Must be in the air. Just did a huge repot day and fresh potting mix. On the plus side I was out of potting mix. An guess what?! Better Homes & Gardens Organic Potting Mix, 1 cu. ft. $0.50 with Florida tax $0.53 cents! Never tried this brand but for that price why not. Hope they have it at your local Walmart.
Hi Fern, sorry for the loss of your lovely plant. Thanks for filming your experience for us. True, it is sad when we lose a plant but we learn from every failure (in this case, damn thrips causing it), they are so hard to fight! I sacrificed several plants last year due to the little buggers. You did more to save your plant than you realise right now, but ultimately the bugs won. Next round will be to you! Hang in there 😊
Hey Fern! First of all, you have an amazing collection. Second of all, and I think everyone will agree… we follow you because you are real and love you! Keep on going on! Omg, that’s a 60’s motto 😂
Girl your collection is why I’m here salivating every time I watch your videos. Your collection is amazing. I do watch about 4 other YTbers and they too get thrips, mealies and spidermites. I don’t think anyone has a perfect collection unless they cut off dead leaves or withhold the bug issues from the viewers, which is not what we’re here for.
being in this hobby is accepting the fact that - depending on collection size - you will live with pests. it's about adjusting views really, plants are not perfect in nature either.
I feel this so bad 😭 my depression is killing my plants. Honestly, I love that you show the failures/ things to fix next time. It honestly makes me feel so much better when mine don’t look perfect
Hey internet stranger! I just wanted to tell you that I'm proud of you and you just keep doing those small tasks that sometimes feel like big challenges. You got this :)! The alocasia that's standing almost next to my bad keeps dying off its new forming leaves, I feel like my bed rotting is the cause of it haha...
Same here friend! I’m starting to get back on track and let me tell you I’ve lost quite a bit of them from going through it. And I’m slowly going through them and assessing the damage. Some of them I’m going to have to propagate and start all over. And the ones that were propagated I lost due to not watering 😢 but I’m trying to stay positive and not beat myself up because honestly it’s been rough 😔 haven’t felt like myself in a looooong time. But I’m hoping to get there soon! I hope the same for you 😊
@ashleyandjudith - you guys are loved and worth it. Hang in there, life is tough, but you can get through it all! I too suffer from depression and other mental illnesses so I know exactly how you feel! The best advice I can give you, and what worked for me is: pouring my heart ❤️ out to God in prayer and asking for his help. Reading the Bible too has helped because it tells us how to live a happy life and helps us come to know God, and much more..prayers and love to you both❤😊
Not depressing, it's part of being a plant parent so please don't be down on yourself. I personally think your collection is beautiful. Sending plant positivity to you and your props!!
This is so important. It's sadly incredibly easy to get down when your plants don't aren't doing good anymore -no matter the cause-. But we were the ones who made it grow and thrive, admiring its beauty. Sometimes you just have to let go...
My lovely fern 💚 your collection is beautiful and I think we all go through these phases where we are stuck comparing our plants with others. Just know that WE LOVE AND ADORE your plant collection. Also, I chopped my giant McDowell into chonks around a year ago and look at it now! Your sp silver will be big in no time 🌱🤩 sending all the positive vibes your way. Thank you for existing in this community, we all love you 😊
Beautiful comment and I really couldn’t agree more. I personally love your channel and collection and bubbly personality AND spending an hour + going through your experiences, challenges and triumphs. You constantly inspire me, so thank you 🙏 🙏🙏 OMG, it’s 12am here in Sydney. That means Ive been watching your videos for a couple of hours😂 Very easily done!!Good night 💤
Even though it doesn’t always work out in the end, the fact that you can raise a plant from the rainforest, from one tiny leaf into basically a tree, in a in a tiny bowl of dirt, for years and years and if it finally succumbs to the ~harsh indoor elements~, you can cut it up and watch it grow again, is AMAZING!! you have done EVERYTHING right Fern! For as long as you love this plant, it will keep loving you ❤ you have all of the knowledge and patience you need.
My heart breaks for you 🥺 Plants are such a special piece of our lives - we dedicate so much time, money, and effort into growing them big, beautiful , and healthy. So it’s so hard to say goodbye (especially because of FRICKEN thrips) 💔 I also struggle with my collection’s imperfections, and found that my plant care really took a dive after I moved to a new city on the island - so I can very much relate! Sending lots of love & reminders to ensure you’re making time for self-care right now too 🥰
I'm sorry you are in pain, Fern. I think everyone in charge of living things knows how it hurts when they don't do well. Hopefully your plants give you a few extra surprises soon to lift up your spirits:)
Fern I know what it’s like to be in a funk but for what it’s worth I admire your free spirit with how you do your plant keeping. You keep things so real ….it’s inspiring. I love your collection and style. 💚
Totally can relate. Last weekend I did a good clean on my plants, 4 just got the boot because I didn’t want to deal with the infested plants anymore. I had been dealing with thrips since may and I’m really hoping with the aloe I just kicked out that I’m officially done with them. I’ll obviously keep a close eye on my plants but I’ll be keeping up with wiping leaves down and I spray with the mild dish soap with distilled water to maintain a pest free home. You were the person I found that helped me conquer my fear of pests and that I can just cut and prop. Starting over is ok. ❤
10:28 you’re totally right Fern! Thrips lay their eggs inside the leaf tissue and then the first juvenile stage often falls off into the soil and chills there before returning to the plant to chow down and grow into an adult, then the process starts again! They suck. Using beneficials has really helped me, but before I used them I would use diatomaceous earth on top of the soil and that helped stop the life cycle at that point. Really feeling all the emotions alongside you whilst watching this, it does really suck. But you’re a fantastic grower and will have an amazing big bushy babe once again ❤
Did you put the DE as a thin layer beneath the soil or just on the very top? I've heard of people putting a layer to fight fungus gnats but if the thrips don't burrow at all I would guess you can't bury it, and that spooks me a little since it's not good to inhale DE. I'm too clumsy to not knock the plant and cause a puff of dust every time.
Maybe the collections you’re comparing yours to are just not as transparent about the less that perfect stuff? Because all that is just part of having plants. You sharing all this is why we all adore you. Relatable. I’ve found that my plants thrive for a few years then no matter the care, as they get older they struggle. Wonder if other’s find that in their collections? Thanks for sharing all this with us Fern, it helps combat that feeling of inadequacy for us. Wish you weren’t feeling it though.
Hi Fern, just a reminder. Do be hard on yourself. Despite everything that happen she will grow beautifully. Your collection is stunning ❤. Sending love 😊
Fern, your collection is like other peoples. It’s unique and amazing. You do take care of your plants. Everyone has the same problem. I’m fighting mealies on one plant. Just noticed a few white spots on it so I’ll treat it today. The plant is far away from all the other plants. What I’m saying is you’re a loving plant parent with a lot of plants. You’re not a bad plant parent.
I appreciate the youtubers that doesn't sugar coat their plant journeys highs AND lows. Helps the rest of us with what we will undoubtedly go through sooner or later. I had a Thrips instance last month - watching closely for re-infestations. I caught it early I think - but I treated all of my plants - unfortunately I found the problem at the end of watering all of my plants and I am struggling with some of the plants now having root rot. Please provide an update video on the propagation for this plant. I have a McColley's Finale that I need to do some cleanup/propagating on (he is so unruly) and have never been able to get any roots with stick propagating. Nodes with leaves, I get a 80-90% success rate so far. Good luck. I know how devastating this can be and feel for you.
