10 ways to work smarter and not harder in the plant hobby 🥵

i've got a short one for you this wednesday! this one was a suggestion from you guys, and a really good one at that! it's pretty self-explanatory-- i talk about different ways i make this hobby a bit easier on me and why i think a good balance of time spent in the hobby is really important. hopefully this helps some of you out if you're been struggling with spending "too much" time caring for plants and need some ideas on how to make the hobby more enjoyable!
PRODUCT MENTIONS:
→ wifi plugs: amzn.to/45j7ToL
→ electrical tower: amzn.to/48Ea1dP
→ great white myco: amzn.to/48DVVJo
→ billions myco: amzn.to/48AgLtf
→ moss poles: nstropicals.com/search?q=poles
→ predatory bugs: koppert.ca
VIDEO MENTIONS:
→ no drainage videos:
• no drainage part 1: • growing with no draina...
• no drainage part 2: • growing plants with no...
• no drainage q&a: • growing 300+ plants wi...
→ plant organization videos:
• • pinterest style cleani...
• • spring organizing / my...
• • what's on my ikea plan...
• • a week of plant things...
⚠️ All clear vessels are from thrift stores! ⚠️
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Music courtesy of @epidemicsound

[@Liliplantdiaries]

I was just telling my husband that I didn’t get my Charmaine fix yesterday! What a lovely surprise! Thanks for all you do. Hope all is well and you’re not stressing about content.

[@unplantparenthood]

i appreciate you being here week after week!! 🥹

[@nadine_double_v9901]

Great video Charmaine, thank you ! When I moved in here, 2 years ago, I dreamed of a jungle like place. Now, because of health issues and aging, trying to make my life easier. Though I love to see cutting grow, it is the first year I buy more established plants. Planning to have all my plants in clear vessels or self-watering pots too. Greeting from France, Nadine. 🌱🪴🌴💚

[@jessicabey275]

Thank younto whoever it was to recommend this topic 😊

[@_justsilvie]

I've had a paraiso verde, syngonium pink splash and white knight that just don't bring me joy anymore. I kept saying 'I'm gonna do a plant purge cause what's the point of having plants that don't bring me joy anymore' I kept putting it off and now I have THRIPS! I'm kicking myself because I could've had less plants to worry about had I just followed through with the purge. And now I don't wanna sell them cause they may/may not be infested. Nothing worse than taking care of and pest treating plants that you don't actually care about 🙄 I sure did learn my lesson, that's for sure Thank you for this video, I've gained a lifetime's worth of plant knowledge from you and Alice and will never be able to repay you for that invaluable gift 💜

[@unplantparenthood]

don't beat yourself up! hindsight is always 20/20. all you can do now is focus on what you can control! if you're not pressed for money, i honestly would just do away with the thrips infested plant. for me it's almost not worth prolonging the infestation if i'm only going to get a few bucks for it anyway once it's pest free and sold. alternatively you could chop off all the leaves on your infested plants, chuck them in bins and treat them that way! that's always been my go-to when i'm not quite at a point where i want to throw away the whole thing. i hope you get it under control!! and don't forget to breathe!! also thank you for watching alice and i's videos!! we always fangirl over the fact we have the best subscribers. 🥰🥰

[@SarahFluffyErica]

"Regain your mental health." I absolutely needed this! I'm in the process of doing this right now. I'm absolutely going to re-watch this video tonight when I do plant chores ❤️

[@Liliplantdiaries]

I agree with sizing down your collection so much! I had been feeling like that for a while because I’ve been getting new different plants and it’s just not logical to think you’ll always like all the plants you’ve collected.

[@unplantparenthood]

that part!! i find it weird that i've received a surprising number of comments regarding how i'm not a "real" plant parent because i cycle between plants. i don't think there's anything wrong with falling in and out of love with them-- i find it's actually the norm in this hobby. i try to not beat myself up about it anymore and just remind myself that someone else will love it more than i do!

