I am so glad you and Harli G did a video like this because its real life! I have been "planning to repot" since the beginning of summer...and have been looking at all my supplies collecting dust in my corner...
Aw I’m so glad to hear that, I was worried when I noticed she had done a similar video. But yeah I think this is something we’re all feeling right now!!
I know exactly what you mean! I spent weeks on a home renovation project due to water damage in my floor and my plants suffered from my shift in focus. At one point, I had spider mites in every other plant and I didn't even know until I held a flashlight to them. I then finished the renovation and it took some time to get back into the swing of things (caring for my plants, posting content, etc.) and like you, it got to the point where I thought it felt like a job. I would put off plant chores because I thought they would make for good content, but then I was never in the mood to film, so the chores would never get done and I would feel disappointed in myself that I would just let my plants suffer... until I sat down and finally got my hands on my plants again. Thank you for sharing!
Love this video because it's just about plants but about anything. It's why I have my "Poser Homestead" not a real one. My March garden is obsession. My July garden? Where's Waldo to find a tomato. ADHD is a superpower, btw. Might seem negative, "lacking focus," burning through things... but really it can allow you to do those deep dives, connect the dots across disciplines and discover amazing interests. "Ebbs and flows" is a great balance, because anything should bring you joy. Once I learned to give myself permission to burn through interests/learnings (and a few I realize I need discipline to do every day but after the "all in" period I give them balance) I could start to see I was discovering a ton of things and the learning/doing was the part that gave me joy. When I downsize on something, I always look for someone rising in that interest--a college kid getting into fish, plants to share, language books, whatever... So, it's fun on both ends:). Great channel!!
i literally cannot thank you enough for making this video and for the algorithm for putting it on my recommended videos. i started in late 2018, hit the gotta catch ‘‘em all part this winter once i had my own money and hit the plateau when i moved back to college..i’ve had spider mites eating my plants alive for months and i just can’t bring myself to deal with it. i finally had a day a few weeks ago where i took really good care of a few of them and washed them and treated them and i could tell an instant difference in how they looked happier. it’s such a struggle i’ve never heard anyone talk about before
Plants are the only hobby I have been able to consistently be interested in for the YEARS, but lately I just really don't feel like dealing with them. I have my staple house plants for decoration (a ton of beautiful hanging and trailing pothos), and a bunch of common plants, but my lovelier plants like my monstera albos and rarer orchids I really have fallen out of love with and just wanna sell them and buy something that doesn't require maintenance AND REPOTTING (THE BAIN OF MY EXISTENCE), like a smart watch or new computer, or something like that. I don't know what to do, and don't know if I will feel regret if I sell the more high maintenance plants, but especially with winter coming, the lack of physical growth on the plants as well as the inevitable repotting in the spring, has me really just not like the hobby. ( just got your comment about your ADHD, which I also have lol) I have been so proud of myself for keeping with the plant thing because I've concerned that I would never be find hobbies I can continue doing for a long time without getting bored (candle making, paint by numbers, crafts and such), and I do get satisfaction out of my plants, but I think I am at a point where I need to sell a few of my nicer ones that don't give me joy anymore, and do something good with the money.
We watch because your there. Not just the plants. You need to do what makes you happy and live your life how you need to. It should be a passion not an obligation or at least calm you down when you've got too much on your mind. You don't owe us anything, a video a smile, anything. Gardening and keeping plants does change over the years but mostly its appreciating what you have nurturing what you have not the buying the plant. And sometimes they go through bad and crap phases like we do. When I started with plants and my mental health declined i couldn't take care of my plants and a lot died and it made me feel and I didn't get plants for a long time but last year i started growing a lot of things for the garden like veggies and started gradually getting into plants again. It's a process to get back into it. Trying a different approach to plants and gardening as a whole. I'm enjoying different kind of house plants but i don't feel I want to buy more plants
Thank you so much for this video. I think many of us have felt this way at some point in our houseplant journey, but we try to deny it because our plants are supposed to make us happy, not anxious and overwhelmed.