I dont have as big of a collection as you do as I've only been collecting plants for a year or so, but I recently discovered a lot of my plants had root rot. I spend over 12 hours yesterday treating them and repotting and propagating them in soil and water. I thought of you because you inspired me to start some of them in perlite, moss, and pumice. I have no idea if they'll make it, but it's intriguing to see what happens.🌵💞 I'm an underwaterer so that caused a lot of dry rot, and tbh I believe my ZZ plant is a goner😢 but it's okay. These things happen and we learn by our mistakes💛💜💙❤️🧡💚
This was my first video of yours I have seen, and I loved the content, not depressing because I was able to relate so much. I wasn't staying on top of caring for my plants and my collection sacrificed. So it was so nice to hear I'm not the only one low key jealous of others collectors and their huge lush collection and greenhouses. This video made me feel so much better! So thank you ❤
One of the reasons we all love you so much is because you’re real! Having a “perfect” collection isn’t real…and it sets people up for failure in the end. I love watching you, we all do. And we all learn more from mistakes than we do successes. I have a chronic illness that sometimes keeps me from being a perfect plant parent or even a perfect person in general. But it’s okay In the end because we all still just do our best. Best of wishes to your mental health and your plants. Chin up darling
Thank you for posting this. It’s so nice to know that we are not alone. Sometimes its awesome collecting plants and sometimes its just hard and it really helps to know others feel the same way. THANK YOU, THANK YOU
I’ve had thrips AND spider mites on my big monstera deliciosa. I’m not quite at chopping it up. Two rounds of beneficials and a humidifier right next to it 🤞🏻
All those accounts with "immaculate" collections, you know they aren't showing the shitty plants, only the best and prettiest. Guarantee they all fight the same things the rest of us do, bugs and rot and all that. And I get you on chopping, some of my plants are now like five feet tall and I know I need to chop them but I hate propping and selling so I feel guilty about chopping and throwing away.
Fern, your collection is stunning!!! Don't compare to social media, if you were talking to a friend, what would you tell her 🙂 we need to kind to ourselves too. Ps I can recommend high strength vitamin D3 for winter mood too. Like you say, you now get to enjoy growing the plant again and having multiple vines! It will be even better than it was 😊
Thrips are the worst. I had them kill my monstera last year and I didn’t realize beca was sick. Ended up having to throw it away. I’ve realized they also really love my philo campo. The pests are exhausting
I've been watching your videos for years and I remember how small some of your current plants were back then! They've grown so much. so sad to see this one have a setback, but it'll bounce back.
I look at your collection and think “I’ll never have an amazing collection like ferns”. You are my FAV planty creator and I love what you do. It’s so easy to compare and get down on yourself but just know that all of your followers admire you!
Oh hun. I've been keeping plants for 40 plus yrs. Pests are just a part of it. You're doing it right. Chop and prop and just enjoy the process. You thank her for the time you had together, and thank her for the chance to start again. But yes the sting of the loss won't feel so bad when some of those chunks grow beautiful new plants. My one tip for the chunks... let the cuts scab over, then wrap the chunks in a wet towel for an hour. Then, gently with a cleaned toothbrush, take the layer off the new node points. That will get them to shoot up much faster. My collect decided that all my alocacias were going to sacrifice them selves to thrips. I put them in the tub and for a month now I've been spraying with End-All and home made natural pest spray. They've all lost their leaves.. but... they are all popping out new leaves again. No dirt here, so I don't have to worry about that. I just set the pots in water covering the PON ar LECA for 30 minutes then take out and put back in cover pots and watch. Your not alone.
I too I have been keeping plants for 40 years. Fern is just the cutest thing and I love how she really tries to educate in her videos. You sound like a cool person!
Totally feeling the seasonal Blues! I have a few plants struggling and it’s defiantly makes me feel off. I also tossed a plant because it has thrips…. Just didn’t want to go through the journey of clearing them but paranoid that they spread!
On the same boat here! I couldn't take good care of my plants last month and now they are struggling so much! But life got busy and i need to work. 💁🏽♀️ It's good to know that i am not the only one 😅
How come you didn’t just open the moss pole and keep the roots? Then the chonks are already rooted. I thought that kinda the reason why you would use a moss pole? I’m just curious ☺️ 🌱
I hope you feel better (and better about your incredible plant collection) soon! FWIW, I was distracted for most of the video admiring your Philodendron Tortum. I have a smaller Tortum and seeing yours gets me excited about how mine might grow 🪴❤
I wish I could give you a hug. I can feel your pain through this video. Know that we are all wishing we had a collection as wonderful as yours. I'm sure those people you're comparing yourself too also have lots of ugly bits to their collection too. 💜 you're doing great. This is such a crappy situation, it's okay to feel down about it. Be kind to yourself, grieve if you need to 💜💜💜
I would love to see a video of plants that you feel like you have fallen out of love with/ problem plants. There’s no shame in it, we all have these things.
There is a stage in the thrips life cycle when they go to the soil, not to feed but to mature. I use nematodes to battle the one's in the soil! :)) much love
Please don't be so hard on yourself Fern. I'm really new to your channel, but I love watching, and all your plants 🌿🌱 are amazing. I like how you show us the good and bad, and your always trying new things. 😮🤪 plus you admit you don't know it all and your still learning. Besides the beautiful foliage, watching them grow, the different colors and species of all plants etc...we can also enjoy their imperfections. You're doing your best and that's really all you can do. 😉 It's tough being a plant mom with a big collection, but you've been doing it, and I have faith in you... your collection is chef's kiss 💋 much love, support, and encouragement from Seattle 🤟
Oh my gosh Fern, I watch your videos because of your beautiful collection and what you are teaching me. Don’t be hard on yourself. You are doing your best and we love you.
Also struggling here 🙃 bought a pricey Thai con and have had awful rot like you did, I’m down to a single chonk. The rest of my collection are thriving though. Your face when you were chopping leaves was me with my Thai con....let’s hope the plant gods bless us soon 😭
I've come to terms with thrips.... They will always be around. So I take the good with the bad and do the best that I can. Your philodendron is gorgeous
Hey Fern thank you for making this video! I really appreciate seeing planty blues being represented in a video! I can related to everything you said, and I am sending light and love to you and sp silver!! I really enjoyed having it on, it matches my mood too x
I don't know why and I thought I was alone in this, but I also feel that I'm in the worst phase of my collection and it seems that the state of our collection affects our mood. The thrips are also around and it is so exhausting trying to control and solve everything. I wonder if there's a more propitious time for thrips to appear. It seems so. Plenty of strength Fern. Despite everything, we're on the same journey together.🖤
your collection is so beautiful and inspiring❤ & you take such great care of your plants. We are all so thankful to be a small part of your planty life!
Also feeling a... way... about my plants. I'm worried about an import of mostly hoya. I'm so worried that I'll kill them, and I'll be so sad if that happens.
So we're all just kind of down about our plants lately? Don't stress yourself too much about your new plants. Instead, try to focus on the exciting parts! :)
I woke up this morning to see my P. Verrucosum with yet another yellow leaf. My issue is figuring out “watering”. Every time I fail at plant care or a plant dies in my watch, I truly get so sad and stay sad all day long. I’ve accepted it’s just part of having plants and learning about them. What I love about your channel is your genuineness! You show the good and the bad about your plants and yourself. You help me feel that it’s okay if all my plants are not perfectly healthy. That’s why we’re here, right, to learn from each other. I don’t appreciate other channels where growers display their perfect collection. Not one yellow leaf or bug. So not real!! I don’t often see “perfect” plants in nature either. With every leaf in perfect perfection. Thank you for your honesty. Keep being true to yourself and thank you for sharing the good and the bad. I’ll keep watching ♥️
You have a beautiful collection! they've brought you a lot of joy! Just move forward, do what you have to do to protect all your other plants and continue to love your plant babies and enjoy your collection!! ❤😢🌿🌱🍃
I've been fighting cancer most the year so my collection has its ups an downs mostly my climbing plants have suffered the most. I have probably lost about 20 plants this year. Which is not ideal but there was no way to know I had going to get lymphoma. An I to do alot of comparison but I tell myself they only are posting the best of 5he best. No one posts a half dead plant I tell myself. So don't get down on yourself you accomplish a lot this year like buying a home which congregation on that amazing accomplishment. Love you fern an thanks for keeping it real ❤
left a bad marriage and my plants are all dying in my house states away. so mine is… definitely unwell. thanks for letting me live vicariously through your collection and know that your warmth and lovely presence is a parasocial friendship that has brought me so much comfort over the years! ❤
i’m battling thrips for the first time ever, right now too ): thank you for posting this, it’s helping me cope with losing some of mine. nobody is perfect & it’s not our fault! i opted to treat every single plant by trashing all my current potting mix, washing the roots & whole plant with captain jacks & then repotting and treating with a systemic! hopefully that works! good luck to you!!!