[@littleheaven70]

Oh my goodness, the "quality, not quantity" segment spoke to my SOUL. Thank you for verbalising what I've been thinking and feeling. A month ago I had my first thrips outbreak, combined with the discovery of flat mites in several areas of the house, and it was the last straw. Plant care was taking a good two hours of every evening and probably half of my entire weekend and I didn't realise how overwhelmed I was feeling until I contemplated the work it would take to treat all the buggy plants. And I also realised that I just wasn't willing to fight for many of them. At first, the thought of getting rid of them was traumatic, and then I threw a few out into the garden... and it felt GREAT. My new motto became "spark joy or get out", lol. Some went to live on my neighbour's deck. Some healthy plants that were just too big or I'd fallen out of love with got sold or donated to the local hospice shop garden centre. I purged 20% of my collection and I am still going. My house is small, and I don't have room for them all to mature. Big vines are out. Things with lots of leaves are out (unless I love them dearly). I want a carefully curated collection of absolute corkers that make me happy every time I look at them. Instead of five super bushy plants on a shelf, I want two massive anthuriums with nice big leaves that are easy to wipe down, lol. My goal is sub-triple-digits. Almost there!

[@VixinatorsVideos]

Girl I totally agree with no drainage. It saves me sooooo so much watering time.

[@unplantparenthood]

if it works it works! the proof is in the puddin' 😎

[@CodiAnne]

DUDE such a good idea with plugging the smart plug in and THEN the extension cord. Life changing🙌🏼

[@amberloveschicago]

The power strip timer tower idea, genius! haha. I don’t know why I didn’t think of that sooner. Really great tip, thank you!

[@unplantparenthood]

it took me several months of using them before i was like wait a second... 😂

[@zigzagpupils1796]

This was so helpful, concise and engaging. Thank you Charmaine!❤

[@unplantparenthood]

i'm so glad!! thank you for watching!! ☺️

[@shellym79]

I did the collect them all thing until i got so many it looked awful. My apartment is always a mess and so many plants doesn't help. Ive given away like 30 and still need to get rid of more. Of the 30 i don't even remember which plants they were so i definitely don't miss them. It was really difficult to get to this point tho. I felt i NEEDED 1 of everything. Then i could never throw cuttings away i planted them all. Then i felt bad about giving them away like they were pets or something. But i feel so much better i got rid of so many i now want to get rid of more.

[@unplantparenthood]

i've definitely been there!! multiple times actually. but i feel like that's the only so many of us are able to get to a "healthier" place for our schedules and lifestyles..i think unless you sort of feel the wrath of excess collecting, you don't realize how bad it's gotten until you're in it? if that makes sense.. i LOVE the way a jungle-esque apartment looks, but i am definitely more on the side of minimalist these days for sanity reasons 😅

[@andyandbee]

Ugh same. I had to start throwing cuttings out and having all the bags of soil/amendments, pots, etc. around wasn't helping my place look less cluttered lol. But I've gotten it down to a nice place and put my stuff in one area and blah blah blah.

[@jessicabey275]

No drainage, clear vessels are amazing Moss poles, D-shaped are also amazing Sherman you have converted mebto pon and no drainage 😁

[@mnbotanicals]

I love your time-saving plant care tips, they’ve probably saved me like a week of my life just this year.

[@unplantparenthood]

my job is complete!!

[@Randomplantycontent]

Yes! Finding the balance is key! Thank you Sherman:)

[@wendycontreras1443]

❤❤❤

[@ThatGirlShelbyy]

Just what I needed today ❤ I was hoping for some planty content to watch 🥰 You’ve inspired me to buy my first anthuriums this week ☺️ I have a few plant orders I’ve placed (combined shipping) from a Canadian shop and the one I placed last night was my first time buying anthuriums.. I can’t wait to get them!!