yep. i'm coming out on the other side of this right now. i realized that reducing the stress in other areas of my life helped to renew my interest in plants! i also started working at a plant shop, so it's helping me to be more particular about what i actually want to have in my care vs. which ones are just nice to look at once in a while :)
(Quick note that my experience is more so poor mental health than plant burn out but I think the effects are similar? If not my apologies!) My plants used to take up half of my floor space in my very small bedroom. I couldn't get to my dresser and closet without tip toeing around plants and soon I couldn't get to my bed without having to move plants around. Every morning, my bed and the floor around it would get covered in plants so I could get to my desk and by night, my desk, my chair and the floor around them would get covered so I could sleep. For months I was moving plants a few times a day just so I could be in my own space. And I won't lie, a lot of them got neglected because I simply couldn't get to them without moving plants. I needed to have every plant to feed my obsession and of course, it bit me in the ass. Eventually my mental health got so bad that I wasn't even tempted to buy plants anymore. I didn't buy any plants online for 7 months when before I would spend most, if not all, of my paycheck on as many plants as I could get. Then warm weather hit and I put 70+ plants outside. Splitting up my collection helped far more than I would have ever imagined. I was doing so much better on plant care and I didn't see sad plants every time I looked around my room, which in turn would make me sad. I bought 3 more shelves, a grow tent and 5 new sets of grow lights for my room. Over the summer I cut down my collection by about a fifth which may not seem like much but it was almost 100 plants. By giving away the ones I didn't care for anymore, potting many of the multiples up together and trashing the ones that were far too rough that I didn't have the energy to rehab I really cleared my head and got rid of 90% of my stress. I have to bring in nearly 200 plants, but being able to declutter my living space helped me massively. Everything made me so much happier to the point that last month I bought 58 plants, including my first rare ones! I have enough space now, better growing conditions, a designated quarantine area and even a couple mother plants to work on. I'm finally focused on propagating and selling, which I was planning on starting last year. It took me a while but I'm happy and my plants are happy too. Only one out of my 450+ plants are struggling, and it's the only one I don't like. If it lives until the spring, it'll get planted in the yard. If not, it'll be trash and I won't feel bad about it. Sorry for the very long comment, just know that you aren't alone and your happiness is more important than anything else. Do what you have to to live your best life. We'll all be here cheering you on. 💛
I really rejected the notion of “catching them all” early on, and I’m glad I did. I also have ADD and I know how fixation works. I have so many hobbies but I realized that this was something that could easily spiral out of control. I think of the money to keep me in check as well. But the number one thing that has helped me stay mindful is remembering why I wanted a plant collection at all. And it wasn’t to have a green indoor jungle- it was to have a really interesting “oddities” wall of things that were special to me, odd plants that really captivate me. And that’s what I try to remember when I see something I want. I also look at it from A design perspective as ask “do I have a plant that has similar features? Do I have the right lighting for where I want it to go?” Etc.it’s not a perfect system and neither am I but I think it has helped me nothing down the overwhelming “250 plants in my collection!” Thing. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Purge what you need to get your head in a good space. Good luck 🙂
@Lèmon Lēe yeah I totally get that. while I have fallen for some “rare” plants, I’ve really not gotten into the whole variegation thing. And I am thankful I didn’t lmao. Truthfully, I don’t care if a plant qualifies as rare, I usually fall in love with it’s look first then find out it’s insanely priced. And I r sworn off paying over $100 for any plant.