Hi Fern! The thing with thrips is that they spread fast. If one plant has a confirmed case of visible thrips they have already spread to your other plants. Treating that one plant is not going to do anything, you need to treat every single plant in your household, or this is going to be an out of control infestation. With a collection of your size, you need to treat with systemic pesticides or you will not win the fight.
This!! They're so persistent it's unreal. I know that she had bought mites that took care of them, but sadly they probably also can't catch every single one of those little monsters. My aunt received a lovely bonsai as a parting gift from her job and we had to take care of it since she wasn't home for a while. Guess what? It was full of adult thrips... my mom and I fought them off with pesticides like 4 times in a span of 2 months. Saw some larves(?) a few weeks ago again, but I could get rid of them by just wiping them away before they spread again. It was a nightmare haha
You are amazing! Please don’t ever doubt that although I know how easy it can be to forget all the good we do when something happens to throw us off. You e had SO MUCH going on this past year darling…I’m in awe of all the stuff you’ve done and you’ve CRUSHED it! Like all of the moving and decorating and setting up plants and books and furniture and…plus working and getting TONS of videos out for us….like I said amazing..you are a powerhouse and a warrior goddess! Just know that we all look up to you….we love you no matter what so feel that love and go easy on yourself dear….I know it can be disheartening but things happen and at least you can grow another plant from the chonks…might even get BIGGER !! Anyway I can sing your praises all day but I’ll stop now and just say…thank you for all you do and we love you!!! 💜 Tamara
Sending hugs ❤❤❤ I’ve been majorly downsizing because I just don’t have the space and time. Hanging onto my faves but just had to come to terms with the fact that I can’t maintain pandemic levels of plant care anymore. Also your hair is giving major Stevie Nicks vibes!
After watching this I’ve been bothered for a few days. I like your channel a lot, for many reasons, one being that it’s honest. You show the reality and struggles of having a big collection. It’s super hard to take care of plants inside, especially a big collection. Watering, fertilizing, pests. Plus, you live in Canada where winters are a real thing adding an extra layer of difficulty. I do understand getting down about this, I can’t grow a plant the same way as someone with an ideal climate and that is just the reality. I just chug along doing my best. I hate that social media distorts our perception of reality 😂, it’s like an indefinite first date! I‘ve had a terrible year with sunburn, spider mites, and depression. Some of your videos have helped inspire me to pause, reset, and remember why I love plants and to start pushing through and taking care of them properly. Without any social media I would still grow all the things. I bet you would too 🤗☕️💚🌱.
Oh what a loss 😢 but it’ll bounce back and you’ll have an even better one with multiple vines ! Honestly my cabinet has been totally ravaged by spider mites. All my beautiful big heart leaf philos in there are ruined so I feel your pain 😢 I heard a quote before that said “comparison is the thief of joy” and I remind myself of that often. Big hugs x
Don´t be sad - it´s not your fault, you take better care of plants than most other people ever would, you have done enough. It´s a part of life but not end of life. You have a wonderful collection and imperfection is a part of life. I felt the same at some point and what helped me was seeing plant tours of other people - that´s was more real and reminded what is realistic (and that´s not perfect leaves). It helped me not to watch social media perfect plants (it´s easy to manipulate it anyway). I battled thrips (combined with spidermites) for months and months (over a year) using systemic neonicotinoids and pyrethroids... (given their 30 day lifecycle). After that I used neem oil and then later on benefical insects. I saved plants that I gave up on and thought I might throw them away. It was a horrible process but seeing the plants recovered was worth it (for me at least). Don´t give up hope
I found what I think is thrips on one of my plants!!!! I’ve never seen them before, so I’m not sure. There was only one little black thing crawling around. I kinda freaked out, and treated all of the plants around it!!! I’m also keeping those plants isolated, and ill do a second treatment next week…..please wish me luck! I have about 150 plants. 😊
Your collection is beautiful!!! Don't forget these plant youtubers don't show and tell their dying plants or plants they have killed, and they turn background plants to hide damaged leaves. I've been watching your vids for a little while now and I put your collection right up there with the greats. Keep your head up!
Have you tried SNS 209? the active ingredient is basically rosemary, so I bet you can get in Canada. I have a plant area in my entry way with around 20 plants, basically all touching. I found baby thrips on a pot of Silver sword that was growing poorly. Threw it away immediately. Went through all of my other plants in that area. Not a single thrip or sign of. Checked my plant journals. That silver sword was the only plant that hadn't received SNS 209 in around 6 months. Every other plant got it on 9/30. 😳 Coincidence? I mean, maybe, but I doubt it.
Hi. I'm an orchid grower. Thrips. If they are on one plant and you already can SEE them, they are everywhere +- the entire collection needs to be treated at least 3 times, once every 5-7 days. Thrips have 3 stages of development (all look different and harmful to the plants), they can fly, they are awful beasts! 😢😢😢 Luckily basic insecticides kill them. It's just takes a lot a lot of patience with large collection. You also develop paranoia. Where I am we use Actara. Not sure if it's sold worldwide but there should be analogs. It's in small granules. People put it in pots too. So sad about your plant. Hope it's going to be ok.
Comparison is the thief of joy, as they say. It’s kind of funny because compared to your collection, mine is the saddest little thing, lol! My plants are all small, and like…my Alocasia Jacklyn, that I adore, HATES ME ahahaha! So it’s all relative! My plants are weird - some of them are thriving and going wild with new growth, and others just hate my guts. What can ya do? Sorry about your big plant that would devastate me too. I hope you have excellent success with propagating it!
I 2 suffer with depression & anxiety & winter sees an increase with it. I worry constantly about everything, children, grandchildren, loved ones who rn't living close enuff 4 my liking, bills, my husband's health, did I do something wrong, etc... I could loose what's left of my mind with worry. But something that helps me is; 'Will it really matter 10, 20, 50 years?' If the answer is no then I try 2 look 4 the brighter side of it. It IS there, sometimes I just have 2 look really hard. I'm not ancient but life has taught me many lessons & this is one. I smile, tell people 'I'm peachy' & if I say it long enuff & smile often enuff, I find that most times I will start 2 believe it & soon things r looking brighter & more managable. I hope this rambling is making sense!? Sweetheart, ur collection is amazing, I wish I had some of the plants u have & that the ones I do have looked so fabulous. Stop the comparison phase of ur life. Life is full of imperfection & I really think that if we look, REALLY LOOK, we can find the beauty in those flaws. I mean, variegation is originally an imperfection in an all green plant, right? My point is; beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so look 4 it. Life is just 2 random & short 2 sweat the small stuff. With ur move 2 ur new home, there r things that must take priority & sometimes other things like plants, suffer a bit. And while it is disheartening 2 c them take a hit, the great thing about life, people, animals, plants, etc..., is that life can come back more beautiful & stronger than ever. Enjoy what u have becuz it is urs. I love ur channel & u always make me smile when ur face lights up as u feature ur collection. That's the real gift u share with ur audience, (in my opinion anyway), so Thank you 4 that🤎❣
Every plant owner has a pest issue story. My Calathea - Leopardina was covered in thrips/aphids. Remedy, regular hosing of leaves and a pot upsize with fresh soil. I left the leaves on that looked like they have been through a war. It's now so bushy. I love it warts and all. "Perfection is finding the imperfect plant, perfect"!!! Comparing is dangerous as others may live in warmer climates or have green houses. I love your collection and plant struggles. Wouldn't it be boring if everything was perfect. We wouldn't learn anything!! Thanks for keeping it real!!!
