Plant mom finds beauty in the midst of tragedy
Published:Saturday | July 29, 2023 | 12:05 AMKrysta Anderson/Staff Reporter
Despite being surrounded by plants for much of her everyday life, Yanique Quest never saw herself becoming a plant parent. It wasn’t until she received an orchid to console her for the passing of her grandmother in 2021 that she developed her maternal skills for greenery.
“When my friend gave me the orchid, all I could think about was keeping it alive. My grandmother loved orchids and somehow, I wanted to keep it alive for her,” she told Saturday Living.
A young Quest grew up seeing grandmother planting just about everything. She recalled seeing her take great pride and pleasure in nurturing and witnessing the lush growth of her plants. But watering plants or raking the leaves were considered stressful chores in her eyes. After tragedy struck an unimaginable blow, she found comfort in an unexpected gift and that timely reminder of her loved one shifted her perspective towards nature.
Becoming a new plant mom didn’t mean that she gained a natural green thumb. But she will admit to seeing improvement in her nurturing skills over time. “I have gotten better over time in how I care for my babies and I’ve taken the time to research each plant, so I know what taking care of it requires,” she said.
With the recent heat presenting an even greater growth challenge, Quest has been asking her plant source more questions than usual these days. Following the advice, she has adjusted the plant nutrition, as well as watering time and frequency.
“I started this journey almost two years ago. During that time, I have had to stop and change gear many times,” she confessed.
Her rookie mistake, interestingly enough, was starting her plant parenting with too many plant babies all at once. Initially, she bought 10 different plants and found caring for them so overwhelming. “I took it for granted that all I needed to do was water them and they would thrive. This was not the case, and many died in my rookie days,” she said.
It was only through minimising the number of plants and the type of plants she had, with guidance, that she was able to find her footing with nature.
“I finally got settled when I found my plant lady, Flower Pots By Nicky on Instagram. She offers great guidance and checks on your plants like an aunty. She showed me what I needed to do, what I was doing wrong and what belonged where. After that, it was smooth sailing,” she highlighted.
Her favourite plant babies are the zamioculcas zamiifolia, also known as ZZ; chlorophytum comosum or spider plants; and paddle plant or kalanchoe thyrsiflora. “They are great to have if you are a busy bee like me because they require less attention,” she shared.
Others starring the plant show include the dendrobium and vanda orchids, pink dalmation aglaonema, green aglaonema, monstera, peperomia, agave and a rose bush,”Every plant is different and requires its own individual care yet that all have the ability to make a house, a home.”
She continued, “These plants have been like therapy for me. I have my clearest thoughts/ideas while tending to them or simply sitting among them. Honestly, the best part of my day is when I drive up in the evenings and see them,” the proud parent stated.
Before entering her house, she engages in light-hearted chatter, checking the soil, or looking to see if anything has bloomed. “I am not afraid to say that they are good listeners,” said Quest.
Plants not only add comfort and beauty to their surroundings, the indoor plants, she says, bring a calmness to the room, joy to home and helps her to find her centre.
Additionally, their active presence increases air quality while presenting aesthetic pleasure. She can attest to the biggest benefit of raising plants in the home: relieving stress and anxiety. “I love watching them thrive and bloom... . It is the most relaxing activity after a hectic day. What I enjoy the most about the plant process is learning about new plants and what they have to offer,” she added.
Quest’s tips for new plant parents
- Start with one plant first and work your way up from there.
- Don’t over water and don’t underwater. Knowing the correct amount of water that your plants need can be tricky to understand and will take some time. But be patient; you will get it.
- Don’t mist your leaves. This is especially important for those plants on the outside as it may lead to sunburnt leaves, and you don’t want that.
- Get a watering can. It makes it easier to water your roots directly and you need that.
- Re-pot your plants when needed. Some plants require this the more they grow.
- Cut your dead leaves. I didn’t like this process in the beginning but it’s truly necessary. It’s similar to your hair when it has split ends. If you fail to cut those off, your hair fails to grow.