I love tending to my plants, but I definitely get overwhelmed when depression and anxiety are ramping up. For me, burnout often starts with a “plant fail,” when I lose a plant and then start to question my ability to care for my collection. Learning to toss plants that are difficult/doing badly (ahem, calatheas) has helped, and so has choosing not to buy certain plants (pepperomias, alocasia) until I’m done with grad school!
I leave my unwanted plants in front of my apartment and let other people enjoy them! Been clearing out a bunch that no longer spark joy, it was worth the money for the time they were with me.
Well said I suffer from different mental health issues plant burn out is ruff and I totally feel you when I'm in that stage sometimes you just got to take that plant or plants to the curb no shame cause self love is so much more important !!hope your having a great week chicky 😁👍💚🌿🌱🌻😉🇨🇦
I tossed a few plants, and sure feel a lot better now! Felt kinda guilty, but yes mental health comes first! Thanks for the video. Must stop being a consumer! So hard sometimes hehe.
Instead of putting it in the trash, maybe put it out on the curb. Someone might pick it up. Just a thought. Thank you for the video, this was an interesting topic :)
Ask yourself what’s your “Why?”. Why did you get into plants, and what do plants do for you? For me, it’s therapy. It’s my zen happy place. My plant room is also my office. I enjoy looking at them, learning about their care, and starting from small plants and watches them grow 😊
I've definitely downsized the plant connection when I felt like I had too much. I also tend to plant things together when I feel overwhelmed. If 3 plants can live in the same spot and need the same care, I'll put them in one pot. That's one watering instead of 3. It's one thing to drag to the sink when needed instead of 3. It takes up less "real estate" and is less effort and has helped, especially in spaces that I was feeling were too cramped with plants.
Perfect timing! I just got tossed some sickly calatheas and I'm feeling so much better already. I'm gonna be much pickier when buying plants in the future!
@@BeccaDeLaPlants Tbh I think anyone who cares about their mental health should get rid of their calatheas 😂 (except my lancifolia she’s a drama-free queen)
I got about 50 houseplants in the past year and now I’m feeling a bit of the stress. Thank you for the realistic tips :) I’m starting to be much pickier when buying plants and focusing on the plant babies I have now!
The one part I disagree with is throwing a healthy plant away. I could never. Even in my deepest depression, I would rehome a plant for free rather than throw it away because my mind just wouldn’t let me put it in the garbage 😂
Exactly, every living thing wants to live 😔 it struggled to grow and it deserves to live. It’s just not fair to kill it by throwing in a trash container. Just not. 😢
Everybody does what's in their capacity to do. It's great that you don't need to throw away plants for your own well-being, but for others it might be the healthiest option. Maybe it could be good question to ask yourself: am I choosing for myself? Not that I think you're doing something wrong, but as someone whose life used to be governed by shame and duty to others, it's something I'd like to share.
While I agree with most of what you said, I disagree that it’s normal to experience plant burnout. Imo plant burnout almost always involves overconsumption and mindless consumerism. Like I noticed that many people just buy plants without determining whether they can actually take care of the plant or have the environment necessary for the plant to thrive. So they end up impulse buying plants and later realize how stressful it is trying to keep their plant happy. In other words, people just buy plants for the sake of buying plants. But great video!
One thing that I have really appreciated about your channel and content is that you are not constantly doing shopping videos or hauls. I have cut way back on my consumption of those videos for a few reasons, one simply being that they tend to make me WANT more plants (because I’m weak like that 😂). Great video Becca, thank you.
Right!!! So glad to hear that - I felt the same. It’s hard to keep making that content when you’re perfectly cool content with your collection. ❤️thanks for watching!
I saved a peace lily from each of my g'ma's funerals and them my Mom's. So I have 3 HUGE peace lilies. They are wearing me out. I've had them for decades but they take up so much space and energy. I'm glad I found this video
I thought I was feeling this a few months ago but it was just that I needed to slow down on the collecting. Also realized that for me plant collecting is a hobby and 100+ plants would not be enjoyable. So I just stopped buying plants and found that I am loving watching how the 36 plants I have are growing and changing. I also found that I still enjoy watching the collections of the plant TH-camrs I follow without feeling the need to also buy all those plants.
Same!!! I have a bit more in my collection but since i have gotten almost all the plants that were affordable and on my wishlist, i only buy a New plant if i can think of a spot for it right away and if i really really want it. Makes getting a plant more valuable
I was late to the pandemic plant party and only recently added 20+ plants to my home in a matter of a few weeks in late May. And I loved being a plant parent and loved learning so much about all different types and being part of the plant community. But since going back to full-time work in the office in late June, they’ve been pretty neglected and I’ve since lost 3 (soon to be 4) plants. Oh well. At least I’m reclaiming some of our small apartment back, haha.
They are such a release for my mental stability, so I don’t think I’m burnt out. However, after owning so many during the past year, I’ve definitely curated my collection that 1. Brings me the MOST Joy, and 2. I have the environment to care for them the best. 🌱 Great topic! 💚
Yup! My mental health depends on caring for my plants . So I cant relate to the burn out and I've definitely done everything you mentioned this summer.
surprisingly my plants bring me peace - it's nice to have a routine to care for them all - especially the routine of checking soil, filling up humidifiers, checking on greenhouses in the morning. even with over 200 of them now, I'm not burned out....yet (LOL)
Throw it in the trash! Thank you for being honest about this. If I don’t have the energy to water a plant/rehab a plant after a depressive episode, you think I have the energy to list it, sell it, package and send it to a stranger? Ha! This kind of goes back to when you said that your mental health should come first. And for me when I have a plant that isn’t sparking joy/I’m in a depressive episode and I just watch it decline day after day, which just reminds me how depressed I am, when you throw that plant in the garbage and forget about it, you no longer feel guilty about it. Or you’re no longer going to look at that plant and have it remind you that you’re failing to take care of it. So yes. Sorry y’all but throw it in the trash!
Any plant that I lose the love for or am overwhelmed with I plant outside. I try to place it somewhere it'll have a good chance to survive. If it makes it great, if not...oh, well. I apply a very Darwinian practice to my plant hobby. Sometimes it's gonna come down to "survival of the fittest.'
I fell in love with houseplants and bought a bunch during the lockdown. I was working from home for over a year and it was easy to find the time to care for them. Now that I’m back to working in person I find I have very little time to care for my plants. I feel a bit overwhelmed by how many I have. But I still love them.