Fern, first of all, pardon my english, I'm following your videos from France. I love your collection and the way you're dedicate to all your plants. Unfortunatly having bugs happen to all of us, even when we're checking on them everyday... Feeling low or less interested happens to ! I'm speaking for myself but I have moments for my collection and moments for the rest of my life and, at my opinion, it's normal. Anyway thank you for your work on TH-cam !! Bisous de France !!
Thank you for sharing this! It is always refreshing when we can be transparent about our struggles with plants. My collection overall is doing fine but I lost several plants last week due to neglect and it felt like both a setback and a motivator. Plants are beautiful because they can almost always bounce back, and humans are even more capable of such. Keep your head up girly!
Hey Fern, you have a large collection so your decision is definitely understood. I lost two Alocasia Jacklynn's. You have had and incredible year , and you have earned Plant mama extended R&R. from SM or Thrips Best Wishes
You're collection is beautiful. I am also feeling neglectful of my own collection. The mealy bugs have gone nuts and I'm having to trash some plants that have been treated multiple times but continue to decline.
Oh Fern I’m so sorry you had to cut up your huge plant. And I’m sorry you’re feeling so down about your collection. You’re not alone ❤️ I have 3 kids. One being a 3 year old and he doesn’t let me do much of anything. I try to let him help and he does great for 5-10 min and then it’s HULK time. My collection has gone so down. I’m not at all happy with mine either. Your my #1 fave planttuber and I’m a Patreon. I love that you show your real life and not fake. It’s hard not to compare to others on the internet. I know. But forgive yourself for any neglect that has come along the way. Life gets busy. Our minds get overwhelmed. It will be ok. ❤️ love you Fern!
It’s tough loosing plants you’ve invested so much time in to. I’m in the same boat as you at the moment. Thrips are the worst!! I have literally had to spray every 4/5 days very strictly in order to see any improvement. Probably tossed like 30 plants this year because of those jerks too. 😢 Don’t worry though! Your collection is beautiful and always something I’m striving to achieve. Keep your head up!!!
Oh no so sad :'( I hope it's going to recover to become even more beautiful! Your plant collection is amazing! You are my favorite plant-fluencer (and TH-camr in general) and I really love your collection. No collection is perfect, everybody is struggling with pests every now and then and plants die, unfortunately, but that's just the way it is. I think most accounts simply don't show that. It's still social media where everything can be edited to look perfect... As to winter depression: I've been feeling the same lately :( let's all cuddle up together with our cozy tea and books and make the best of it we can! Hope you're going to feel better soon
I'm sorry, Fern. Your collection is awesome anyway. I discovered thrips on my fuzzy petiole ladt week, a treatment didn't work, and tomorrow I'm going away for a week for work. So instead of risking the thrips going to other plants, I binned it altogether, pot, soil, pole, ties, everything. And I did a frantic spray of the rest of the room, hoping the thrips don't spread while I'm away. Keep your fingers crossed 😢😢😢
Queen...thank you for the inspiration to finally deal with my own thrip plants. I had to cut up my Magnificum, Splendid, and 3 kings syngonium. I am probably going to cut up my Campo too. I also cut up my Melanochrysum for good measure since it was in close proximity to those other ones. I tried beneficial mites and released like 400 lady bugs in my house but I still have those dang thrips hanging around. But at the end of the day, I still have my plants (even if they are just wet sticks) so like you said, there is joy in getting to watch them come back from nothing. I totally get being burnt out on plant chores especially when you see your hard work get destroyed by pests so you shouldn't feel down on yourself for feeling down. Its healthy to feel the feelings, we just can't stay in that head space forever. You are amazing and I am so thankful that you are always here keeping it real because it helps me to stay grounded in reality in my plant parenthood. ILY!
As how I see it, you’ve always done the best you can for your plants. The thing is life happens and it varies how the “best” plant care you can do looks like. You deserve more credit ❤ I agree with some other comments I’ve seen: your collection to me looks gorgeous and real and, you know, goals. I’ve also had a hard relationship with my plants lately: they have overgrown they’re spaces, they’ve been home for spider mites, scale and what looked like a thrip… it’s been overwhelming. My plan is starting a new planty project to motivate me. IKEA just opened a store in Bogota and it is my time to set up my own greenhouse cabinet! I’m super excited about that, and your videos have been super helpful 🙌🏻 Sending you much love and good energy for your days to be better and for your guapo to grow back big and beautiful ✨
I've only been in the hobby for a year, so I delt with pests for the first time recently. My brand new little verrucosum got spider mites a few weeks ago, but I managed to clear them up and she's fine. But a few days ago, I found a SINGLE mealy bug in my milsbo. I searched high and low for a few days and couldn't find a single other mealybug. But there can't possibly be just ONE? I think of you as a plant wizard, so it's very comforting that even you deal with the annoying parts of plant care too. Your collection is gorgeous and you should feel so proud of it and the career you've made sharing your passion for them :)
I'm so sorry about your philodendron. Thrips are nasty and can do a lot of damage. But if anyone can bring a plant back from being cut back it's you. Watching your videos has actually helped me a lot, I'm new to having/collecting houseplants. I have to say you have a amazing plant collection. One of my 1st plants I got (it was free, about to go into compost cause it was in bad shape, a plant rescue) was a alocasia polly. Well so far it's still alive (I've had it little over 2 month), I've also had to divide it (which was really hard to do), and I've found 3 corms (all growing now). But anyways thank you for all the great videos and for sharing your amazing plant collection.
anyone else feeling womp womp lately? :') ps sorry I forgot the music at the end 🤦♀
Yes! All day! Thought it was just me….ugh! Looking forward to watching your videos!!
@@lalama637 💚💚💚
Must be in the air. Just did a huge repot day and fresh potting mix. On the plus side I was out of potting mix. An guess what?! Better Homes & Gardens Organic
Potting Mix, 1 cu. ft. $0.50 with Florida tax $0.53 cents! Never tried this brand but for that price why not. Hope they have it at your local Walmart.
Hi Fern, sorry for the loss of your lovely plant. Thanks for filming your experience for us. True, it is sad when we lose a plant but we learn from every failure (in this case, damn thrips causing it), they are so hard to fight! I sacrificed several plants last year due to the little buggers. You did more to save your plant than you realise right now, but ultimately the bugs won. Next round will be to you! Hang in there 😊
Hey Fern! First of all, you have an amazing collection. Second of all, and I think everyone will agree… we follow you because you are real and love you!
Keep on going on! Omg, that’s a 60’s motto 😂
Girl your collection is why I’m here salivating every time I watch your videos. Your collection is amazing. I do watch about 4 other YTbers and they too get thrips, mealies and spidermites. I don’t think anyone has a perfect collection unless they cut off dead leaves or withhold the bug issues from the viewers, which is not what we’re here for.
being in this hobby is accepting the fact that - depending on collection size - you will live with pests. it's about adjusting views really, plants are not perfect in nature either.
Same!