I am the same. I hope from one obsession (crafting,painting, plants, coloring) to the other. I literally hyper focus on just one hobby for months then hop to the other. It's totally an ADHD symptom. Falling in and out of love with diff hobbies. I also get very easily distracted doing one task then flipping to another in the middle of the first task. Then becoming hyper focused on the task that distracted me. I hate it! I'm also always running late,putting stuff off until the last possible second! ADHD is a bitxh! I am finally back in love with my plants and not doing any other hobbies. I feel I don't have time to do both. Drives me nuts. Hate this brain unbalance! I also got rid of the plants I don't love and just collect ones I truly love alot!! I only buy plants I really want and love! ITS OK! TO NOT WANT EVERY PLANT OUT THERE! :) And it's definitely normal to feel overwhelmed
God, I didn't know that it's apart of ADHD behavior! I absolutely hated going from one hobby to the other. From being obsessed from one thing and then completely not enjoying it later! How do you handle this?
I’m experiencing parts of this as well. I propagated a lot a while ago and got a lot of tiny plants, which made it look messy to me. So now I’m getting rid of (successful) propagations and it has brought a lot of peace to my mind, especially since I had a thrips outbreak. All the little foliage is hard to treat and a potential “source” of thrips. All the plants look nice, but you have to take care of everything and that’s not just watering, so you have to find a balance (I think). Thanks for sharing Tate🥰 Do what feels good for you, UA-cam shouldn’t be a priority in comparison to how you feel☺️
I feel like so many of us are experiencing this right now and it is so helpful to hear others' experiences as a reminder that we all feel this way sometimes and it's totally normal and okay! I also went HAM with plants initially, about 2 years ago, and just totally absorbed myself into the hobby. Joined dozens of plant groups, made lots of amazing plant friends, binge-watched plant-related content, and quickly filled my entire apartment with planty goodness. All of my free-time went towards my plants. If I wasn't buying new plants, I was repotting old ones or fawning over my plant wishlist. But life gets busy, things happen, and priorities change or shift. And suddenly, all of that free-time needed to be spent elsewhere, and the plants suffered. It made me feel like I was an awful plant parent and I started resenting myself and my "inability" to take care of things. But it wasn't that at all. I just had to reassess and get my collection down to a more manageable and realistic number. I didn't have the same amount of free-time anymore - and that's okay! It's all part of loving and keeping plants in our homes. We live and learn and continue to grow through the entire experience. Another big one for me was that I had to step away from social media for awhile. Facebook, Instagram, UA-cam... I followed SO many accounts during my obsession that it was all I would see when I would log on. Inevitably, I would see a gorgeous plant that someone shared and I'd wish I could have it. The constant comparison would give me this sense of "Look what I have!" and it just became too much. I also had to be realistic with myself about the amount of space (and lighting) that I had in my small 1BR apartment. I dream of having south facing windows (or windows at all, really). I had to come to terms with the fact that I didn't have the amount of lighting that my plants required and I needed to either buy more grow lights (which means $$$) or reduce my collection (which means sad, haha). That was a really hard one to face but I know that I won't always live in my current place and things will get better in the future. I also have ADHD so I completely relate to the hyper-focusing on hobbies (Before plants, it was bullet-journaling and buying stationery). It's not the same "OBSESSED" feeling as when I first started out and initially I thought that meant that I was falling out of love with them... but I think I was just growing. I still love them - I can't imagine my home without them - but I needed to allow myself to have enough time for other things, too. If anyone else is dealing with this and struggling, don't worry. You've got this.
I found your description of your plant experience to be well thought out and gently worded. You did a great job in describing what it is like to be human. Well done! 😊👌
Girl I’ve got that ADHD too!! Super INTO PLANTS FOR A WHILE!!! And I got a bit burnt out too. YOU making this video relates to SO MANY, I just know it !!! Thanks for being honest!! You’re Golden!!
i’m really happy you made a video talking ab this as someone who also has adhd it was nice to hear i wasn’t the only one worrying if plants were even a real interest. definitely helped to take a step back, slow down, and enjoy the plants i already have
This was lovely and vulnerable. I really appreciate you talking about this. I have gone through periods of burnout before and I can feel another bout of it coming back. It's strange that we attach an almost moral element to plant burnout because we are taking care of living things. We care about them, but we have to care for ourselves too. Thank you for extending grace to yourself and reminding us that it's okay to go through ebbs and flows.