[@unplantparenthood]

oooooh your first anthuriums?! i wanna know which ones! 😍

[@ThatGirlShelbyy]

@@unplantparenthood I ordered a Clarinervum, a Regale, and 2 Magnificum (those 2 are starter plants in plugs though) 🥰 I can’t wait until they get here! They should be shipping on the 10th I hope🤞🏻

[@aub_k2819]

I just love every video you put out ❤ I really do need to get more organized 😩

[@unplantparenthood]

you can do it aub!!

[@JessNona]

Great advice, thank you. 🌱 ❤

[@unplantparenthood]

thank you for watching!! ☺️

[@sarahg2665]

I absolutely feel you on the change of the seasons thing. I’m so miserable in the summer. I live in Texas and the heat has been absolutely offensive this year (105F or 40C). I’m also a night owl and the sun actually makes me feel physically sick and my depression gets so bad. As soon as fall comes it’s like I can finally breathe and not hate existing. To your other point, I’m kind of glad I’m poor bc I have to really want a plant for a while before purchasing. I do make some impulse purchases here and there but for the most part they are plants I really love and still have a place in my collection years later.

[@marymiller5824]

I totally agree with the QUALITY over QUANTITY. Sometimes (a lot actually) I see people just buying and buying plants and it’s so obvious that they are not being taken care of or are not going to be taken care of. Wow it just blows my mind…..and the thought of the money spent and lost in plants!!!! Crazy!!!!

[@lisaanglim9588]

I’m looking around my room to see what plants I can get rid of. There are things I’ve collected but they add to how many I have to care for. But no longer bring me joy. It’s a new thought of mine. Now I’ll need to do it. Thank you for pushing me. Some have got to go.

[@livinnaturaltc42912]

Thank you, this is very helpful😊

[@unplantparenthood]

thank you for watching!! ❤

[@Thelusciousleafywonderland]

Great video ❤

[@unplantparenthood]

thank you for watching 🥰🥰

[@carolstuff]

Great vid. I was so impressed when you did your purge vid that I got rid of a ⅓ of my plants. I wanted to take back my time & not get too stressed. Thanks for sharing such useful info!

[@unplantparenthood]

that's amazing to hear carol!! i hope it's made a positive impact on you and that you're not missing any of them too much. i know the purging has definitely helped me a lot!

[@katiewilliams9273]

The one thing about propagating is they say if you put a pothos cutting in it it will help the cutting root faster, so now I have multiple pothos. I have put some together but they grow so fast. I'm ready to stand on a corner and just start passing them out. I have propped a lot over the last 4-5 years

[@unplantparenthood]

i used to do the same! i actually still have a few cuttings in my tent that i use for propagation purposes, but i definitely have started to feel less bad about chopping it back constantly and throwing out the excess. i feel like i've given away as many as i could over the years, but i just don't have the capacity to do it constantly.

[@jo2082]

I use cache pots instead of planting directly in no drainage, but I get it. It works better for me, too.

[@Shopgirl2731]

😂😂😂😂 I love this!!! I can’t take you seriously with this hat haha.

[@unplantparenthood]

for some reason it didn't look as ridiculous when i tried it on when i bought it and then after filming this video i was like 🤨🤨🤨

[@mindfulmadeline]

I agree with no-drainage being easier. Especially with the clear vessels and being able to see how much water is there. Pon as well is so much easier. With the exception of small pots I have found. It just gets too warm in my house and i have provided very high light, so they get dry with a quickness! However, most of my tiny plants in no drainage/pon are Hoya. So they can handle it thank goodness lol

[@victoria-davies]

The Barbican conservatory is beautiful, im sure its free too. May need to book in advance? And theres a cute seating area on the canal outside aswell, would be perfect in the sunny weather this weekend. Its my bday too, 1st place i usually go by myself is the eden project ❤

[@jacquelinedaniels87]

Myco totally works in pon.. in no drainage. If drainage I would assume it may wash thru

[@horace6851]

Me looking at my 1000+ plants - yeah, I should get rid of 5 of you :)))) (but it's my job atm so don't worry, I'm fine and actually really happy). Thanks for this video, and you look really pretty here.