I feel this so bad 😭 my depression is killing my plants. Honestly, I love that you show the failures/ things to fix next time. It honestly makes me feel so much better when mine don’t look perfect
Hey internet stranger! I just wanted to tell you that I'm proud of you and you just keep doing those small tasks that sometimes feel like big challenges. You got this :)! The alocasia that's standing almost next to my bad keeps dying off its new forming leaves, I feel like my bed rotting is the cause of it haha...
Same here friend! I’m starting to get back on track and let me tell you I’ve lost quite a bit of them from going through it. And I’m slowly going through them and assessing the damage. Some of them I’m going to have to propagate and start all over. And the ones that were propagated I lost due to not watering 😢 but I’m trying to stay positive and not beat myself up because honestly it’s been rough 😔 haven’t felt like myself in a looooong time. But I’m hoping to get there soon! I hope the same for you 😊
@ashleyandjudith - you guys are loved and worth it. Hang in there, life is tough, but you can get through it all! I too suffer from depression and other mental illnesses so I know exactly how you feel! The best advice I can give you, and what worked for me is: pouring my heart ❤️ out to God in prayer and asking for his help. Reading the Bible too has helped because it tells us how to live a happy life and helps us come to know God, and much more..prayers and love to you both❤😊
Not depressing, it's part of being a plant parent so please don't be down on yourself. I personally think your collection is beautiful. Sending plant positivity to you and your props!!
This is so important. It's sadly incredibly easy to get down when your plants don't aren't doing good anymore -no matter the cause-. But we were the ones who made it grow and thrive, admiring its beauty. Sometimes you just have to let go...
My lovely fern 💚 your collection is beautiful and I think we all go through these phases where we are stuck comparing our plants with others. Just know that WE LOVE AND ADORE your plant collection. Also, I chopped my giant McDowell into chonks around a year ago and look at it now! Your sp silver will be big in no time 🌱🤩 sending all the positive vibes your way. Thank you for existing in this community, we all love you 😊
I like this positive and encouraging comment...very nice and comforting 🌼💜🌼
Beautiful comment and I really couldn’t agree more. I personally love your channel and collection and bubbly personality AND spending an hour + going through your experiences, challenges and triumphs. You constantly inspire me, so thank you 🙏 🙏🙏 OMG, it’s 12am here in Sydney. That means Ive been watching your videos for a couple of hours😂 Very easily done!!Good night 💤
Its not about the *collection*..its the planty goodness we watch for..your *realness*..life's up n downs..I'm in for the long haul ❤❤❤
Well said and I agree👍💯
Even though it doesn’t always work out in the end, the fact that you can raise a plant from the rainforest, from one tiny leaf into basically a tree, in a in a tiny bowl of dirt, for years and years and if it finally succumbs to the ~harsh indoor elements~, you can cut it up and watch it grow again, is AMAZING!! you have done EVERYTHING right Fern! For as long as you love this plant, it will keep loving you ❤ you have all of the knowledge and patience you need.
My heart breaks for you 🥺 Plants are such a special piece of our lives - we dedicate so much time, money, and effort into growing them big, beautiful , and healthy. So it’s so hard to say goodbye (especially because of FRICKEN thrips) 💔
I also struggle with my collection’s imperfections, and found that my plant care really took a dive after I moved to a new city on the island - so I can very much relate! Sending lots of love & reminders to ensure you’re making time for self-care right now too 🥰
I'm sorry you are in pain, Fern. I think everyone in charge of living things knows how it hurts when they don't do well. Hopefully your plants give you a few extra surprises soon to lift up your spirits:)
Oh no!! I definitely had a couple womps lately too.. so sorry for your loss 😞 And thank you for normalizing casualties in plant care 🫰🏽❤️
Thank you so much 🥺 you win some you lose some 🌿
Fern I know what it’s like to be in a funk but for what it’s worth I admire your free spirit with how you do your plant keeping. You keep things so real ….it’s inspiring. I love your collection and style. 💚
Totally can relate. Last weekend I did a good clean on my plants, 4 just got the boot because I didn’t want to deal with the infested plants anymore. I had been dealing with thrips since may and I’m really hoping with the aloe I just kicked out that I’m officially done with them. I’ll obviously keep a close eye on my plants but I’ll be keeping up with wiping leaves down and I spray with the mild dish soap with distilled water to maintain a pest free home. You were the person I found that helped me conquer my fear of pests and that I can just cut and prop. Starting over is ok. ❤
10:28 you’re totally right Fern! Thrips lay their eggs inside the leaf tissue and then the first juvenile stage often falls off into the soil and chills there before returning to the plant to chow down and grow into an adult, then the process starts again! They suck. Using beneficials has really helped me, but before I used them I would use diatomaceous earth on top of the soil and that helped stop the life cycle at that point.
Really feeling all the emotions alongside you whilst watching this, it does really suck. But you’re a fantastic grower and will have an amazing big bushy babe once again ❤
Did you put the DE as a thin layer beneath the soil or just on the very top? I've heard of people putting a layer to fight fungus gnats but if the thrips don't burrow at all I would guess you can't bury it, and that spooks me a little since it's not good to inhale DE. I'm too clumsy to not knock the plant and cause a puff of dust every time.
Maybe the collections you’re comparing yours to are just not as transparent about the less that perfect stuff? Because all that is just part of having plants. You sharing all this is why we all adore you. Relatable. I’ve found that my plants thrive for a few years then no matter the care, as they get older they struggle. Wonder if other’s find that in their collections? Thanks for sharing all this with us Fern, it helps combat that feeling of inadequacy for us. Wish you weren’t feeling it though.
Hi Fern, just a reminder. Do be hard on yourself. Despite everything that happen she will grow beautifully. Your collection is stunning ❤.
Sending love 😊
Fern, your collection is like other peoples. It’s unique and amazing. You do take care of your plants. Everyone has the same problem. I’m fighting mealies on one plant. Just noticed a few white spots on it so I’ll treat it today. The plant is far away from all the other plants. What I’m saying is you’re a loving plant parent with a lot of plants. You’re not a bad plant parent.
Fern thank you for sharing and being real 💚
You are a great plant parents. Sending you kind vibes 🙌🙌🙌
I appreciate the youtubers that doesn't sugar coat their plant journeys highs AND lows. Helps the rest of us with what we will undoubtedly go through sooner or later. I had a Thrips instance last month - watching closely for re-infestations. I caught it early I think - but I treated all of my plants - unfortunately I found the problem at the end of watering all of my plants and I am struggling with some of the plants now having root rot. Please provide an update video on the propagation for this plant. I have a McColley's Finale that I need to do some cleanup/propagating on (he is so unruly) and have never been able to get any roots with stick propagating. Nodes with leaves, I get a 80-90% success rate so far. Good luck. I know how devastating this can be and feel for you.
I dont have as big of a collection as you do as I've only been collecting plants for a year or so, but I recently discovered a lot of my plants had root rot. I spend over 12 hours yesterday treating them and repotting and propagating them in soil and water. I thought of you because you inspired me to start some of them in perlite, moss, and pumice. I have no idea if they'll make it, but it's intriguing to see what happens.🌵💞 I'm an underwaterer so that caused a lot of dry rot, and tbh I believe my ZZ plant is a goner😢 but it's okay. These things happen and we learn by our mistakes💛💜💙❤️🧡💚
This was my first video of yours I have seen, and I loved the content, not depressing because I was able to relate so much. I wasn't staying on top of caring for my plants and my collection sacrificed. So it was so nice to hear I'm not the only one low key jealous of others collectors and their huge lush collection and greenhouses. This video made me feel so much better! So thank you ❤
One of the reasons we all love you so much is because you’re real! Having a “perfect” collection isn’t real…and it sets people up for failure in the end. I love watching you, we all do. And we all learn more from mistakes than we do successes. I have a chronic illness that sometimes keeps me from being a perfect plant parent or even a perfect person in general. But it’s okay In the end because we all still just do our best. Best of wishes to your mental health and your plants. Chin up darling
It's a tough season for us & plants. After my depression episode lately, my plants haven't been thriving either.