I love your tips. I am an older adult and love the idea of “taking care of”. I especially like the propagating but cam stop that and still, at least so far, enjoy my plants. Stopped buying as I feel like at this point that I have the ones I love and can afford.
Such a great topic! I bought lots of plants over COVID but I knew eventually I was going to want to get back to my old life so I only bought easy care plants. So far they are all doing well with the new more neglectful schedule. Water every few weeks, dust once in a while, re-pot maybe once a year. It is now just a low stress hobby that gives me nice decor.
I disagree with just letting the plant die if you feel overwhelmed. It is a living being, after all. Best case scenario: really think hard before you buy a plant. But if you feel overehelmed, maybe give away some plants or sell them. Don't just neglect them.
Just feel like everyone experiences burnout and it's okay and normal. When we are depressed we don't water or care for our plants adequately and things fall to the wayside. I understand that and have been through that personally. Just Why not educate people to not over consume plants and over indulge as they are living things and also need a level of commitment. If you can't give it that, then don't get it. Like with pets. You can rehome plants, give them away or sell them but throwing a plant in the trash is a bit cruel just because it has a pest that can be managed. It's still alive it may not be alive in the way you or your pet are but one day if this world just continues to consume things we may not have what we have now in the future. Its better to teach people how to appreciate what they have and start small then over consume and promote that because it gets views. Just its great seeing plant TH-camrs make real videos and advising against falling into the hype of plants. Starting a plant hobby is exciting and is also a lot of work and can add to stress but also relieve it and make you see things differently. i started when i was 19 i am 31 now. have had plants die i didn't want to lose from lack of knowledge and depression burnout and anxiety. Also have had plants stick through and also go through hard times with me which has been amazing and worth not giving up on them. Plants have seasons and phases get sick . Get pests you name it. There was a period i decided to not keep them because I couldn't sustain all I had and there is some that I carried through that period because they were fighters. Just its better to give living things consideration than to write it off. Not critiquing anyone or judging as i am not perfect. i have had plants that no matter what i do struggle and don't thrive at all, slowly die and you put it outside in a suitable spot and let nature decide whether it lives. Sometimes it really thrives and pulls itself out and others not. We don't have to feel bad for that
Feeling some major plant burnout lately. I’ve been dealing with a major thrips infestation for literally months now. Once I finally get some thrips free I see they’ve spread to others and the stress starts all over. it’s just sucked all of the fun out of plants for me. I’ve just started throwing out plants that have any sign of them because it’s not worth the stress it’s causing. I started because it’s such a calming hobby for me and it’s turned into the opposite.
I have so many dead plants sitting around my apartment right now because I felt so guilty about it but I think I’ll go throw them away today. I got a plant shelf for them recently instead of keeping them all over the dang floor and it’s making it not only easier to get to them, but much more fun to go look at them and see if they need my attention. I’ve noticed that my spark is back for it and this morning I sprung out of bed to go plant some cuttings I’ve had in water for months before I started working. I am also banning certain plants from making a return into my apartment, like a fiddle leaf fig. They are so ugly and idk why I ever bought one. 😭 I’ve really learned to be picky because it makes it easier to take care of plants that don’t feel like they are trying SO HARD to die. I do not really want to battle my plants anymore lmfao.
I like what you said about plants not trying so hard to die. Lol. My last peace lily I caught myself fussing at it saying I’m not dealing with you any longer in the trash you go....
When I get too depressed or burned out plants are going to die eventually, because I can't keep up. So I just speed up the process sometimes and cut them to a stump or throw them away entirely. In the beginning I feel guilty but then I realise how much less pressured I feel.
I know this is late lol, but I recently went through a 4 month plant burnout phase. I did what I had to to keep my plants alive, but they definitely suffered during this time. I did let a few die lol. I'm not sure what caused it or why it lasted so long, but it was definitely during a pretty busy period of my life. I've gone through plant burnout before, but it usually only lasted a few days or maybe a week or so, so when I went through this phase, I thought I was done with plants for good. I just now am getting out of it, and I would say it was actually helpful for me and my plants in the long run. I don't have this burning desire to buy plants all the time (although there are a few hoyas I'd really like to own 😄), they aren't constantly on my mind like they were before, and I've been doing things like rearranging, repotting, propping, and such. My husband just built me some shelves for some of them, so that's been fun and exciting! All that to say, yes it's normal, and it might last for months! But hang in there and do what you need to to stay sane, even if that means putting them outside for someone to take, throwing them away, or letting some of them die (the cheap ones lol). 🙂 Thanks for this video!💚
Honestly I could listen to you all day. Everything you say is spot on and your advice is fab! I really appreciate you saying that we should put ourselves first and not to feel guilty if we can’t give our plants what they need on a “bad day”. Much love 💚🪴
Thank you for talking about throwing away plants 😊. I’m in my 40’s, I’ve had plants since high school, my mom had plants, my Aunti’s, my grandma, plants run in my blood 😆. But, I go through phases in life. Right now, I’ve got probably 100, and I love them. But, sometimes, if certain plants are constantly stressing me out, I THROW THEM AWAY. It’s not worth my mental stress.
One day I was showing few plants, which was struggling, to my daughter's. She looked at me and said: why don't you get rid of those plants which you don't like? Keep only ones which you love... Best advice ever!!! Now... with no guilt at all - I keep only plants which gives me joy (and I have plenty of them). 😁👍🪴❤ Love your chanel 💕
I appreciate you saying that plants may just not be for some people at all, and having a hobby just for a season isn’t a bad thing. Hobbies are meant to be FUN and when it stops being fun, you shouldn’t feel guilty for moving on or whittling your collection down to just a few plants. Also yes, when I’m overwhelmed the last thing I wanna do is go to the trouble of selling my stuff lol. I try and rehome plants if I have the energy, but sometimes they end up in the compost bin and I don’t feel bad about that! Freeing up that mental space for yourself can make such a difference.
Perhaps consider the potential for your houseplant to become an invasive species that spreads beyond the confines of your backyard before you go doing that.
