Loving plants is something that wasn’t really an option when I was growing up. My mom loved plants, my dad loved plants, my sted-dad is a landscaper, and my step-mom also loved plants. My grandma and great-grandma loved plants and landscaping. I didn’t have a choice. Now that I have my own home, I get to have my own plants to care for. I SUCK at caring for a garden, so if you’re looking for gardening tips, just go back to pinterest, you won’t find that here, friend. But potted plants? I gotchu.
(All the way at the end, I have some great recipes cards that you can save and print off – or just pin to Pinterest.)
I have a very specific and strict routine with plant care. It involves tons of steps (this is sarcasm). If you want to know those steps, keep reading. It goes like this: water with food when you remember, pull off dead stuff when you water, turn on citronella oil when you see gnats. That’s it. That’s all the steps. If that’s too complicated, maybe you should come to one of my upcoming succulent classes: one with live succulents so you can learn from a real pro (actually having a horticulturalist teach that one, haha!) or a DIY felt succulent planter class if you have a black thumb. I must have some sort of green thumb because I have kept the same Christmas cactus alive for over 17 years, and just within the last year did I start giving it plant food and add new dirt. Soooooo, basically I’m an expert, umm-k?! K.
To be a little more specific, here is the food I use. I buy mine from a local friend and horticulturalist, Sara Cooper with The Jungle Dungeon. I love this food, and my plants do as well. Here is the diffuser and citronella oil I diffuse for the blasted fungus gnats. Please note, I am not diffusing the citronella oil you can buy at Walmart and burn in your backyard for mosquitos or whatever. This is actual citronella essential oil, and it’s safe for plants and pets. I will also add a drop or two to the dirt of some potted plants if an infestation occurs. Fungus gnats are the fucking worst and this is the only thing I have found that works, and it’s cheap and easy and it smells yummy.
Almost all of my plants are in a West facing window, and our backyard has large trees that block a lot of direct sunlight. My best advice on this is just put your plants near windows so they can get some daylight. They don’t like the dark. My plants that are outside in pots love our back porch, which is also West facing, and our front porch which gets a lot of morning light as it faces East. My two pain in the ass black cats like to dig up my plants as well, but this year as they are a little older, they didn’t do that as much and we enjoyed these pots all summer! Juniper is here looking very handsome.
From time to time I will also spritz my plants with a lavender and peppermint blend; certain pests don’t like these oils, and it’s helpful to the plants! I will also use my Thieves household cleaner spray on my plants as well. Thieves household cleaner and plants have a lot of history and many of my friends who have plants, also use this on theirs as well! Thieves has clove, cinnamon, eucalyptus, lemon and rosemary.
Here are some helpful recipes for sprays that you can use on indoor plants, outdoor plants, a pollinator attractor and a helpful list of oils and what they help with.
Happy Indoor Plants:
20 drops Thieves essential oil
20 drops Citrus Fresh essential oil
1 tsp Castile soap
16oz glass spray bottle – add oils and soap and fill with water.
Spray on soil and leaves every 5-7 days.
Pollinator Attractor Spray:
20 drops Lavender essential oil
15 drops Lemongrass essential oil
16oz glass spray bottle – add oils and fill with water. Shake before each use.
Spray on flowers in the morning.
Garden Flower Spray: for aphids and beetles
20 drops Cedarwood essential oil
15 drops Peppermint essential oil
3 drops Thieves dish soap
16oz glass spray bottle – add oils and soap and fill with water.
Spray on flowers and leaves in the morning.
Outdoor Plant Pest Spray:
10 drops Peppermint essential oil
10 drops Rosemary essential oil
10 drops Citronella essential oil
10 drops Lemongrass essential oil
1 tsp Castile soap
16oz glass spray bottle – add oils and soap and fill with water.
Spray on leaves, stems and soil around plant, but avoid roots. Use every 5-7 days.
Best oils for garden pests:
-Peppermint (or spearmint) – repels aphids, ants, spiders, beetles
-Rosemary – flies, mosquitoes, moths, ticks
-Tea Tree – ticks, mosquitoes, ants
-Cinnamon – cockroaches, dust mites, silverfish
-Clove – wasps, aphids, cockroaches, ants
-Lemongrass – ants, gnats, mosquitoes, ticks, fleas
-Lavender – fleas, mosquitoes, flies, spiders
-Citronella – spiders, mosquitoes, gnats, fleas
For ease, I made a link to purchase these oils or products listed. You can edit this cart to get just what you need, or get it all! If you spend over 100pv you will receive free shipping, and a 24% wholesale discount.
Young Living has the absolute best insect repellant. If you do any gardening outside, you know how necessary this is to have! It is available in a bottle or wipe form. This is something that goes out of stock frequently in the Summer months when people are reaching for this more often, so grab it while you can and have it when you need it! It goes on clean, not greasy after a few minutes, absorbs well, smells incredible and WORKS. All without harmful chemicals.
If you would like to print out some recipes cards with the above recipes on them, here are those for you for free ❤ You can also save this on Pinterest if that’s something you do.
meagan meier 