[@unplantparenthood]

as long as you're happy that's what matters!! we all have a different threshold! also i was actually feeling so self-conscious as i was editing this because i feel like i've been eating so bad lately and i can see it in my face, so thank you for that comment 🥺🥺

[@robinhavens695]

You don't look ridiculous... you look cute 💚👻🪴 So festive 🧡🦇🎃

[@Dieppaloveplants]

Also the fertilizer help plant grow faster my thai con is almos 6 feet tall i wish i can put a pic here

[@Zen.....]

still watching, but the manual plugs are useful when the wifi signal is not strong enough for some areas. currently looking for a triband wifi router which supposedly fixes the problem, but the one I want is so $$$. the manual ones gets time creep, so it is annoying but not a dealbreaker.

[@andresmorales6608]

Maybe not related to the topic of this video but - tortum on a pole or no?? Thoughts?

[@s0bedu692]

i’d say yes- they’re climbers from what i can find

[@unplantparenthood]

my tortum is on a pole! although it doesn't seem to want to use it 😆

[@maryperry5910]

It will take to it eventually. Mine took quite a while and now the new leaves are HUGE!

[@hannahwhite4734]

i tried using a clear plastic pot, but i kept gets fungus gnats 😢 i know they’re not harmful but it makes me want to throw all my plants away because they’re so narsty! i have to use terracotta for piece of mind as it whicks the moisture away, ugh!

[@Dieppaloveplants]

Because of u girlll i have no drainage also and my anthurium is doing amazing i also got tps Myco and change my fertelizer to tps i just change fertelize and all i say all my collection are giving me a new leaf i used to use liquid dirty but that shiii dont work i used it for 2 years and never see any change on my anthurium andmonstera so i stop buying it

[@pilitathomason6993]

I’m on my way to transferring my plants in no drainage, I’m starting with my philodendrons first, I have no problems with them yet.

[@unplantparenthood]

i have faith in you!! thank you for giving it a try ☺️

[@joannanovara815]

Smart power strips are the best

[@unplantparenthood]

it's such a simple thing but makes a big impact!

[@vladdydaddy1280]

EARLY BIRD GANG 🕺🕺💃💃💃🪩

[@unplantparenthood]

MVP 📣 MVP 📣 MVP 📣

[@AnthuriumQueen]

I love your alien ears …eyes?! ❤ Please let me know where you bought them from 🎃

[@unplantparenthood]

our local thrift store actually carries a bunch of new halloween accessories like those, but i'm not sure of the brand! i'm sorry 😩 maybe you can google toy story alien headband?

[@AnthuriumQueen]

@@unplantparenthood totally forgot to reply to this 😵 Thank you!!!!

[@motorsportguy]

Sometimes the plug don’t work on specific lights (my tent lights have to have an old school timer)

[@unplantparenthood]

really?! i've never experienced that before and i feel like i've used so many different kinds of lights. that's super odd!

[@Dieppaloveplants]

Now im in to hoya anthurium and monstera but im more to hoya

[@darcimueller4679]

Sachet is pronounced sash-ay.

[@joanneklaus9242]

🤣Yes Darci, thank-you.. We’re no grammar Nazi just helpful.

[@unplantparenthood]

i actually knew this but my brain continues to say sach-it 😂

[@joanneklaus9242]

@@unplantparenthood we love you Charmaine!🤗💖✌🏻🌿

[@bigpolyenergy]

What up though?! 👋💚🕺

[@unplantparenthood]

aaaaayeeeee 🕺🕺🕺🕺

[@zoeborwick9550]

I think seeing people do videos like yourself advocate for getting rid of plants that you don't enjoy it makes others feel OK with it and not feeling like you have to keep it no matter what.

[@payopayo1412]

You def should do podcast!!!

[@lisaanglim9588]

TEN MILLION THINGS?!? Hyperbole