I am burnt out in life in general!! life, work, kids, grandkids...life in general. Sad when you feel nothing is giving you happiness right now. Lost me and who I am....thank you
Excellent tips. I've found myself a bit overwhelmed until I really started taking inventory of what I had. Lo and behold I had a ton of duplicates due to propagation that I have since started gifting at work. I put a tray of plants in the foyer and tell the receptionist - "These are free for whoever wants them" and by lunch they're all gone. This helped make room for some new plants and now I feel like I've reached a balance where plants must go out before new ones come in. And I'm OK with that. Plus it it feels good to give away plants to people you know will appreciate them, and makes me want to continue propagating for others.
I am actually planning on rearranging my plants as soon as my energy is a little higher... I want to arrange them in a way that is easier to care for (fewer things up high or in front of/behind other things). I recently decided I can't put any plants on shelves with other things anymore. I keep all my plants grouped so I don't forget any of them. Also, I am short. I find that many plants get left behind if they are high on a shelf where I can't see them and they aren't surrounded by other plants to help me remember to look at them. It is a little sad because they would look so great spread out, but they get cared for better and are less stressful for me when they are all together.
Becca! Thank you for talking about therapy, and dealing with anxiety and depression. ❤️ Great video, as I always feel I'm going through the cycle of loving my plants and then completely becoming overwhelmed by them, and now I have to throw them all away. 🤣 Can't wait until your next video!
I'm currently treating 20+ plants after a thrips infestation, involving spraying everyone on a weekly basis (including my other plants), so yeah, burnout is definitely getting to me. But I also feel it's related to the stress I'm experiencing in other parts of my life...
This is the most HONEST and, most importantly, HELPFUL video I've watched on plant burnout. Thank you for re-affirming my time spent focusing on myself and re-homing all of the plants that no longer bring me joy so I can make my collection more specific to my taste and care I am *willing* to provide. (THANK GOD I am obsessed with Hoya, which allow me to ignore them for 7-10 days at a time lol). At first, I felt EXTREMELY guilty or like I was forfeiting my "cool plant mom" card while taking time for myself or coming to the realization that, while I do want a lot of plants generally speaking, the amount of plants I had was simply unmanageable. Now I realize that I shouldn't have to cancel plans to visit out of state family and friends because I am afraid my plants will die. Then I realized... who am I doing this for anyway? Myself? Or am I doing this for a random person/group of people on the internet who don't know who I am or care what I am doing? A lot of my plant collecting turned into me bringing plants into my home to feel worthy and accepted by a community of people I wanted to fit in with because I felt so lonely and bored at home during the pandemic. Now I know what I like, what I am good at, and only want to collect/care for plants for ME. And right now, I don't want more plants, I want to enjoy what I have and not look to strangers for approval. So again, thank you for your honest and realistic perspective. That's what keeps me coming back to this channel. You are a lovely human.
I have been rescuing plants since i was in high school and i am now 45.... This plant love is here to stay with me. I also realize that if i buy a plant because of social media hype it never last, so now i only buy the plants i see and love.
Feel like you read my mind. Experiencing burn out currently & my first thought was to sell some plants. Quickly realized I don’t have the energy to deal with posting, questions, arranging pick ups, etc. Decided I will be tossing a few out to the compost pile to downsize & hold on to some others at least for now. And anything that needs TLC, our the door. Can’t be bothered with pests or rehab plants right now. My manageable number to maintain is same as yours, 100. Though there are days when I think 60-70 would be best 🤷♀️
Just tossed 2 of my plants out of 10. I have a 2month old and preparing to move soon. Plants also get very big after awhile so they take over you space , especially when it’s kinda small.
I’ve had plants since I was a little girl. As an adult, I’ve always had plants. Always kind of an addiction of mine-they give me such joy! But!!! Sometimes I buy a plant and I’m totally obsessed-then, ok. There she is. I used to love her, but she’s not bringing me joy anymore. It’s an odd feeling to me, but it happens. Even to me, a lifelong plant lover and grower. Not all of my plants made the cut coming in the house this year. It was a really odd thing for me. But-the rest of my plants will be taken better care of and more love. Thank you for saying it’s ok. Because, honestly, it is. Have an amazing week-love seeing you! 💚🪴
In October, when my university started and distance learning was replased with present, I experience quite strong social anxiety while taking lectures. In that time my favourite houseplant (stromanthe triostar, and she was THRIVING before) started to die because of some stupid mistake I´ve made. I did feel even more miserable because of that and I did not want to take care of my plants anymore. But when I threw her away and I wasn´t force to watch her pathetic remains everyday, my burnout started to do much better. Sounds basic, but I do recommend
I have definitely felt plant burnout before. I love plants and, simarily, it not only connects me to my grandma but I also just like to see how some of them grow. It’s just so satisfying when a difficult to grow plant puts out a new leaf. I’ve found that the main reason why I get burnout is because of my ‘reputation’. In my family if I kill a plant its the perfect reason for everyone else in my family to say things like” see this is why you shouldn’t get plants” or “why would you buy a plant just to kill it”. Because of that whenever I do buy a plant (which is pretty rare) I feel an overwhelming guilt suffocating my excitement and genuine joy I get from successfully growing something. I no longer think of months of work paying off when it grows. I now think of how I’m going to get sighed at when my parents see me with a plant or how I could’ve saved the 12 dollars for college. Just things like that. And honestly this feeling is one I get a lot. I just don’t know how to get passed it.
I have 10 house plants and 6 biospheres with many different plants. Can you even call it a collection? I am very picky when buying plants. I feel like I could manage 15, but more would stress me out I think. Also I don't know where to put it. If I don't see my plants I forget them. Also I use waterballs to handle watering. It may feel lazy, but it helped me to keep up with watering. And if a plant dies, then it dies. It isn't the end of the world. 😉
I make it a point to not but plants anymore that I know I can’t give what they want (like calatheas or anything that needs super high humidity). I don’t want to deal with the stress of all of that so I love my common houseplants like monstera, pothos, jades, kentia palms, rubber trees etc. This video is very insightful! 🪴❤️
It blew my mind how you mentioned imposter syndrome in the context of hobbies. Feels like this could be the reason why I never keep my hobbies, I'm very perfectionist in an unhealthy way :/
I love my plants 🪴I have many and they make me happy especially in the winter I can't take care of the outdoor plants I have my jungle inside and it's a relaxing environment for me I enjoy taking care of them
i put my unwanted plants on the ground soil so they can thrive. i also swap them with other plants or find them new home where they can be taken care. i don't want to throw my unwanted plants, i still love them haha. plants makes me more sane. it helps me contemplate. also helps when writing poetry. my coping mechanism when having such burnout is to take a break and come back to them when they needed me. curating your collection is really helpful! putting them in a colorful pot also makes me happy haha.
