep quite a few species, without a lot of maintenance. Like different kinds of the same leaf shape (philodendron brasil, scandens and micans lime, Epipremnum aureum, marble queen, pinnatum variegata, neon.) Also have a mix pot with a few Syngonium. Another one with multiple Scindapsus species, etc. I've also made a list of my whole collection in my notes app and I just look at it when I feel overwhelmed and see which plants I feel annoyed by. Those go on a "to go" list and I'll send pictures to friends/family/colleague's if they want them. Most of the time someone wants it. If not, I put them in the compost bin unless they are sellable for more than €10 Or I propegate the whole plant and sell the cuttings in a variety box through Facebook groups. I went down from about 75 to now around around 50 species in 40 pots. So about half of the pots. And I've placed them more scattered around the house, so it doesn't seem as full in every room. Also keeps watering more organised and pests lower.

[@AventurasGlez]

This is such a timely video. I just found you last week. A few days ago I started feeling down in the dumps (time of the month) and thought about getting rid of my plants but felt guilty because I was overwhelmed. For me, my passion started after my mom passed 2 yrs. ago. I believe it was God's way of sending me an outlet for healing. Now that I have more than I can handle, your video really helped me. Thanks!

[@wandashaw3551]

Hi Becca, thank you for another wonderful topic that was so relatable for me. I am not breaking up with my collection, but I won't feel so bad about trimming down the ones that aren't bring me joy any longer. Thak you!!

[@rbranch234]

Thank you for addressing this in an open, sensitive and encouraging way. I hope I never let my plants go, but I have cut down on the amount. Taking care of them became a chore and demanded an effort to do it. I cut back, by giving away, from over 100 to around 60. Care is much easier and the enthusiasm to do it returned. Pretty confident that’s my sweet spot for number of plants. The advice you give is excellent and hopefully anyone who is listening follows what will work for them.

[@mollys1584]

Great video!I have morphed my collection to a lot more cacti and succulents. This Spring I will be gifting my sister with some and maybe putting out a "free" table to share with neighbors. I've been growing indoor plants for fifty plus years so I'd like to share the wealth! And I'm looking forward to adding more cacti and succulents to my green kids.

[@fogfern6184]

I’ve totally downsized plants since last summer. I went from over 200 now I probably have about 100 and I’m still downsizing. I loveeeee my plants but I really am craving a more paired down look in my home. And I also realize just how much energy went into my plants, it was too much for me. With post pandemic life, I began to work much more and reignited my passion for playing music. I had played piano as a girl all the way thru being 18, then dropped it and didn’t play much until 2021. I am so happy with it and I’m improving after so many years being out. And I also picked up 2 new instruments that I’m really enjoying. So plant time had to be shared immensely. I actually think it’s much healthier for me to have several hobbies shared up instead of one that I’m sort of hyper fixated on. I feel like it gives me a sense of depth and richness. When I first started sharing up my time with plants it felt weird, like a kind of loss and I was worried I would lose my love for plants. I’ve loved and kept plants for over 10 years now though, and like most people, went crazy during the pandemic. I’m not losing my love for plants, I just want to really love just a few of them. I leaned on them during such a wild and crazy and scary time in life and I will be forever grateful for the healing power they offer, if I learned one thing about that intense period of time - other than a lot about houseplants - I learned just how healing plants are. Thank you for this video, it really made me think which I love and I think there’s a lot of people out there right now who can benefit from this topic.

[@dorindastewart1375]

Great video as always. I had a feeling you were a school teacher. You're a fantastic educator! So well spoken and great at conveying thoughts in an easy to understand way. I'm not at the place where I want to breakup with my plant collection but this video can be used in so many aspects of life. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I hope you're not getting away from making plant content.

[@caitlin228]

My local plant groups have a few teachers that will ask for donations for their classes or school gardening clubs. Another donation option is senior living facilities. It's been proven that having something to care for has a huge improvement in the residents' lives. I keep meaning to contact the place closest to me but get anxiety about making the call

[@Lilliantherhodesian]

This is good stuff. I think it's important to say that if you need to be done it's ok. I know there are people that need to hear this. Good video.

