Kitchen

It’s Alive!

Huzzah, I’ve managed to check off another of my Lovely Life List items.

Keep a House Plant Alive for At Least a Year

The dinosaur planter in the windowsill is new, but the rest of the succulents had been hanging out for a while. I thought, ‘hmmm, these have maybe been alive for a year now, right?’ I scrolled back through the archives to check. A year and a half! Boom.

Succulents

So I’ve replanted them, and they’ll probably die now because I don’t know what I’m doing and didn’t look up instructions. Armed with the vague knowledge that succulents will reroot, I snipped them all down and plunked them in some citrus/cactus soil. If they don’t make it, I’m not too worried. They were getting overgrown and gangly, and they’ll cost all of $3 to replace if need be. For now, they look cute and I had a project to work on with the kids.

Can't Reach!

And hey, I no longer think of myself as someone with a black thumb! Maybe it’s not fully green, but I can at least remember to water some plants and put them in the right lighting conditions.

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  • Becca :: Making Room in Sicily
    September 18, 2012 at 8:03 am

    Haha, congratulations! As my other plants slowly bite the dust one by one, I bless my succulents for at least saving me a little face.

    • Making it Lovely
      September 18, 2012 at 2:06 pm

      Succulents have been my gateway starter plants to a wider world of greenery. I’m good with ferns now too! Relatively.

  • LisaInIllinois
    September 18, 2012 at 8:04 am

    I too have not one but two
    black thumbs! Good to know I am not alone!

  • Brianne Joy
    September 18, 2012 at 9:14 am

    Congratulations! I’ve got one of those, not-quite-green thumbs you mentioned above, so I can totally relate. A year and 1/2 is a big deal. :)

  • Erika
    September 18, 2012 at 9:30 am

    Loving that view across from the stove, as well as that white pot on the stove!
    Congrats on keeping the plants alive :)

  • Lynell
    September 18, 2012 at 9:36 am

    Well, I’ve even killed my succulents. My black thumb is strong. Although, I would like to blame it on the lack of direct light that my condo gets…

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  • Elisabeth
    September 18, 2012 at 12:54 pm

    Could you tell us where that glass container is from?

  • Sierra
    September 18, 2012 at 12:59 pm

    I love that you snagged a Plaid Pigeon dinosaur! When I moved to Austin we met and and became fast friends as we bonded over the use of critters in our designs. Over the past few months, I have been accumulating my own succulent safari that I think I may be slowly killing. Sad, but like you, I have issues keeping plants alive. Good look with the mission!

  • how2home
    September 18, 2012 at 1:33 pm

    Love it!

  • Arianne
    September 18, 2012 at 2:04 pm

    Ha! I’m so glad to know that I’m not the only person with this problem. The other day I was shopping with my mom and my husband and I purchased this fabulous container that I want to use for a terrarium. I was sharing my plans (and joy) with my husband when I heard my mom turn to him and say ‘I don’t know why she’s buying that – she can’t grow DIRT!’ :(

    • Making it Lovely
      September 18, 2012 at 2:08 pm

      Oh, boo! Try your hand at some succulents?

  • Miss B.
    September 18, 2012 at 2:47 pm

    Congrats! That dino planter is awesome:)

  • Kathryn
    September 18, 2012 at 5:13 pm

    I can keep everything BUT succulents alive :)

  • dain
    September 18, 2012 at 6:37 pm

    i’m glad i’m not the only one without a green thumb – my husband and i have kept our succulents alive for some months now, but we recently replanted them and now they aren’t looking so hot – i hope we can keep them going! (i blogged recently about our adventures in succulents …. http://daintymade.virb.com/blog/13543509

    where is the glass planter from? i love it!!!

  • Jamie Lee
    September 19, 2012 at 9:59 am

    I am jealous. I kill 2 palm plants every year, luckily they are cheap to replace at IKEA….but peace lily’s you can’t kill if you try.

  • Jillian
    September 20, 2012 at 7:27 am

    I have a pretty hard time keeping plant alive too, and I’ve actually found succulents to be more difficult that other basic plants. Over the summer, I bought two “mini” begonias and potted them in vintage planters. They’re still alive and doing great – and so pretty. Also, I have had great luck with aloe plants and have been able to get clippings to root. I do have a couple other little tropicals as well. All of these have done better than succulents.

  • Gena@BakeAllTheThings!
    September 22, 2012 at 3:32 pm

    Congratulations!
    One of the items on my 30 Before 30 list is to keep a plant alive for at least 30

  • Gena@BakeAllTheThings!
    September 22, 2012 at 3:32 pm

    Congratulations!
    One of the items on my 30 Before 30 list is to keep a plant alive for at least a MONTH. I’ve attempted several times so far, but everything keeps dying 1 week or 2 or 3 in. :( SOMEDAY!!

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  • Pooja
    October 24, 2012 at 12:39 pm

    Congrats! This is such a great alternative for the winter when all of my summer herbs have bit the dust.