Intellectual honestly is in short supply these days. This is refreshing to hear. I've always wondered about plant hoarding and why it is not openly considered an issue.
LOLLLL "validation from the internet? the best.." hahahahaaa so true, I love the honesty. That's the moment I remembered to "like" this video. Jokes aside, I really enjoyed this video. This time of year is hard. I just got rid of some sad looking plants the other day.
i was really overwhelmed and burnt out earlier this year, but now i keep finding myself looking around like “do i really have no more plants that need water?” so i feel like i adjusted and i should get more plants lol
I can't throw mine out unless absolutely necessary - ie dead / never going to make it! I managed to sell a few, usually at a loss, but I was grateful they were gone :/ I had some die and I kinda let it happen because I was too busy, then too lazy to bother with them when I did have time. I struggle when pests or disease kick in, I get stressed out trying to figure out what's what then trying to fix them.. Having less is key to avoiding those stresses, for me anyway. I've cut some to a stump and felt on the verge of throwing them away.. Some I donated what was left- cuttings, others that were fussy definitely went! Ie calathea. Really annoying plant at the time! But some just bounce right back, which I weirdly respect/admire(!) and I fall in love with them again. I had 30 plus at one point, way too many for me x
I'm in Ohio and we have already had a few overnight freezes and I left some plants out purposely. I did take cutting so I could start over with them. I think it's watching them grow big and beautiful for me that I love so much
Yeah i am starting to feel that way now at the beginning i just have my cacti and succulents which i knew how to look after those i just had 6 small plants. And they were easy and less fussy to look after. Then when i had my own home i started to purchase more i have my two big Dracaena and a large Yucca plant. Then i started purchasing alot since i started watching plant videos and got hooked into Hoya’s plants which i never heard about them before. And started to order online. Since we just have the basics plants in garden centres. I have three plants that died on me from root rot which i notice those died on me are bought from garden centres and Ikea since they don’t really take care of the plants in those places. And gave some away aswell which i no longer loved. And also had fungas gnats in the house which annoyed me. And toss them in the trash if i notice those plants are attracted by fungas gnats more. I am bottom watering my plants now to avoid.
Becca, I would add that if you’re going to just throw away a plant, instead of throwing it with the trash, add it to your compost pile if you have one. Whenever I would throw away a plant, I would feel better adding it to my outdoor compost bin knowing that it would contribute to next season’s garden.
While I agree that good habits and routines can help with managing work burnout, I'd like to gently challenge the notion that burnout is because you're not taking care of yourself. Burnout isn't something that individuals are responsible for - particularly thinking about teacher burnout, you're having to work in a system that doesn't give you the resources you need, under incredible pressures. While I agree that burnout can be a symptom of something larger, work burnout in particular (and for women, work and caregiver burnout) is a symptom of a sick society, not just a cue for people to reflect on their own lives. I do appreciate your candour and thoughtfulness in adressing this sort of topic! And great reminders to check in on what you're actually feeling and perhaps what is motivating that feeling.
I just view it like a bunch of flowers, they often cost about the same, they have given me a lot of pleasure, and now it's done. It's fine to get rid of them!
I am new to houseplants other than the Pothos and Yukka and a Palm that I have had for years, I would love to have a few more plants. If anyone on this thread has a Philodendron Micans or a Cebu blue they want to get rid of and you don’t mind boxing them, I will pay for the S&H. Thanks for considering.🪴
Plants have always been a part of my life growing up as my Father, Grandfather and an Aunt had lots of plants. When i bought my house I had up to 5 plants in each room but since Covid struck I've been collecting some plants but have now hit nearly 200 plants and because they are all cuttings I find myself looking at them thinking "Where on earth am I going to place them when they mature?" so now I'm prioritising which ones to keep, which ones to grow for cuttings to sell and which ones to gift to friends. Problem is I love them all but needs must. This is a great video as you highlight mental health aspects. Great job.
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I love tending to my plants, but I definitely get overwhelmed when depression and anxiety are ramping up. For me, burnout often starts with a “plant fail,” when I lose a plant and then start to question my ability to care for my collection. Learning to toss plants that are difficult/doing badly (ahem, calatheas) has helped, and so has choosing not to buy certain plants (pepperomias, alocasia) until I’m done with grad school!
I leave my unwanted plants in front of my apartment and let other people enjoy them! Been clearing out a bunch that no longer spark joy, it was worth the money for the time they were with me.
That’s amazing!! Good for you ❤️
Well said I suffer from different mental health issues plant burn out is ruff and I totally feel you when I'm in that stage sometimes you just got to take that plant or plants to the curb no shame cause self love is so much more important !!hope your having a great week chicky 😁👍💚🌿🌱🌻😉🇨🇦
I tossed a few plants, and sure feel a lot better now! Felt kinda guilty, but yes mental health comes first! Thanks for the video. Must stop being a consumer! So hard sometimes hehe.
This is a really great video 🤍
I bought a house (for the yard) with my dog in mind.
I recommend you talk about fast hair growth fortified shampoo to double hair growth.
Instead of putting it in the trash, maybe put it out on the curb. Someone might pick it up. Just a thought. Thank you for the video, this was an interesting topic :)
❤️❤️
Ask yourself what’s your “Why?”. Why did you get into plants, and what do plants do for you? For me, it’s therapy. It’s my zen happy place. My plant room is also my office. I enjoy looking at them, learning about their care, and starting from small plants and watches them grow 😊
I've definitely downsized the plant connection when I felt like I had too much. I also tend to plant things together when I feel overwhelmed. If 3 plants can live in the same spot and need the same care, I'll put them in one pot. That's one watering instead of 3. It's one thing to drag to the sink when needed instead of 3. It takes up less "real estate" and is less effort and has helped, especially in spaces that I was feeling were too cramped with plants.
That's really smart!
I do this too lol
Great tip 👍🏻
Did the same.
But, the mildew... Grrrrr
Perfect timing! I just got tossed some sickly calatheas and I'm feeling so much better already. I'm gonna be much pickier when buying plants in the future!