[@ninabeena83]

I know I’m going to have to move at some point in the very near future, so I’ve been basically fire sale selling my collection off and bringing cuttings and “struggle” plants to my local plant markets to gift to people. I’ve gone from ~100ish to like 20 or so in the last few weeks lol For one, I’ve seen enough “moving with a gajillion plants” videos to know it’s a 🙅🏾‍♀️ for me, and for two I’m out of my “buy all the plants I like as soon as I see them” and “everything on plank/pole” phases and more in my “cultivating a cool planty-decorated environment” stage. Looking forward to getting the plants I really, really want in the future though, with more of a plan as to how I’m going to raise them 😊 because I do truly enjoy the hobby and it’s been great as far as mental health

[@hollyhasegawa6095]

Hi Becca, I understand what you are saying, I fell in love with more plants because my mom was a plant person, and had around 20 or so and after she passed away I got the ones that were still alive and I have two still and they are over 25 years old. I always had plants in my home and I now have even more because I really love plants, and sometimes when I am struggling with certain plants I either just dump them or try and figure out why I am having a hard time keeping them alive. I have always had the buy 3 rule, I will buy a plant up to 3 times and if I still can't keep it alive after the third time I won't ever buy it again, because usually after the second time I have figured out what I was doing wrong and then I try again and it stays happy. Thanks for another great video that I really enjoyed watching and listening to some great advice. Have a great rest of your week, sending love and hugs, bye!

[@amyelizabethweafer]

Great video for everyone about not letting it overwhelm you. I always will love my plants and stay in the hobbie, but towards the end of last year it got a little too much coping with pests etc. I sold some plants I really loved but it was just taking a toll. But now that my collection is pared back a bit I'm really excited for Spring and have my enthusiasm back 🙌

[@maggs810]

I love this video. I was recently looking at my plants and felt some kind of negative feeling about them. Turns out it was mostly because a few of them had pests and weren't looking great. I think overall I got rid of 25% of them and I feel so much better about them. I have my favourites that I don"t think I'll get rid off. It's definitely fine to say goodbye to a hobby that's becoming stressful, and it's fine to come back to it, or not! Our mental health comes first.

[@s.jovonsmith619]

I experienced the.exact.same.thing. just last week. Thanks for sharing. I "HEART" our plant community.

[@dianahartley-kim7109]

This is so very helpful. I enjoyed plants and learned so much from caring for them. They helped me with my grief. Now I will greatly downgrade to a small manageable collection. 💙

[@juliashearer7842]

I have had houseplants for many years, I have some that are probably 30 years old, others have come and gone as my interests changed. I really do want to reduce my collection at the moment though and am trying to thing of a way to select what to let go of. They have all taught me something and given me joy. Nice video. Thank you.

[@rhondafannin4953]

I cant imagine ever not growing plants both inside and outside, but I know how overwhelming it can become.

[@YinYangx3]

I don’t plan on leaving the hobby entirely any time soon, but I am planning on moving and so need to cut down a lot. This helped me figure out how to say goodbye to a lot of my plants :’)

[@tomokitty2153]

I can't relate to this sentiment, but it's nice that you've addressed it. Even the outdoor annuals like geraniums , lantana, etc., come inside for winter here. I'm so sad seeing on fb all of the "plant purge" listings and can't understand it. I get even sadder thinking about no one wanting my plant collection when I'm not here to tend it anymore.

[@QueenSara11]

Such a thoughtful video Becca, thank you!

[@lisaslabaugh233]

Thank you so much for this video Becca. ❤ I am downsizing my collection significantly this spring so that I can be more intentional with the plants I truly love and appreciate & they will get the attention & care that they need & deserve ❤ Love your content always!! ❤

[@AngieRichmond]

💙💙💙 I think this is a great video because it’s really hard at times to move on from things.

[@bwilliams5471]

Thank you for this video ❤ It has come at a time when I am going through the winter blues and I am feel a little overwhelmed trying to keep my plant collections alive. I know I will perk up when spring comes and I can put some plants outside and play in the dirt. I have propagated many of my favorites and I love to share them with family, friends and strangers, so I don’t plan on leaving the hobby but I have hit the pause button for now. I look forward to the podcast and listening while I do my plant chores.

[@lauriebrown9714]

I notice so many of these plant channels continually apologize for their under watered plants, leading me to believe they’ve created more than a hobby and possibly something like a ball and chain. My local plant swap is currently doing a fund raiser that we all voted on to support. So those plants that you love a little less you can list at a very fair price and the proceeds go to a great cause.

[@sharmaineangayan9893]

I love this well thought out content 🙂🌿.

[@teresarose7524]

I am not getting rid of my multitude of plants, but this was a great video. I think we all fall into something in the course of our lives that we want permission to stop doing- be it plants or some thing else. Sometimes those feelings just need to be validated.

[@GardenWitchStudio]

This was a great video. Plants are definitely a more overwhelming hobby to leave. Great tips!

[@anneflores1697]

Hi , i really enjoy your video such a good advice . I never miss any of your videos love them and thanks..👍💚

[@amapinup]

I have a rule for myself of only three plants per room so I don't get overwhelmed. When I only had 1-2 plants in my whole house I forgot about them so now that I have more I keep up with them better.

