What do you do with tired plants?

I mean, when you have a plant that you're tired of trying to nurse back to health, and are more of an eyesore than anything, what do you do with it? Assuming no one else wants to take it off your hands? I have a few plants I've been working on for months or even a year that aren't in any better shape. I'm a little tired and am thinking of cleaning house by throwing them away, but I feel guilty about killing them (even though most of them are on their way out anyway!)

Kelly

I can never throw them away, I keep trying until they completely die.

Do you know anyone else who has a green thumb? Perhaps they would like to give it a try. You might even check with a local nursery that maintains a winter business. Perhaps they could offer help?

I've given some to the local greenhouse before.

You could also offer them for trade or postage.

Just curious....what have you got that's 'tired'?

Snboyken, I'm with you. I don't think I can just trash them! Anita, I'm not sure I know anyone that will take more plants. I can try a couple of people at work, I suppose.

I have a peace lily that was doing fair over the winter and spring, beautifully this summer, but now has barely any leaves that aren't brown and crispy. I keep it on a tray with pebbles and water, and moved it into the bathroom with the shower, but it doesn't seem to help.

I have an English ivy that I bought with only three stems. I tried popagating it, and two stems took. Then, three of them died, and the remaining two haven't even grown. It's in good shape, it's just not growing. Maybe it needs a fertilizer, now that I think of it?

I have another English ivy that I moved indoors and is now half dead. I'm going to wait and see on that one, but to be honest, it's one of the few plants that I have that I worry about with the cats, so it wouldn't break my heart to see it go.

But the one that's dragged me out the longest is a plain old green philodendron. I can't seem to keep it happy. I've moved it to a darker location (it got a lot of light before), and repotted it, being careful not to overwater it. Now that I look at it again, it might be saved. It has new growth! Huh... guess I haven't checked that one out in a while! :)

I'm just tired of sad looking plants! I really think the peace lily is on its way out, though. The new growth it put out turned brown and died.

Kelly

Did you check your lily for Aphids?

It took 30 years for me to admit that I cannot save them all. I can now compost plants that have outlived their prime. Still get a twinge though Lol!

Near 100% of houseplants never "outlive their prime" and are capable of living for 10, 20, even 50 times longer than many of us are able to keep them happy. If you doubt this, put a declining houseplant in the ground in appropriate light conditions when outdoor temperatures allow. Water it as needed. You'll witness an amazing transformation as nature provides what you were unable to. When fall temperatures threaten the plants existence, you'll have the choice of reclaiming it or allowing it to remain in the ground and at the whims of nature.

Stress is a condition that, in houseplants, is usually caused by a plant's life processes living at or near the limits for which they were genetically programmed, but doesn't necessarily cause injury. In the average home, most houseplants are living under varying degrees of stress. Light levels, humidity levels, poor soil that has collapsed and lacks structure, and a general lack of understanding of the plants needs are the major contributors to stress. The longer a plant is allowed to live in a stressed condition, the more likely it is that stress will lead to strain. The good news is: Stress is a reversible condition.

Strain is much more severe than stress. When a plant uses more energy than it produces, stress leads to strain, which is an irreversible condition. Strained plants begin shedding parts: leaves, stems, roots, in an effort to reduce the mass of the plant and slow energy loss. Since shedding reduces potential photosynthesizing mass, this will be an irreversible spiral downward unless steps are taken to correct the conditions that caused the stress leading to strain.

The most successful growers are able to recognize stress and diagnose the cause. They then take the necessary steps to eliminate conditions causal of stress before it leads to strain. Since, for the reasons listed in the first paragraph, most plants growing indoors are growing under stress, the lion's share of growers only recognize a problem when it is advanced well beyond the level of stress, actually mistaking strain for stress.

So, as growers, we can resign ourselves to buying disposable plants over and over again, or take the time to learn our plants needs & do our best to provide what the plant needs to prevent stress from going to strain. The best place to start is with what you cannot see. Provide a healthy environment for roots and the rest of your job will be soo much easier. If your roots are struggling in an inadequate soil, your efforts at maintaining a healthy plant above the soil line that grows near its potential genetic vigor will be frustrating, at best. Roots are a plant's foundation and soil is the footing upon which the foundation is built.

