Trying Not To Kill The Air Plants

I love air plants, that they don’t need pots or messy soil. In nature they grow on the sides of trees in humid environments and feed off the moisture in the air.  How hard can it be to keep them alive, right?

This summer saw the possible demise of three plants I bought at the beginning of the season. I didn’t keep them hydrated enough and they lived under a ceiling fan. They were pretty shriveled up by the time I realized that my nice breeze was their kiss of death.

Healing Greenery

Plants can be resilient. So can people.

I have a talent for rescuing near-dead foliage. A few weeks ago my father was outraged that someone, probably local kids, broke off three branches from the coleus outside his home. I took the little wilted branches home, put them in water and watched as they formed roots and leaves. Yesterday I presented them to him as a potted plant, turning anger to abundance. And this is the second time in as many years that I have given coleus to his garden.

The plants at work thrive in almost constant fluorescent light.  I recently found a cutting dying in a wineglass. Here it is, living in a cheerful pot on a sunny windowsill. After a long day, it gives me a sense of peace to water the houseplants and marvel at their growth.