[@mommasond]

Unimaginable 😂, my plants probably gonna outlive me

[@tattedkc16]

Loved your content so true! I've sold several of mine just this WK to downsize to make room for those I love😁💚

[@MelissaFranquii]

Loved this video. Extreme morning sickness made me sort of break up with my plants. I couldn't stand them, look at them and the smell of wet dirt 🤢. My husband helped me to take care of them. But I'm thinking of selling some and downsizing in general. Also less chunky soil. Because I can't keep up with watering and I lost a couple of plants due to underwatering. I guess it's part of the journey.

[@kriblar98]

Had something similar happen to a friend of mine, she has her plants still but no longer wants to buy anymore, her grandmother tends to meddle with her plants in ways that negatively affects them even though she has good intentions (but she dismisses my friends concerns which is ultimately the trigger) . Its kinda sad.

[@emilymajeski]

Back in 2017 I moved from a huge bright apartment to my house which is smaller and on a very shady street so I gave away all my cacti and succulents to any of my high school students who wanted some. Now I have way more plants, also grow lights and things to take care of my collection better, but I’m still mad at myself for letting my huge 12 year old blue torch go. I made the mistake of asking the student about it and she said it died 😰😭my advice is: don’t be hasty…and Never look back!

[@vanessacarol793]

:ove this Becca!!

[@tubegoob1]

I thank my dead/dying leaves, before I toss them 😁😚😘🍂🚮. I love all my plants, even though they overwhelm me, at times (looking at you, heart leaf fern). When a hobby no longer helps your mental health, yeah, it's time to say goodbye -- "Thank you. Next!"

[@dauriagroux-holt4028]

Yes! This! Gave half our collection to my brother and his girlfriend who moved into a new apt. Win win

[@CodiAnne]

Loving the non-judgmental vibes❤️

[@katiefair6959]

I can’t imagine leaving plants, however, I have been moving into a new phase where I’m loving alocasia, philos, plus a lot more rare and variegated plants and I’ve been having a hard time loving my less interesting plants so I’ve been debating decluttering some of those but I haven’t decided yet. I’m currently sitting at 70 houseplants😅

[@ellenzinner]

Question: I would love to see your green house, see what you put in it.

[@charitymcallister596]

I analyzed myself years ago and realized that I became a plant collector (hoarder) when my youngest child left the nest.

[@taylorsmith8460]

Why is this making me sad I’m not even breaking up with plants 😆😆

[@JohnnyWin]

A video about breaking up with plants when I just emptied my wallet last night ordering plants 🤣

[@persistentone3448]

Let's be honest. Learning enough about each species to make it thrive is difficult. It can take years to understand how a plant responds to a specific soil mix. I sometimes wonder what keeps me going with plants. I guess I am stubborn. Every season I get better.

[@jillynnrekowski3106]

Other places that might want plants would be medical offices: doctors, dentists, chiropractors veterinarians (pet friendly plants), nursing homes, funeral homes, etc.

[@christopherledesma6774]

Watching this video as I carry my garbage to the alley which contains the remains of my ficus altissima lol

[@ashakabeta]

Oh no! I could never throw a healthy plant into the garbage.... They are beings of intelligence. That's like throwing an animal in the trash, to me. Plants want to live. They fight for it. Please give them away instead!

[@MaddieMettler]

Another thing that is never really talked about: you can be not good at your hobbies. Obviously there is a line with that where you are not doing any unnecessary harm to yourself or other beings. But you can be a “bad” plant parent and stay the course if you truly enjoy it.

[@mycharmedunicorn8715]

I wish I had invested in one big beautiful plant instead of all this little crap. Also, I bought a $75+ with shipping for a monstera albo rooted cutting that only has and puts out green leaves. So sick of liars. I also bought a syngonium Albo and it had one leave with some white on it, and one green leave the leaf with white Died pretty quickly. I wonder now if it was painted white. And all the other leaves that came out have been green, not one lick of white on either the Monstera Albo or syngonium Albo and I paid a lot of money for these plants from individuals. The Syngomium Albo them is in my grow tent under lights. It’s just upsetting.

[@annaf.1109]

You still can toss these and buy a big plant 😊 my collection started with a bird of paradise, I love it so much 😊 good luck to you 🌿🌱

[@kendravoracek3636]

💚💚

[@oscarcaro3874]

My plants watching me watch this video 👁️👄👁️

[@Akimills_84]

🪴💚🪴💚🪴

[@williamjohnson3938]

U trying to leave hints Becca😿

[@BeccaDeLaPlants]

Not at all!! ❤️❤️ just felt it was important to talk about

[@williamjohnson3938]

@@BeccaDeLaPlants thank god it is very important to talk about it I just got scared lol