Thank you for posting this. It’s so nice to know that we are not alone. Sometimes its awesome collecting plants and sometimes its just hard and it really helps to know others feel the same way. THANK YOU, THANK YOU
I’ve had thrips AND spider mites on my big monstera deliciosa. I’m not quite at chopping it up. Two rounds of beneficials and a humidifier right next to it 🤞🏻
All those accounts with "immaculate" collections, you know they aren't showing the shitty plants, only the best and prettiest. Guarantee they all fight the same things the rest of us do, bugs and rot and all that. And I get you on chopping, some of my plants are now like five feet tall and I know I need to chop them but I hate propping and selling so I feel guilty about chopping and throwing away.
Fern, your collection is stunning!!! Don't compare to social media, if you were talking to a friend, what would you tell her 🙂 we need to kind to ourselves too. Ps I can recommend high strength vitamin D3 for winter mood too. Like you say, you now get to enjoy growing the plant again and having multiple vines! It will be even better than it was 😊
I have been feeling similarly. My plants have suffered. Just chopped a couple today to start fresh.
Fern- “I don’t really need 10 of this plant”
Me - “YES YOU DO!!!!” 😂😂
Thrips are the worst. I had them kill my monstera last year and I didn’t realize beca was sick. Ended up having to throw it away. I’ve realized they also really love my philo campo. The pests are exhausting
I've been watching your videos for years and I remember how small some of your current plants were back then! They've grown so much. so sad to see this one have a setback, but it'll bounce back.
I look at your collection and think “I’ll never have an amazing collection like ferns”. You are my FAV planty creator and I love what you do. It’s so easy to compare and get down on yourself but just know that all of your followers admire you!
Oh hun. I've been keeping plants for 40 plus yrs. Pests are just a part of it. You're doing it right. Chop and prop and just enjoy the process. You thank her for the time you had together, and thank her for the chance to start again. But yes the sting of the loss won't feel so bad when some of those chunks grow beautiful new plants. My one tip for the chunks... let the cuts scab over, then wrap the chunks in a wet towel for an hour. Then, gently with a cleaned toothbrush, take the layer off the new node points. That will get them to shoot up much faster. My collect decided that all my alocacias were going to sacrifice them selves to thrips. I put them in the tub and for a month now I've been spraying with End-All and home made natural pest spray. They've all lost their leaves.. but... they are all popping out new leaves again. No dirt here, so I don't have to worry about that. I just set the pots in water covering the PON ar LECA for 30 minutes then take out and put back in cover pots and watch. Your not alone.
I too I have been keeping plants for 40 years. Fern is just the cutest thing and I love how she really tries to educate in her videos. You sound like a cool person!
Totally feeling the seasonal
Blues! I have a few plants struggling and it’s defiantly makes me feel off. I also tossed a plant because it has thrips…. Just didn’t want to go through the journey of clearing them but paranoid that they spread!
Be gentle with yourself. It's a tough season for our plants AND for us! You're doing great. ❤
On the same boat here! I couldn't take good care of my plants last month and now they are struggling so much! But life got busy and i need to work. 💁🏽♀️ It's good to know that i am not the only one 😅
How come you didn’t just open the moss pole and keep the roots? Then the chonks are already rooted. I thought that kinda the reason why you would use a moss pole? I’m just curious ☺️ 🌱
Oh Fern I'm so sorry 😔 I like that you can see the positive side of it, like you said, eventually you'll have a very full plant with multiple vines!
yesss exactly, time and patience will give me another beautiful plant 🌱
It was really sed. But I hope the new plant will grow healthy. Thank you for showing this. I love this channal
I hope you feel better (and better about your incredible plant collection) soon! FWIW, I was distracted for most of the video admiring your Philodendron Tortum. I have a smaller Tortum and seeing yours gets me excited about how mine might grow 🪴❤
I wish I could give you a hug. I can feel your pain through this video. Know that we are all wishing we had a collection as wonderful as yours. I'm sure those people you're comparing yourself too also have lots of ugly bits to their collection too. 💜 you're doing great. This is such a crappy situation, it's okay to feel down about it. Be kind to yourself, grieve if you need to 💜💜💜
You’re not alone!! ❤️😭
I’m so sorry that you’re having a rough time too 😢
I love your not “imperfect” videos because they’re relatable to us common folk😊❤
Please keep being you!
Sorry 🥲 don’t be hard on yourself. Sometimes you need to let a plant go. And perfection is not reality.
🫂 "Comparison is the thief of joy"
it's so true!
A necessary cure for the down-downs that is often overlooked is enough sleep. ❤
I would love to see a video of plants that you feel like you have fallen out of love with/ problem plants. There’s no shame in it, we all have these things.
There is a stage in the thrips life cycle when they go to the soil, not to feed but to mature. I use nematodes to battle the one's in the soil! :)) much love
oh boy it was sad watching you cut these big leaves😢 i had to do the same with my big Mostera deliciosa. hope you feel better soon🥰
See I look at your plants and think how perfect they look compared to mine 😂
This inspired me to get one of this species philodendron. Those smooth but textured leaves are so gorgeous
Please don't be so hard on yourself Fern. I'm really new to your channel, but I love watching, and all your plants 🌿🌱 are amazing. I like how you show us the good and bad, and your always trying new things. 😮🤪 plus you admit you don't know it all and your still learning. Besides the beautiful foliage, watching them grow, the different colors and species of all plants etc...we can also enjoy their imperfections. You're doing your best and that's really all you can do. 😉 It's tough being a plant mom with a big collection, but you've been doing it, and I have faith in you... your collection is chef's kiss 💋 much love, support, and encouragement from Seattle 🤟
Oh my gosh Fern, I watch your videos because of your beautiful collection and what you are teaching me. Don’t be hard on yourself. You are doing your best and we love you.
Also struggling here 🙃 bought a pricey Thai con and have had awful rot like you did, I’m down to a single chonk. The rest of my collection are thriving though. Your face when you were chopping leaves was me with my Thai con....let’s hope the plant gods bless us soon 😭
Sending all the hugs and anti-thrip energy your way 💞💞💞
I've come to terms with thrips.... They will always be around. So I take the good with the bad and do the best that I can.
Your philodendron is gorgeous
Hey Fern thank you for making this video! I really appreciate seeing planty blues being represented in a video! I can related to everything you said, and I am sending light and love to you and sp silver!! I really enjoyed having it on, it matches my mood too x
I don't know why and I thought I was alone in this, but I also feel that I'm in the worst phase of my collection and it seems that the state of our collection affects our mood. The thrips are also around and it is so exhausting trying to control and solve everything. I wonder if there's a more propitious time for thrips to appear. It seems so.
Plenty of strength Fern. Despite everything, we're on the same journey together.🖤
It’s always refreshing when people online are honest. Thank you for sharing this. It must have been tough. You are doing amazingly. 💜💜💜
your collection is so beautiful and inspiring❤ & you take such great care of your plants. We are all so thankful to be a small part of your planty life!
Also feeling a... way... about my plants. I'm worried about an import of mostly hoya. I'm so worried that I'll kill them, and I'll be so sad if that happens.
So we're all just kind of down about our plants lately? Don't stress yourself too much about your new plants. Instead, try to focus on the exciting parts! :)
I woke up this morning to see my P. Verrucosum with yet another yellow leaf. My issue is figuring out “watering”. Every time I fail at plant care or a plant dies in my watch, I truly get so sad and stay sad all day long. I’ve accepted it’s just part of having plants and learning about them. What I love about your channel is your genuineness! You show the good and the bad about your plants and yourself. You help me feel that it’s okay if all my plants are not perfectly healthy. That’s why we’re here, right, to learn from each other. I don’t appreciate other channels where growers display their perfect collection. Not one yellow leaf or bug. So not real!! I don’t often see “perfect” plants in nature either. With every leaf in perfect perfection. Thank you for your honesty. Keep being true to yourself and thank you for sharing the good and the bad. I’ll keep watching ♥️
We need to find you a label maker sponsorship!