Thinking of tossing some calathea myself! I can't baby them anymore 😂
Y’all are the third people I’ve seen say this so far 😂
@@BeccaDeLaPlants Tbh I think anyone who cares about their mental health should get rid of their calatheas 😂 (except my lancifolia she’s a drama-free queen)
I got about 50 houseplants in the past year and now I’m feeling a bit of the stress. Thank you for the realistic tips :) I’m starting to be much pickier when buying plants and focusing on the plant babies I have now!
That’s awesome!!!
The one part I disagree with is throwing a healthy plant away. I could never. Even in my deepest depression, I would rehome a plant for free rather than throw it away because my mind just wouldn’t let me put it in the garbage 😂
Hahaha fair enough!
Same!!!!
Exactly, every living thing wants to live 😔 it struggled to grow and it deserves to live. It’s just not fair to kill it by throwing in a trash container. Just not. 😢
I use to think the same way, I would not even throw away a node.
Everybody does what's in their capacity to do. It's great that you don't need to throw away plants for your own well-being, but for others it might be the healthiest option.
Maybe it could be good question to ask yourself: am I choosing for myself? Not that I think you're doing something wrong, but as someone whose life used to be governed by shame and duty to others, it's something I'd like to share.
While I agree with most of what you said, I disagree that it’s normal to experience plant burnout. Imo plant burnout almost always involves overconsumption and mindless consumerism. Like I noticed that many people just buy plants without determining whether they can actually take care of the plant or have the environment necessary for the plant to thrive. So they end up impulse buying plants and later realize how stressful it is trying to keep their plant happy. In other words, people just buy plants for the sake of buying plants. But great video!
One thing that I have really appreciated about your channel and content is that you are not constantly doing shopping videos or hauls. I have cut way back on my consumption of those videos for a few reasons, one simply being that they tend to make me WANT more plants (because I’m weak like that 😂).
Great video Becca, thank you.
Right!!! So glad to hear that - I felt the same. It’s hard to keep making that content when you’re perfectly cool content with your collection. ❤️thanks for watching!
Thats soo funny its the opposite effect for me. When i crave going to the nursery iwatch those.videos to sufise me lmao
I saved a peace lily from each of my g'ma's funerals and them my Mom's. So I have 3 HUGE peace lilies. They are wearing me out. I've had them for decades but they take up so much space and energy. I'm glad I found this video
Agree with everything, Becca! I think 100 is my sweet spot too. It felt sooo good to downsize a few months ago. Great video xoxox
I thought I was feeling this a few months ago but it was just that I needed to slow down on the collecting. Also realized that for me plant collecting is a hobby and 100+ plants would not be enjoyable. So I just stopped buying plants and found that I am loving watching how the 36 plants I have are growing and changing. I also found that I still enjoy watching the collections of the plant TH-camrs I follow without feeling the need to also buy all those plants.
Same!!! I have a bit more in my collection but since i have gotten almost all the plants that were affordable and on my wishlist, i only buy a New plant if i can think of a spot for it right away and if i really really want it. Makes getting a plant more valuable
I was late to the pandemic plant party and only recently added 20+ plants to my home in a matter of a few weeks in late May. And I loved being a plant parent and loved learning so much about all different types and being part of the plant community. But since going back to full-time work in the office in late June, they’ve been pretty neglected and I’ve since lost 3 (soon to be 4) plants. Oh well. At least I’m reclaiming some of our small apartment back, haha.
They are such a release for my mental stability, so I don’t think I’m burnt out. However, after owning so many during the past year, I’ve definitely curated my collection that 1. Brings me the MOST Joy, and 2. I have the environment to care for them the best. 🌱
Great topic! 💚
LOVE that!!
Totally agree with this!!
Yes. I agree so much.
Yup! My mental health depends on caring for my plants . So I cant relate to the burn out and I've definitely done everything you mentioned this summer.
surprisingly my plants bring me peace - it's nice to have a routine to care for them all - especially the routine of checking soil, filling up humidifiers, checking on greenhouses in the morning. even with over 200 of them now, I'm not burned out....yet (LOL)
Throw it in the trash! Thank you for being honest about this. If I don’t have the energy to water a plant/rehab a plant after a depressive episode, you think I have the energy to list it, sell it, package and send it to a stranger? Ha! This kind of goes back to when you said that your mental health should come first. And for me when I have a plant that isn’t sparking joy/I’m in a depressive episode and I just watch it decline day after day, which just reminds me how depressed I am, when you throw that plant in the garbage and forget about it, you no longer feel guilty about it. Or you’re no longer going to look at that plant and have it remind you that you’re failing to take care of it. So yes. Sorry y’all but throw it in the trash!
Any plant that I lose the love for or am overwhelmed with I plant outside. I try to place it somewhere it'll have a good chance to survive. If it makes it great, if not...oh, well. I apply a very Darwinian practice to my plant hobby. Sometimes it's gonna come down to "survival of the fittest.'
I fell in love with houseplants and bought a bunch during the lockdown. I was working from home for over a year and it was easy to find the time to care for them. Now that I’m back to working in person I find I have very little time to care for my plants. I feel a bit overwhelmed by how many I have. But I still love them.
I love your tips. I am an older adult and love the idea of “taking care of”. I especially like the propagating but cam stop that and still, at least so far, enjoy my plants. Stopped buying as I feel like at this point that I have the ones I love and can afford.
Such a great topic! I bought lots of plants over COVID but I knew eventually I was going to want to get back to my old life so I only bought easy care plants. So far they are all doing well with the new more neglectful schedule. Water every few weeks, dust once in a while, re-pot maybe once a year. It is now just a low stress hobby that gives me nice decor.
That’s awesome!!! Love that ❤️
I disagree with just letting the plant die if you feel overwhelmed. It is a living being, after all. Best case scenario: really think hard before you buy a plant. But if you feel overehelmed, maybe give away some plants or sell them. Don't just neglect them.
