Where plants are concerned, I have no natural aptitude whatsoever. If there was something more inept than having a black thumb, that would be me. I even managed to kill a succulent earlier this year. I didn't even know that was possible! But when reminded of Judith and Igor's project, Urban Jungle Bloggers, from this post from Anna about great planters and getting more greenery in her own home, I decided there's no time like the present to improve my plant situation.
So I'm starting out slow, with my little bargain orchid from Ikea, a flower I'd always admired in other people's windowsills yet always thought they would be too delicate for my clumsiness around plant life. According to the website Beautiful Orchids: "Phalaenopsis... are among the easiest of the orchid family to care for." Praise the plant gods! These relatively low-maintenance flowers might be just what I need to tentatively test my toe into the waters of successful plant ownership - beyond a couple succulents and some half-dead herbs.
I remember a few years back lamenting to my friend's mom about my basil always dying and felt immediately better when she told me of basil's temperamental, needy nature, thriving in lots of sunlight that seemed so rare in Germany. This hurdle of understanding each plant and what to expect is perhaps my biggest. I've always been of the mindset that water plus sunlight means it lives, right..? Clearly my learning curve is going to be pretty steep. My fumbling start may mean I'm a less-than-regular poster for this project, but I intend to take full advantage of the inspiration I know it will provide to learn about and care for each of my green friends appropriately.
Pressing thumbs I can create my own urban jungle before too long...
