Pandemic Plants Are A Thing

Here’s my confession: I’m a terrible plant mom. The phrase “green thumb” will never be used in a sentence with my name. I forget to water my houseplants for weeks at a time. I’ve gotten splinters that need to be removed by doctors from pulling off the dry, dead leaves of neglected houseplants. I’ve let more orchids die than I’d like to admit—although, in my defense, I did really try to keep those flowers alive.

But during these long days of quarantine, when my world has shrunk to the size of my house, two kids, and dog, my houseplants are getting a sudden burst of attention. In the last two months, I’ve moved my houseplants around to find sunnier spots by the window, trimmed the brown ends, and watered them, almost religiously.