I learned this with books. I dont have to keep every book.... Even if I dont read it. There are always going to be new books that I am more interested in. There are always going to be books at thrift stores I want to buy.... my love of books with be EVER changing. Its okay to get rid of books... even if they are pretty... even if people said it was good... even if its a classic... I dont have to own ALL the books. I dont have to keep every book I read. Move them out, and move new ones in. Libraries shouldn't and will never be stagnant. Books in 2023 are not the same as books in the 1800's... its OKAY. When I start running out of space on my shelves and I have no place to put new books it stresses me out... so instead of buying more shelves... I just get rid of books. 3 billy book shelves are enough...lol. I ALSO have ADHD and caught on to my hyper fixation issue.... I learned early on to CHILL or else I will get burnt out. I now never allow myself to dive fully in to anything at 150% because if I do, this will be the result. I need to be a slow and steady person to stay passionate.
This video was recommended to me today and I'm so glad I watched it. What a lovely honest person you seem to be. It's good to hear that other people go through the same thing, and I'm glad you came through the other side. Just going to go and subscribed to your channel and have myself a bit of a binge watch ❤
I'm in the same place. Not so much burnout, but lately I've been rethinking my relationship with plants and realizing that the plants I don't really like are just taking up my precious space and time. Plants should be here to bring us joy, not to add stress to our lives =)
I went through a phase last winter where I really started hating my collection and was too busy trying to keep up with what was trendy at the moment, and the work was getting overwhelming for plants I didn’t really like! Most of them I let die because I got to a point where it was relieving to have one less plant to take care of. This year I made it a point to only get plants that would do well for me, didn’t need me to hover over them, and I genuinely thought were interesting. Since then, most of my collection has shifted towards epiphytic and succulent plants. Now, I genuinely enjoy taking care of and spending time with my plants. It’s something I look forward to doing 🥲
OMG!! Yes!!! You do need to be in a productive mood but also a sociable mood to make a lot of plant content, I’ve never been able to put that into actual words! Glad you seem to be figuring out what works for you in this wonderful little hobby 🌱 lots of love ❤️
Amazing video tate! 💚🤗 you really are great at verbalizing emotions💚 everything you said makes complete sense..depression, guilt, obsession, hyperfocusing...it seems to always be a pattern with us adhd folks to get super addicted and hyperfocused to the extreme and then fall out of it and feel guilty💚 and it is totally normal for adhd...when I fell out of that plant "obsession" phase I turned plant care/content making into a calming tool and a refocusing tool..life is stressful so take a few minutes to calm down and care for a plant share it with others occasionally💚🤗 its a hobby so that is how it should be💚☺ 100% agree we can't go to level 1000 on the hobby love 24/7 some days it's only a level 2 hobby love or even -2 and that is totally ok👌💚 so many other amazing things out there..I feel like it's an older generation mentality to pick 1 thing and be obsessed forever. The world is so much bigger with so much more! I look forward to watching more awesome content about your journey☺👍
I completely relate! I've arrived to a place in my hobby where I've identified the species I'm actually in love with and have moved on from buying everything I don't own. I've learned to appreciate without owning.
So I haven't been officially diagnosed but I'm sure I have ADHD. I'm slowing down now, but for a solid six months I was OBSESSED with plants. I too have all encompassing obsessions and then get bored. I totally think this is an ADHD symptom
Yes!! Everytime I get burnt out I really look at my plants and their growth and I feel so happy that I can foster that growth and share it with others 😊
Thank you for your honesty. I have recently gone through a phase of being really stressed out by school since I have a lot of exams at the time. I really neglected my plants cause I fell into a bad mental phase and couldn’t do anything except go to school. So i did not water any of my plants for like 2 or 3 weeks. I felt horrible seeing them decline one after the other and experienced the same feelings that you described. My love for plans just became less and less prominent. Now I finally feel better and started watering and treating pests again and I am so happy to see that I am not alone with those thoughts and problems. I found it so encouraging to see how they started growing when I started caring again. Thank you so much for this video
Very honest and courageous of you. I watched your channel because of your vibrant energy and enthusiasm but also because you are so likeable. Keep making videos, plant or no plant content.