Just feel like everyone experiences burnout and it's okay and normal. When we are depressed we don't water or care for our plants adequately and things fall to the wayside. I understand that and have been through that personally. Just Why not educate people to not over consume plants and over indulge as they are living things and also need a level of commitment. If you can't give it that, then don't get it. Like with pets. You can rehome plants, give them away or sell them but throwing a plant in the trash is a bit cruel just because it has a pest that can be managed. It's still alive it may not be alive in the way you or your pet are but one day if this world just continues to consume things we may not have what we have now in the future. Its better to teach people how to appreciate what they have and start small then over consume and promote that because it gets views. Just its great seeing plant TH-camrs make real videos and advising against falling into the hype of plants. Starting a plant hobby is exciting and is also a lot of work and can add to stress but also relieve it and make you see things differently. i started when i was 19 i am 31 now. have had plants die i didn't want to lose from lack of knowledge and depression burnout and anxiety. Also have had plants stick through and also go through hard times with me which has been amazing and worth not giving up on them. Plants have seasons and phases get sick . Get pests you name it. There was a period i decided to not keep them because I couldn't sustain all I had and there is some that I carried through that period because they were fighters. Just its better to give living things consideration than to write it off. Not critiquing anyone or judging as i am not perfect. i have had plants that no matter what i do struggle and don't thrive at all, slowly die and you put it outside in a suitable spot and let nature decide whether it lives. Sometimes it really thrives and pulls itself out and others not. We don't have to feel bad for that
Feeling some major plant burnout lately. I’ve been dealing with a major thrips infestation for literally months now. Once I finally get some thrips free I see they’ve spread to others and the stress starts all over. it’s just sucked all of the fun out of plants for me. I’ve just started throwing out plants that have any sign of them because it’s not worth the stress it’s causing. I started because it’s such a calming hobby for me and it’s turned into the opposite.
I have so many dead plants sitting around my apartment right now because I felt so guilty about it but I think I’ll go throw them away today. I got a plant shelf for them recently instead of keeping them all over the dang floor and it’s making it not only easier to get to them, but much more fun to go look at them and see if they need my attention. I’ve noticed that my spark is back for it and this morning I sprung out of bed to go plant some cuttings I’ve had in water for months before I started working. I am also banning certain plants from making a return into my apartment, like a fiddle leaf fig. They are so ugly and idk why I ever bought one. 😭 I’ve really learned to be picky because it makes it easier to take care of plants that don’t feel like they are trying SO HARD to die. I do not really want to battle my plants anymore lmfao.
I like what you said about plants not trying so hard to die. Lol. My last peace lily I caught myself fussing at it saying I’m not dealing with you any longer in the trash you go....
When I get too depressed or burned out plants are going to die eventually, because I can't keep up. So I just speed up the process sometimes and cut them to a stump or throw them away entirely. In the beginning I feel guilty but then I realise how much less pressured I feel.
Very smart!!! There ya go
This video hit me at the perfect time. Thank you for the reality check & validating the fact that it's okay to feel this way & do something about it.
Of course!!! Wishing you the best ❤️
I know this is late lol, but I recently went through a 4 month plant burnout phase. I did what I had to to keep my plants alive, but they definitely suffered during this time. I did let a few die lol. I'm not sure what caused it or why it lasted so long, but it was definitely during a pretty busy period of my life. I've gone through plant burnout before, but it usually only lasted a few days or maybe a week or so, so when I went through this phase, I thought I was done with plants for good. I just now am getting out of it, and I would say it was actually helpful for me and my plants in the long run. I don't have this burning desire to buy plants all the time (although there are a few hoyas I'd really like to own 😄), they aren't constantly on my mind like they were before, and I've been doing things like rearranging, repotting, propping, and such. My husband just built me some shelves for some of them, so that's been fun and exciting! All that to say, yes it's normal, and it might last for months! But hang in there and do what you need to to stay sane, even if that means putting them outside for someone to take, throwing them away, or letting some of them die (the cheap ones lol). 🙂 Thanks for this video!💚
Honestly I could listen to you all day. Everything you say is spot on and your advice is fab! I really appreciate you saying that we should put ourselves first and not to feel guilty if we can’t give our plants what they need on a “bad day”.
Much love 💚🪴
Thank you for talking about throwing away plants 😊. I’m in my 40’s, I’ve had plants since high school, my mom had plants, my Aunti’s, my grandma, plants run in my blood 😆. But, I go through phases in life. Right now, I’ve got probably 100, and I love them. But, sometimes, if certain plants are constantly stressing me out, I THROW THEM AWAY. It’s not worth my mental stress.
I love that!!! It’s a whole family thing ❤️ and yes not worth the stress!
One day I was showing few plants, which was struggling, to my daughter's. She looked at me and said: why don't you get rid of those plants which you don't like? Keep only ones which you love...
Best advice ever!!! Now... with no guilt at all - I keep only plants which gives me joy (and I have plenty of them). 😁👍🪴❤
Love your chanel 💕
I appreciate you saying that plants may just not be for some people at all, and having a hobby just for a season isn’t a bad thing. Hobbies are meant to be FUN and when it stops being fun, you shouldn’t feel guilty for moving on or whittling your collection down to just a few plants. Also yes, when I’m overwhelmed the last thing I wanna do is go to the trouble of selling my stuff lol. I try and rehome plants if I have the energy, but sometimes they end up in the compost bin and I don’t feel bad about that! Freeing up that mental space for yourself can make such a difference.
Absolutely 100% agree - it’s so hard to sell when you’re overwhelmed. Agh. Thanks for commenting!
I really love all the tips. I think sometimes the pressure of having the “lates, coolest” plant can also be very overwhelming.
Absolutely!!!
Thankfully my houseplants just moved inside for winter and are so much less needy so we're both taking a rest during this season
Love this!!!
This is exactly what I needed. Thanks!
Of course!!!
Awesome thoughts and advice ♥️🪴🧠
Before throwing them in the trash, try putting it outside in "the wild". Maybe it dies, maybe it flourishes and reinvigorates your love for it.
Perhaps consider the potential for your houseplant to become an invasive species that spreads beyond the confines of your backyard before you go doing that.
I am burnt out in life in general!! life, work, kids, grandkids...life in general. Sad when you feel nothing is giving you happiness right now. Lost me and who I am....thank you
Bless x
Excellent tips. I've found myself a bit overwhelmed until I really started taking inventory of what I had. Lo and behold I had a ton of duplicates due to propagation that I have since started gifting at work. I put a tray of plants in the foyer and tell the receptionist - "These are free for whoever wants them" and by lunch they're all gone. This helped make room for some new plants and now I feel like I've reached a balance where plants must go out before new ones come in. And I'm OK with that. Plus it it feels good to give away plants to people you know will appreciate them, and makes me want to continue propagating for others.