You have a beautiful collection! they've brought you a lot of joy! Just move forward, do what you have to do to protect all your other plants and continue to love your plant babies and enjoy your collection!! ❤😢🌿🌱🍃
I've been fighting cancer most the year so my collection has its ups an downs mostly my climbing plants have suffered the most. I have probably lost about 20 plants this year. Which is not ideal but there was no way to know I had going to get lymphoma. An I to do alot of comparison but I tell myself they only are posting the best of 5he best. No one posts a half dead plant I tell myself. So don't get down on yourself you accomplish a lot this year like buying a home which congregation on that amazing accomplishment.
Love you fern an thanks for keeping it real ❤
I hope you get better soon.
left a bad marriage and my plants are all dying in my house states away. so mine is… definitely unwell. thanks for letting me live vicariously through your collection and know that your warmth and lovely presence is a parasocial friendship that has brought me so much comfort over the years! ❤
i’m battling thrips for the first time ever, right now too ): thank you for posting this, it’s helping me cope with losing some of mine. nobody is perfect & it’s not our fault! i opted to treat every single plant by trashing all my current potting mix, washing the roots & whole plant with captain jacks & then repotting and treating with a systemic! hopefully that works! good luck to you!!!
Systemic granules!
This is the danger of social media. Comparing yourself to others who portray their lives as perfect. It's not. You're collection is beautiful
Yes, exactly 😔 thank you so much x
Hi Fern! The thing with thrips is that they spread fast. If one plant has a confirmed case of visible thrips they have already spread to your other plants. Treating that one plant is not going to do anything, you need to treat every single plant in your household, or this is going to be an out of control infestation. With a collection of your size, you need to treat with systemic pesticides or you will not win the fight.
This!! They're so persistent it's unreal. I know that she had bought mites that took care of them, but sadly they probably also can't catch every single one of those little monsters. My aunt received a lovely bonsai as a parting gift from her job and we had to take care of it since she wasn't home for a while. Guess what? It was full of adult thrips... my mom and I fought them off with pesticides like 4 times in a span of 2 months. Saw some larves(?) a few weeks ago again, but I could get rid of them by just wiping them away before they spread again. It was a nightmare haha
In a couple years, when your plant has made a full return to its former glory, you'll have this video to look back on and see how far it's come.
You are amazing! Please don’t ever doubt that although I know how easy it can be to forget all the good we do when something happens to throw us off. You e had SO MUCH going on this past year darling…I’m in awe of all the stuff you’ve done and you’ve CRUSHED it! Like all of the moving and decorating and setting up plants and books and furniture and…plus working and getting TONS of videos out for us….like I said amazing..you are a powerhouse and a warrior goddess! Just know that we all look up to you….we love you no matter what so feel that love and go easy on yourself dear….I know it can be disheartening but things happen and at least you can grow another plant from the chonks…might even get BIGGER !! Anyway I can sing your praises all day but I’ll stop now and just say…thank you for all you do and we love you!!! 💜 Tamara
I've never heard of rooting in😮 pearl only
Sending hugs ❤❤❤
I’ve been majorly downsizing because I just don’t have the space and time. Hanging onto my faves but just had to come to terms with the fact that I can’t maintain pandemic levels of plant care anymore.
Also your hair is giving major Stevie Nicks vibes!
After watching this I’ve been bothered for a few days.
I like your channel a lot, for many reasons, one being that it’s honest. You show the reality and struggles of having a big collection. It’s super hard to take care of plants inside, especially a big collection. Watering, fertilizing, pests. Plus, you live in Canada where winters are a real thing adding an extra layer of difficulty.
I do understand getting down about this, I can’t grow a plant the same way as someone with an ideal climate and that is just the reality. I just chug along doing my best. I hate that social media distorts our perception of reality 😂, it’s like an indefinite first date!
I‘ve had a terrible year with sunburn, spider mites, and depression. Some of your videos have helped inspire me to pause, reset, and remember why I love plants and to start pushing through and taking care of them properly.
Without any social media I would still grow all the things. I bet you would too 🤗☕️💚🌱.
Oh what a loss 😢 but it’ll bounce back and you’ll have an even better one with multiple vines !
Honestly my cabinet has been totally ravaged by spider mites. All my beautiful big heart leaf philos in there are ruined so I feel your pain 😢
I heard a quote before that said “comparison is the thief of joy” and I remind myself of that often. Big hugs x
Don't be sorry..for anything ever!!!!! .....thank you for the reality check.....I needed that..
Stuff happens to everyone!!
Don´t be sad - it´s not your fault, you take better care of plants than most other people ever would, you have done enough. It´s a part of life but not end of life. You have a wonderful collection and imperfection is a part of life.
I felt the same at some point and what helped me was seeing plant tours of other people - that´s was more real and reminded what is realistic (and that´s not perfect leaves). It helped me not to watch social media perfect plants (it´s easy to manipulate it anyway).
I battled thrips (combined with spidermites) for months and months (over a year) using systemic neonicotinoids and pyrethroids... (given their 30 day lifecycle). After that I used neem oil and then later on benefical insects. I saved plants that I gave up on and thought I might throw them away. It was a horrible process but seeing the plants recovered was worth it (for me at least). Don´t give up hope
I found what I think is thrips on one of my plants!!!! I’ve never seen them before, so I’m not sure. There was only one little black thing crawling around. I kinda freaked out, and treated all of the plants around it!!! I’m also keeping those plants isolated, and ill do a second treatment next week…..please wish me luck! I have about 150 plants. 😊
Your collection is beautifull! I love watching your videos and you're an inspiration for me.
Your collection is beautiful!!! Don't forget these plant youtubers don't show and tell their dying plants or plants they have killed, and they turn background plants to hide damaged leaves. I've been watching your vids for a little while now and I put your collection right up there with the greats. Keep your head up!
I hope your feeling better Fern! Don't beat yourself up too much! We got this,, and thank you fpr sharing your honest journey with your plants ❤
Have you tried SNS 209? the active ingredient is basically rosemary, so I bet you can get in Canada. I have a plant area in my entry way with around 20 plants, basically all touching. I found baby thrips on a pot of Silver sword that was growing poorly. Threw it away immediately. Went through all of my other plants in that area. Not a single thrip or sign of. Checked my plant journals. That silver sword was the only plant that hadn't received SNS 209 in around 6 months. Every other plant got it on 9/30. 😳
Coincidence? I mean, maybe, but I doubt it.
I feel this. Deep in my heart.
Hi. I'm an orchid grower. Thrips. If they are on one plant and you already can SEE them, they are everywhere +- the entire collection needs to be treated at least 3 times, once every 5-7 days. Thrips have 3 stages of development (all look different and harmful to the plants), they can fly, they are awful beasts! 😢😢😢 Luckily basic insecticides kill them. It's just takes a lot a lot of patience with large collection. You also develop paranoia. Where I am we use Actara. Not sure if it's sold worldwide but there should be analogs. It's in small granules. People put it in pots too.
So sad about your plant. Hope it's going to be ok.
I was feeling bad about my collection (also having thrips) until like 3 days ago, the joy will come back
Comparison is the thief of joy, as they say. It’s kind of funny because compared to your collection, mine is the saddest little thing, lol! My plants are all small, and like…my Alocasia Jacklyn, that I adore, HATES ME ahahaha!
