Don’t know what the opposite of a green thumb is but whatever it is, I am it. Once in a while I will dabble with plants, but it had been some time since I really devoted some time to caring for them. Even then, I wasn’t so good with keeping them alive. No, let me be honest. For years I have been horrible at caring for plants.  

I have kept maybe one plant alive over the last 15 years. You know that plant that everyone has…it grows all over the kitchen and you cut it, root it and repot it. Yep that one. But anything else, count it gone. I couldn’t even keep cactus alive. Well, recently I decided I would try again

You see I have to be able to keep plants alive because my mother and grandmothers were great with plants.”

I received a hyacinth for Mother’s Day. I was really excited about my flower even though I knew, even while I was receiving it in my hands for the first time, that it would be a challenge to keep it alive. Gone. Right after I received that plant for Mother’s Day, I purchased a planter with succulents from Trader Joes. Gone.  

Recently I purchased three little potted eucalyptus plants from Amazon. They were delivered in the mail and survived. These were practically gone within one week. Man, how could I snuff the life out so quickly.  

Geesh, I guess it is a good thing my children weren’t plants.  

I am still on my quest to have plants. But I had to ask myself, how do I keep plants alive? I turned to Google and did a little research. I was able to identify the all of the plants I had so far required light that it would not receive in my home. More research helped me identify plants that match the lighting in my home. It seems south facing windows are the best for plants and the windows in my apartment face westward. After completing this research, I gained a little more confidence in my ability to keep plants alive. You see I have to be able to keep plants alive because my mother and grandmothers were great with plants. They even grew small vegetables and my grandmother had a lemon tree and used the lemons in pies.  

In the meantime, I am still nursing the remaining plants in hopes to revive them. It is uncertain if I will be successful, but I have not given up yet. On the other hand, it seems I have one plant that is doing well. It was a small plant that came with the eucalyptus plants. It is unfortunate, because I don’t even know the name of the plant.  

I would love it if you all could share some ideas with me. I welcome all help. I would also like to add herbs and eventually a small garden. But I would like to master keeping these regular plants alive first.  

Be You, Love You, Forgive You. 

~Bettina