I am actually planning on rearranging my plants as soon as my energy is a little higher... I want to arrange them in a way that is easier to care for (fewer things up high or in front of/behind other things). I recently decided I can't put any plants on shelves with other things anymore. I keep all my plants grouped so I don't forget any of them. Also, I am short. I find that many plants get left behind if they are high on a shelf where I can't see them and they aren't surrounded by other plants to help me remember to look at them. It is a little sad because they would look so great spread out, but they get cared for better and are less stressful for me when they are all together.
Becca! Thank you for talking about therapy, and dealing with anxiety and depression. ❤️ Great video, as I always feel I'm going through the cycle of loving my plants and then completely becoming overwhelmed by them, and now I have to throw them all away. 🤣
Can't wait until your next video!
Beautiful house plant. Nice video 👍👍👍🌷🌷🌷
Nice video 👍👍👍🌷🌷🌷
You knock them out just like Canelo did.
I'm currently treating 20+ plants after a thrips infestation, involving spraying everyone on a weekly basis (including my other plants), so yeah, burnout is definitely getting to me. But I also feel it's related to the stress I'm experiencing in other parts of my life...
I need to get out of some of these BST groups...
This is the most HONEST and, most importantly, HELPFUL video I've watched on plant burnout. Thank you for re-affirming my time spent focusing on myself and re-homing all of the plants that no longer bring me joy so I can make my collection more specific to my taste and care I am *willing* to provide. (THANK GOD I am obsessed with Hoya, which allow me to ignore them for 7-10 days at a time lol). At first, I felt EXTREMELY guilty or like I was forfeiting my "cool plant mom" card while taking time for myself or coming to the realization that, while I do want a lot of plants generally speaking, the amount of plants I had was simply unmanageable. Now I realize that I shouldn't have to cancel plans to visit out of state family and friends because I am afraid my plants will die. Then I realized... who am I doing this for anyway? Myself? Or am I doing this for a random person/group of people on the internet who don't know who I am or care what I am doing? A lot of my plant collecting turned into me bringing plants into my home to feel worthy and accepted by a community of people I wanted to fit in with because I felt so lonely and bored at home during the pandemic. Now I know what I like, what I am good at, and only want to collect/care for plants for ME. And right now, I don't want more plants, I want to enjoy what I have and not look to strangers for approval. So again, thank you for your honest and realistic perspective. That's what keeps me coming back to this channel. You are a lovely human.
I have been rescuing plants since i was in high school and i am now 45.... This plant love is here to stay with me. I also realize that if i buy a plant because of social media hype it never last, so now i only buy the plants i see and love.
Love that!!
I just sold like 11 plants and it felt great! They seemed very excited to have them too :)
Great minds think alike! I just made a video about why people are burning out. I think it’s going around right now.
Feel like you read my mind. Experiencing burn out currently & my first thought was to sell some plants. Quickly realized I don’t have the energy to deal with posting, questions, arranging pick ups, etc. Decided I will be tossing a few out to the compost pile to downsize & hold on to some others at least for now. And anything that needs TLC, our the door. Can’t be bothered with pests or rehab plants right now.
My manageable number to maintain is same as yours, 100. Though there are days when I think 60-70 would be best 🤷♀️
Just tossed 2 of my plants out of 10. I have a 2month old and preparing to move soon. Plants also get very big after awhile so they take over you space , especially when it’s kinda small.
I’ve had plants since I was a little girl. As an adult, I’ve always had plants. Always kind of an addiction of mine-they give me such joy! But!!! Sometimes I buy a plant and I’m totally obsessed-then, ok. There she is. I used to love her, but she’s not bringing me joy anymore. It’s an odd feeling to me, but it happens. Even to me, a lifelong plant lover and grower. Not all of my plants made the cut coming in the house this year. It was a really odd thing for me. But-the rest of my plants will be taken better care of and more love.
Thank you for saying it’s ok. Because, honestly, it is. Have an amazing week-love seeing you! 💚🪴
In October, when my university started and distance learning was replased with present, I experience quite strong social anxiety while taking lectures. In that time my favourite houseplant (stromanthe triostar, and she was THRIVING before) started to die because of some stupid mistake I´ve made. I did feel even more miserable because of that and I did not want to take care of my plants anymore. But when I threw her away and I wasn´t force to watch her pathetic remains everyday, my burnout started to do much better. Sounds basic, but I do recommend
Honestly just put the plants next to the trash I’m sure someone with will pick it up and enjoy it lol
Yess!! Love that haha
I have definitely felt plant burnout before. I love plants and, simarily, it not only connects me to my grandma but I also just like to see how some of them grow. It’s just so satisfying when a difficult to grow plant puts out a new leaf. I’ve found that the main reason why I get burnout is because of my ‘reputation’. In my family if I kill a plant its the perfect reason for everyone else in my family to say things like” see this is why you shouldn’t get plants” or “why would you buy a plant just to kill it”. Because of that whenever I do buy a plant (which is pretty rare) I feel an overwhelming guilt suffocating my excitement and genuine joy I get from successfully growing something. I no longer think of months of work paying off when it grows. I now think of how I’m going to get sighed at when my parents see me with a plant or how I could’ve saved the 12 dollars for college. Just things like that. And honestly this feeling is one I get a lot. I just don’t know how to get passed it.
I have 10 house plants and 6 biospheres with many different plants. Can you even call it a collection? I am very picky when buying plants. I feel like I could manage 15, but more would stress me out I think. Also I don't know where to put it. If I don't see my plants I forget them.
Also I use waterballs to handle watering. It may feel lazy, but it helped me to keep up with watering.
And if a plant dies, then it dies. It isn't the end of the world. 😉
I make it a point to not but plants anymore that I know I can’t give what they want (like calatheas or anything that needs super high humidity). I don’t want to deal with the stress of all of that so I love my common houseplants like monstera, pothos, jades, kentia palms, rubber trees etc. This video is very insightful! 🪴❤️
of all houseplants purges and bournouts videos yours Becca was the most helpful and I love it! Thank you so much!!!!
