Tending to Plants and Mind

Hamline students reflect on how they take care of their plants and themselves.

interviews by Ally Gall

Owning and taking care of plants has become widely popular, especially among Hamline college students. I jumped in on it last semester and loved it.

I bought a medium-sized succulent from the St. Paul Farmer’s Market. I loved having a living, breathing plant in my room. It forced me to open my blinds more and allow sunlight into my room, which made me want to have a cleaner living space. Having a clean, sunlit room immediately boosted my mental health.

Unfortunately, some time between December and January, my succulent died. But the routine of opening my blinds and having a clean room stuck with me, and continued to positively affect me.

Tending to a plant led me to take care of myself in a better way, which is the case for other Hamline students as well! Juniors Ella Smith, Carmen Danz and Molly Landaeta, and senior Gwen Fairlie shared their experiences with owning and tending to plants in their living spaces.

What kind of plants do you have?

Ella: I have almost all succulents. I also have a potted flower arrangement with tulips and daffodils. and another unidentified succulent), a Chinese money plant, a small rubber tree, an aloe plant, a snake plant.

Gwen: I have mostly succulents and one fernlike plant. I have a medium bowl of succulents, a medium succulent, and three small/tiny succulents.

Carmen: I have an aloe vera, elephant ear, ponytail plant, and cacti.

Where do you have them in your living space?

Ella: I keep most of my plants near the biggest window in my dorm room. The plants that don’t require sun, I keep in the corners of my room.

Molly: I have the plants scattered throughout my room. The pothos are everywhere, with two on my dresser, one hanging, and another on a shelf on my wall since they are good at tolerating any amount of light. Most of my plants are on the top of my desk because it is right by an east-facing window. Also, it helps encourage me when I am doing homework.

Gwen: All of my plants are in my window sills in my room so that they can get sun

Carmen: I have them in my room, mostly on my desk.

When did you first buy them?

Ella: Three of my succulents I have had for two years now. They are the sturdiest plants I’ve ever had. The others I bought over this past summer and they have all held up relatively well.

Molly: I started buying plants last year, and after killing a few, I finally got it right with my rubber tree plant. This gave me the courage to start again with buying more and more plants. The pothos I have are all propogated babies from my mother’s pothos that she has had for many years. Some of my plants were gifted; otherwise last semester, whenever I was in need of a change (and didn’t want to dye my hair again), I would buy a new plant.

Gwen: I bought the medium succulents when I first moved into my dorm first year! I bought the tiny ones from Trader Joe’s this year because I thought they were cute. The fern was a gift from my friend that I went and picked out with her in June.

Carmen: I bought most of them in December, but my elephant ear was from last year.

Why did you get your plants?

Ella: I got my plants because I love taking care of plants. They also bring so much life to my room and are pleasant to look at everyday.

Molly: I initially started buying plants because I have always loved nature, and wanted to incorporate it into my room. It ended up becoming a hobby that brought me a ton of joy, and something people love to hear about and come see. Another big thing is that I love giving love, and caring for a plant and watching it thrive gives me so much joy. I love life and helping life thrive in my space.

Gwen: Plants make me happy. I like taking care of something that adds a little life to my living space. Succulents are also fairly easy to take care of, so they’re a good match for a busy college student like me.

Carmen: I got my most recent ones from Menards, but I got my elephant ear from a leaf from my grandma’s elephant ear.

How do you take care of your plants?

Ella: My plants don’t require much attention. The only thing I do to maintain them is water them once a week.

Molly: I usually take care of my plants in a very relaxed way. If their soil looks dry, I feel it, and based on what kind of plant it is, I determine if it is time for it to be watered. Every two weeks or so I will do a “big water” where I will water all of my plants, taking most of them to the sink or bathtub so they can be thoroughly watered and drained. I will trim dead leaves, check on my plants that are propagating, and add soil to pots that look like they could use some more.

Gwen: I take care of my plants by watering them and rearranging them to face the sun. Sometimes, about once a year, I’ll repot them if they grow too big for their pot. If the succulents get too tall or have a dead section, I’ll trim them.

Carmen: I water them at least once a week. Sometimes I talk to them too. I clean dust off of them if they have any and I prune them to make sure they don’t have any dead leaves.

What advice do you have for keeping plants alive?

Ella: Some advice I would give is to not buy plants that need a lot of sun if you don’t have the space for them. I have lost many plants because I overestimated how much sun my windows provided.

Molly: My advice is to listen to the plant. It is always best to respond to how it is behaving. With soil, as soon as it looks dry, stick your finger into the soil about two inches. For plants that like moisture, if you feel a little bit of moisture, it’s a good time to water it. For plants that are tropical and like dry soil, wait until you stick your finger two inches in and it is basically bone dry. Most plants can tolerate low water over too much water, so always try to water less. Overwatering was my biggest struggle when I first became a plant parent. If the leaves are browning or yellow, it is probably just natural. If a lot start to turn brown or yellow, try watering less. Any plant that is good in “low light” can perform fine in low light, but prefers more light, as most plants do. Bright, indirect light or medium direct light is suitable for most plants. Most problems can be fixed by adjusting water and light. Also, Google is a great place to look up concerns about your plants. There’s infinite information out there to help!

Gwen: Always do research on your plants! Each type of plant requires a unique amount of water and sunlight to stay happy. As for watering, space your watering out for succulents by 1-3 weeks, but when you do water, water them heavily. That’s worked for me!

Carmen: Learn what plants you have! It’s not just getting sunshine and water because some plants require more sun or water than others.

How does taking care of your plants relate to your self-care and self-love?

Ella: Taking care of my plants keeps me healthy because it is therapeutic. Taking care of plants is also taking care of yourself. Molly: Plant care is self-care, 100%. Taking time out of my day to give love and attention to something that asks for so little is amazing. Opening my blinds in the morning so my plants get their fill of sunshine makes waking up that much easier, and I can tell how happy it makes the plants every single day. The plants reward me by growing and making me happy. The act of watering, trimming, repotting, whatever, brings me closer to nature, even in the middle of winter, which instantly improves my mood. Nurturing is something that brings me peace, and plants allow that for me.

Gwen: For me, taking care of my plants reflects my own journey and growth. I’ve had some of my succulents since first year (I’m a senior now), so even though they’ve had rough spots, they haven’t died yet! When I need to remember to take care of myself, I remind myself to water my plants. And vice versa. They’re very meaningful to me.

Carmen: It makes me feel like I have something that depends on me, so I want to be my best for them. It also makes me feel like I have at least part of my life together because I have to keep my space around my plants clean.

Is there anything else you want to include about your plant care-taking?

Ella: I can’t emphasize enough how wonderful having a few plants is and how much it can really make a space more enjoyable to be in.

Carmen: I want so many plants, but it’s important to know your limits. It wouldn’t be good for me or my plants if I have too many to take care of.