Please don't think I'm being hard on anyone. I learned this just like you will - the hard way. I wish I would have had someone to explain this to me years ago (and that I would have taken it to heart and believed it). It would have heightened the pleasure I get from growing plants - and sooner.

Al

Frogsrus, that's what I keep trying to tell myself, too! :) Not everyone can grow everything, although I wish I could! I have more than 20 houseplants, and the rest are all doing great. It's really just one that I am close to losing--the peace lily.

I have to admit, I'm not the most patient person in the world, and for a couple of these plants I've been waiting for what feels like a long time. I probably just need more patience. As for the aphids, there are none. My house has always been a bit too dry for the peace lily, anyway, and I think that the shock of going from the very humid summer to the dry indoor heat was too much for it.

Live and learn, though. I think we all learn from our mistakes, and I, for one, learn which plants I do well with, and which ones I don't. Like the peace lily, which I probably won't buy again unless I'm prepared to buy it its own little humidifier. :)

Kelly

Replacing the soil seems to be the key. I have so many hanging plants that this is quite the chore. I too try to keep things that were never meant to live in my zone. I end up with 5 yr old "annuals" here as well. My peace lily is not thrilled with southern Ca but we seem to have reached an understanding. It now lives on a shady shelf outside and is finally happy there. When I lived in a cooler climate, the gas heat was not a friend to the plants in winter. My skin hates it to lol. Patience is not my long suit either. I guess it is the matter of finding the right fit of personalities lol.
Janice

Would your peace lily be okay in the bathroom? Free humidity....
Mine's there and it loves it.
Cheryl

Hi

I already moved it to the bathroom, but it doesn't seem to be doing much better. I just repotted it in early spring, too.

I agree, Janice. I think it's about personalities, too. :) And I agree, too, about the heat. The peace lily has always had the hardest time out of all of my plants as far as that goes.

Kelly

ceallackg, I planted two of my peace lilies in self watering pots. They look great! Mine is next to heater also. It started to look real bad a couple of years ago. I found this pot and thought I'd give it a try. I think my peace lily likes it. Here's a picture of it. What do you think?

Wow.... yours looks amazing!

That's a good idea. I hadn't thought of a self-watering pot. My mom might have one that I can use. I'll have to ask. Thank you!

Kelly

This reminds me that *I* have one of those 'tired looking' peace lilies, too!!

I'm beginning to wonder if our 'limey' water has anything to do with it.

I think they need a lot more light then we're lead to believe, too.

Do any of you with (ahem) nice-looking Spathiphyllums (peace lilies) also have water with high lime content?

May not be lime as we're REAL limey and they do well here.
Easy to check.
Try generic bottled spring water from the grocery.
How about Chlorine?

I've lost more than my fair share too.
I disagree w/ one statement above.
I think that anyone can grow anything.
IF you want to provide the right conditions.
Many times that's just not an option though.
I don't do Hot House too expensive here.

I do though try to find out exactly where a plant originates and duplicate, as near as possible, that condition.
That eliminates or reduces stress.
That leads to better growth and stronger plants.

Ric

I agree wholeheartedly with that statement, Ric.

I don't have a greenhouse/hothouse either.

I *am* going to try distilled water on my Spathiphyllums.
Can't be chlorine, as we have well water.

I've read that they dislike perlite in their soil.
Any thoughts on that?

I just came across this thread. What I've done sometimes with plants I don't want anymore is put at the end of my driveway with a 'Free' sign on them. People have stopped and taken them each time. I've done this with extra seedlings I've grown or plants that have just not done well in my garden for some reason. Kelly I see you live near me so it is quite winterey now where we are. You could wait until May and try doing this. May be someone will take them. If not, don't feel bad getting rid of them or composting them.

This message was edited Feb 14, 2006 11:33 AM