It blew my mind how you mentioned imposter syndrome in the context of hobbies. Feels like this could be the reason why I never keep my hobbies, I'm very perfectionist in an unhealthy way :/
Thanks for this and Yup time to dump these calatheas, really liked them at first but now its just getting annoying :( easily replaced as well
Good for you!!!
I love my plants 🪴I have many and they make me happy especially in the winter I can't take care of the outdoor plants I have my jungle inside and it's a relaxing environment for me I enjoy taking care of them
i put my unwanted plants on the ground soil so they can thrive. i also swap them with other plants or find them new home where they can be taken care. i don't want to throw my unwanted plants, i still love them haha.
plants makes me more sane. it helps me contemplate. also helps when writing poetry. my coping mechanism when having such burnout is to take a break and come back to them when they needed me. curating your collection is really helpful! putting them in a colorful pot also makes me happy haha.
Hard topic but you brought up some excellent advice 😁😁 thank you. Love your top is it one you made 😁😁??
Intellectual honestly is in short supply these days. This is refreshing to hear. I've always wondered about plant hoarding and why it is not openly considered an issue.
Well, I never had a plant burnout, but now I have plant anxiety. I go to the websites everyday but I cannot buy them, so I am sad everyday.
LOLLLL "validation from the internet? the best.." hahahahaaa so true, I love the honesty. That's the moment I remembered to "like" this video. Jokes aside, I really enjoyed this video. This time of year is hard. I just got rid of some sad looking plants the other day.
Hahahahaha thank you for that!! 😂
i was really overwhelmed and burnt out earlier this year, but now i keep finding myself looking around like “do i really have no more plants that need water?” so i feel like i adjusted and i should get more plants lol
I love plants but sometimes I feel like no matter how hard I try there's always something wrong with half of them...
Wondering when I'll feel the burn out....I've been going since 2016.
you should be a counselor,...lol this was like a therapy session for me... great video!
I can't throw mine out unless absolutely necessary - ie dead / never going to make it!
I managed to sell a few, usually at a loss, but I was grateful they were gone :/
I had some die and I kinda let it happen because I was too busy, then too lazy to bother with them when I did have time.
I struggle when pests or disease kick in, I get stressed out trying to figure out what's what then trying to fix them.. Having less is key to avoiding those stresses, for me anyway.
I've cut some to a stump and felt on the verge of throwing them away..
Some I donated what was left- cuttings, others that were fussy definitely went! Ie calathea. Really annoying plant at the time!
But some just bounce right back, which I weirdly respect/admire(!) and I fall in love with them again.
I had 30 plus at one point, way too many for me x
I had about 175 plants at one point but now i have just under 100 and it is such a better number for me where i am right now!
I really needed to hear this today. So appreciate this. Thank you so much.
I’m so glad ❤️❤️
My burnout comes from trying to fight fungus and mildew daily... Grrrrrrrr
I love watching you because you are so honest and I can lower my defenses and just enjoy your content 😂♥️
I'm in Ohio and we have already had a few overnight freezes and I left some plants out purposely. I did take cutting so I could start over with them. I think it's watching them grow big and beautiful for me that I love so much
I have too many plants but theirs no way I could give any of them up 🌺💚🙃
💝
Omg thank you so much for making this I needed this !!🥰
Thank You ☺️
Yeah i am starting to feel that way now at the beginning i just have my cacti and succulents which i knew how to look after those i just had 6 small plants. And they were easy and less fussy to look after. Then when i had my own home i started to purchase more i have my two big Dracaena and a large Yucca plant. Then i started purchasing alot since i started watching plant videos and got hooked into Hoya’s plants which i never heard about them before. And started to order online. Since we just have the basics plants in garden centres. I have three plants that died on me from root rot which i notice those died on me are bought from garden centres and Ikea since they don’t really take care of the plants in those places. And gave some away aswell which i no longer loved. And also had fungas gnats in the house which annoyed me. And toss them in the trash if i notice those plants are attracted by fungas gnats more. I am bottom watering my plants now to avoid.
It’s all a learning experience!!!
Becca, I would add that if you’re going to just throw away a plant, instead of throwing it with the trash, add it to your compost pile if you have one. Whenever I would throw away a plant, I would feel better adding it to my outdoor compost bin knowing that it would contribute to next season’s garden.
You’re so right!!! Compost is WAY better
Hope you are OK soon, I'd like to see a new Hoya video 😘❤️
While I agree that good habits and routines can help with managing work burnout, I'd like to gently challenge the notion that burnout is because you're not taking care of yourself. Burnout isn't something that individuals are responsible for - particularly thinking about teacher burnout, you're having to work in a system that doesn't give you the resources you need, under incredible pressures. While I agree that burnout can be a symptom of something larger, work burnout in particular (and for women, work and caregiver burnout) is a symptom of a sick society, not just a cue for people to reflect on their own lives. I do appreciate your candour and thoughtfulness in adressing this sort of topic! And great reminders to check in on what you're actually feeling and perhaps what is motivating that feeling.
You are so so very right!!!! 🙌🏼🙌🏼
I just view it like a bunch of flowers, they often cost about the same, they have given me a lot of pleasure, and now it's done. It's fine to get rid of them!
Love that!!!
I just threw away two plants!!! I feel better
Trash day pro tip 🙌🏻🥰🤣
I love you for that one! Hahaha
did you get a new lens or camera?? the video quality on this video is sooooo nice 😍
Thank you!!! I did get a new lens 😍
I am new to houseplants other than the Pothos and Yukka and a Palm that I have had for years, I would love to have a few more plants.
If anyone on this thread has a Philodendron Micans or a Cebu blue they want to get rid of and you don’t mind boxing them, I will pay for the S&H. Thanks for considering.🪴
100+ plants is hoarding
Unfortunately the plants we collectors tend to have can’t be replaced with a 5 minute trip to the nursery 😕
That’s very true, I’d never throw away one of my more “collector” plants.
So true
loved the insight
Plants have always been a part of my life growing up as my Father, Grandfather and an Aunt had lots of plants. When i bought my house I had up to 5 plants in each room but since Covid struck I've been collecting some plants but have now hit nearly 200 plants and because they are all cuttings I find myself looking at them thinking "Where on earth am I going to place them when they mature?" so now I'm prioritising which ones to keep, which ones to grow for cuttings to sell and which ones to gift to friends. Problem is I love them all but needs must. This is a great video as you highlight mental health aspects. Great job.
Great tips! ☺️