So it’s all relative! My plants are weird - some of them are thriving and going wild with new growth, and others just hate my guts. What can ya do?
Sorry about your big plant that would devastate me too. I hope you have excellent success with propagating it!
I 2 suffer with depression & anxiety & winter sees an increase with it. I worry constantly about everything, children, grandchildren, loved ones who rn't living close enuff 4 my liking, bills, my husband's health, did I do something wrong, etc... I could loose what's left of my mind with worry.
But something that helps me is; 'Will it really matter 10, 20, 50 years?' If the answer is no then I try 2 look 4 the brighter side of it. It IS there, sometimes I just have 2 look really hard.
I'm not ancient but life has taught me many lessons & this is one. I smile, tell people 'I'm peachy' & if I say it long enuff & smile often enuff, I find that most times I will start 2 believe it & soon things r looking brighter & more managable. I hope this rambling is making sense!?
Sweetheart, ur collection is amazing, I wish I had some of the plants u have & that the ones I do have looked so fabulous. Stop the comparison phase of ur life.
Life is full of imperfection & I really think that if we look, REALLY LOOK, we can find the beauty in those flaws. I mean, variegation is originally an imperfection in an all green plant, right?
My point is; beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so look 4 it. Life is just 2 random & short 2 sweat the small stuff.
With ur move 2 ur new home, there r things that must take priority & sometimes other things like plants, suffer a bit. And while it is disheartening 2 c them take a hit, the great thing about life, people, animals, plants, etc..., is that life can come back more beautiful & stronger than ever.
Enjoy what u have becuz it is urs.
I love ur channel & u always make me smile when ur face lights up as u feature ur collection. That's the real gift u share with ur audience, (in my opinion anyway), so Thank you 4 that🤎❣
Every plant owner has a pest issue story. My Calathea - Leopardina was covered in thrips/aphids. Remedy, regular hosing of leaves and a pot upsize with fresh soil. I left the leaves on that looked like they have been through a war. It's now so bushy. I love it warts and all. "Perfection is finding the imperfect plant, perfect"!!! Comparing is dangerous as others may live in warmer climates or have green houses. I love your collection and plant struggles. Wouldn't it be boring if everything was perfect. We wouldn't learn anything!! Thanks for keeping it real!!!
Fern, first of all, pardon my english, I'm following your videos from France.
I love your collection and the way you're dedicate to all your plants. Unfortunatly having bugs happen to all of us, even when we're checking on them everyday...
Feeling low or less interested happens to ! I'm speaking for myself but I have moments for my collection and moments for the rest of my life and, at my opinion, it's normal.
Anyway thank you for your work on TH-cam !!
Bisous de France !!
Thank you for sharing this! It is always refreshing when we can be transparent about our struggles with plants. My collection overall is doing fine but I lost several plants last week due to neglect and it felt like both a setback and a motivator. Plants are beautiful because they can almost always bounce back, and humans are even more capable of such. Keep your head up girly!
Hey Fern, you have a large collection so your decision is definitely understood. I lost two Alocasia Jacklynn's. You have had and incredible year , and you have earned Plant mama extended R&R. from SM or Thrips Best Wishes
You're collection is beautiful. I am also feeling neglectful of my own collection. The mealy bugs have gone nuts and I'm having to trash some plants that have been treated multiple times but continue to decline.
I love ❤ that hair color on you 👌
Oh Fern I’m so sorry you had to cut up your huge plant. And I’m sorry you’re feeling so down about your collection.
You’re not alone ❤️ I have 3 kids. One being a 3 year old and he doesn’t let me do much of anything. I try to let him help and he does great for 5-10 min and then it’s HULK time. My collection has gone so down. I’m not at all happy with mine either.
Your my #1 fave planttuber and I’m a Patreon. I love that you show your real life and not fake. It’s hard not to compare to others on the internet. I know. But forgive yourself for any neglect that has come along the way. Life gets busy. Our minds get overwhelmed. It will be ok. ❤️ love you Fern!
It’s tough loosing plants you’ve invested so much time in to. I’m in the same boat as you at the moment. Thrips are the worst!! I have literally had to spray every 4/5 days very strictly in order to see any improvement. Probably tossed like 30 plants this year because of those jerks too. 😢 Don’t worry though! Your collection is beautiful and always something I’m striving to achieve. Keep your head up!!!
Oh no so sad :'( I hope it's going to recover to become even more beautiful!
Your plant collection is amazing! You are my favorite plant-fluencer (and TH-camr in general) and I really love your collection. No collection is perfect, everybody is struggling with pests every now and then and plants die, unfortunately, but that's just the way it is. I think most accounts simply don't show that. It's still social media where everything can be edited to look perfect...
As to winter depression: I've been feeling the same lately :( let's all cuddle up together with our cozy tea and books and make the best of it we can! Hope you're going to feel better soon
I'm sorry, Fern. Your collection is awesome anyway.
I discovered thrips on my fuzzy petiole ladt week, a treatment didn't work, and tomorrow I'm going away for a week for work. So instead of risking the thrips going to other plants, I binned it altogether, pot, soil, pole, ties, everything. And I did a frantic spray of the rest of the room, hoping the thrips don't spread while I'm away. Keep your fingers crossed 😢😢😢
Queen...thank you for the inspiration to finally deal with my own thrip plants. I had to cut up my Magnificum, Splendid, and 3 kings syngonium. I am probably going to cut up my Campo too. I also cut up my Melanochrysum for good measure since it was in close proximity to those other ones. I tried beneficial mites and released like 400 lady bugs in my house but I still have those dang thrips hanging around. But at the end of the day, I still have my plants (even if they are just wet sticks) so like you said, there is joy in getting to watch them come back from nothing. I totally get being burnt out on plant chores especially when you see your hard work get destroyed by pests so you shouldn't feel down on yourself for feeling down. Its healthy to feel the feelings, we just can't stay in that head space forever. You are amazing and I am so thankful that you are always here keeping it real because it helps me to stay grounded in reality in my plant parenthood. ILY!
As how I see it, you’ve always done the best you can for your plants. The thing is life happens and it varies how the “best” plant care you can do looks like. You deserve more credit ❤ I agree with some other comments I’ve seen: your collection to me looks gorgeous and real and, you know, goals.
I’ve also had a hard relationship with my plants lately: they have overgrown they’re spaces, they’ve been home for spider mites, scale and what looked like a thrip… it’s been overwhelming. My plan is starting a new planty project to motivate me. IKEA just opened a store in Bogota and it is my time to set up my own greenhouse cabinet! I’m super excited about that, and your videos have been super helpful 🙌🏻
Sending you much love and good energy for your days to be better and for your guapo to grow back big and beautiful ✨
I've only been in the hobby for a year, so I delt with pests for the first time recently. My brand new little verrucosum got spider mites a few weeks ago, but I managed to clear them up and she's fine. But a few days ago, I found a SINGLE mealy bug in my milsbo. I searched high and low for a few days and couldn't find a single other mealybug. But there can't possibly be just ONE? I think of you as a plant wizard, so it's very comforting that even you deal with the annoying parts of plant care too. Your collection is gorgeous and you should feel so proud of it and the career you've made sharing your passion for them :)
I'm so sorry about your philodendron. Thrips are nasty and can do a lot of damage. But if anyone can bring a plant back from being cut back it's you. Watching your videos has actually helped me a lot, I'm new to having/collecting houseplants. I have to say you have a amazing plant collection. One of my 1st plants I got (it was free, about to go into compost cause it was in bad shape, a plant rescue) was a alocasia polly. Well so far it's still alive (I've had it little over 2 month), I've also had to divide it (which was really hard to do), and I've found 3 corms (all growing now). But anyways thank you for all the great videos and for sharing your amazing plant collection.