in memoriam of the plants who died under my care

When I was a child I believed that evergreen trees could not die, that they lived forever being green.
Sunlight was sparse in my childhood bedroom due to the large leafy evergreens that lined the driveway
parallel to my bedroom window. On days when afternoon sun peeked through the leaves, I would trace
the outline of the shadows that stretched from the branches into my room and across my bed sheets as
they swayed in the breeze. This was a place where we only had to look after the plants growing outside
the home.

the illusion of growth within constraints how to repot a plant:
Begin the tedious task of removing the plant from its current outgrown pot and untangling the
root system, even if the roots want to remain firm in their form.

Here it becomes apparent that the plant was blindly setting roots in deceptive conditions, maintaining the
illusion of growth while being held in restraints, growing only into the predetermined space.
Unfortunately for the domestic house plant, it can only exist indoors while being contained.

The qualities to look for in a new pot are to be a) slightly bigger and b) have drainage holes.
Plants can have a false sense of growth while living in restriction, as the lifestyle of settling in a pot
dictates the manner in which it sprouts - the only way to grow is upwards or concave in on itself.
Add new soil to the bottom of the plant and insert new plant.

Proximity theory speaks to forming connections to anything in close vicinity, usually applied to mammals
finding a partner. The illusion of choice lies within the connections being made that are dictated by place,
rather than free will. Tricked into thinking that the growth is outwards when really it is growing inwards,
putting roots down in a place once there long enough.

Fill the rest of the pot with soil. Water the plant.

growth as decay how to care for indoor plants:
It is important to regularly prune a domestic plant, shedding it of dead branches or leaves.
The last stage of a growth cycle is death; but killing the plants that you once promised to grow still hurts
the ego. Having a green thumb is a lovely idea but it is hard to live with the antithesis.
Select an area of the house that has adequate sunlight for the plant’s needs, but don’t move the
plant around too much as it likes a stable environment.

There is a certain irony in gifting a plant to someone who is grieving or despondent. Sometimes they are
left lying in bed watching a dead plant sitting on the windowsill (with the dead plant staring back) not
taking care of the plant or yourself, like a form of post-mortem portraiture.

Regulating the humidity is important for maintaining a happy plant.

Some plants can be considered invasive in their natural habitat while being sold in a plant shop - it seems
that we are happy to have them until they become an issue. I wonder about the fake plants in office
buildings, where having plastic leaves seems like a logical substitute. A synthesised version of plant and
earth, without any of the benefits - but at least it will not decompose itself in the lobby in front of clients.
Make sure the plant is fertilised and is provided with consistent water to meet its needs.

My mother called a couple of weeks ago to inform me that one of the evergreen trees had fallen onto the
driveway. She discovered that the tree was rotting from the inside out, beginning at the roots and creeping
up the trunk. When it was time to clear the remains away there was no stump to remove due to the
decomposition. I never thought that we had to do anything to take care of it as evergreens were meant to
live forever.