Hey! It is the first video I saw from you, but I just wanted ro say that It helped me a lot and soothed my own guilt of my plant burnout. I had the same journey like you, I got onto plants, first the uncommon ones, and then I found out about the rare ones, but it got to the point where it was a chore to me to take care of them all. I think I've collected about 150 plants and I also loved propagating and taking care of plants for my friends but When I had several depressive episodes at a time I realised how much it took a toll on me to water and care for so many, where for some I didn't feel the spark with them anymore. I bought plants where my only Motive was that I haven't had them or that it would be interesting or me, but it slowly accumulated into a bunch of babies that felt fore like a pressure of responsibility than like a hobby. I put all the plants that were too much for mein a box outside now, and the other half I will put them on Craigslist (since they are Cuttings ect.) and knowing that they will leave my apartment in the next time already feels freeing. Listening to you makes me feel relieved. The burnout is real and I'm happy that you are talking about it. Thank you!!
Aww thank you so much, I’m so glad to hear people relate to how I feel. It’s such an amazing but intense hobby, sometimes it helps to go back to basics and remind ourselves why we love it in the first place
thank you so much for sharing this. fellow recent ADHD diagnosee (and recent subscriber) here and i am so happy to hear someone else talk about this. have been working on coming out of a rut with plants as well. had to really trim my collection down and go back to being intentional with plant purchases. i LOVED the way you talked about the almost spiritual connection you had to reconnect with your plant. it's like any relationship - sometimes we need to reconnect and focus on nurturing the good parts
I’m an old lady, lol, & have gone thru many purges of collections that I once loved. Over time, I have added again to my collections or completely moved away from some (not only plants), my interests & passions have changed over the years. It’s perfectly ok to step back & take a break. Enjoy your life & be happy. Hugs!
Thank you for this video. After reading all the comments from your viewers I can see that the content was both appreciated and needed. You did a wonderful job describing your plant experience in a way that plant lovers or anyone else for that matter can relate to. Truly well done. One of your best videos! Take care. 👏🌿🥰💚
Thank you for this! I can very much relate. I was recently diagnosed with ADD and I've had some health issues and so I could not take care of my plants properly. I also got my first thrips infestation when I really had no energy to take care of it so my plants have really suffered. I also had to learn to go from a light "gotta catch them all" to a more "these are the types of plants I really like and I'm going to focus on". If I find myself having fallen out of love with a plant permanently I just pass it on.
I was able to relate to so much of what you said. I tend to find a hobby, get obsessed and need to have all of the “things” that go with it and end up spending hundreds of dollars (maybe even more), and then fall out of love with it. I have a craft room filled with so many different types of crafts and I have nail art things, a variety of nail polishes from regular polish, to gel polish and I stopped doing nails a little before the pandemic, but when Covid started, it gave me the perfect excuse to completely stop. Then, I got into jewelry making and I bought so many beads, wire, leather and more… Now, mind you, I became disabled 6 1/2 years ago and am home all day so all of these “hobbies” gave me something to do. Thankfully, my husband and family understand that, but I look around at everything I have, and I feel horrible about how much money I’ve wasted and then feel overwhelmed by how much stuff I have! I said that I was done buying plants and then I found a Mermaid Tail cactus for 1/4 of the price they usually are, and that’s been my wishlist plant for so long, that I had to buy it! I don’t even know where I’m going to put it because I don’t have any more room!! But, it’s a living thing that will rely on me to care for it, so I have to do my best for it. That’s what keeps me going with my plants. My craft room is a mess, and I know I need to clean it up and organize it, but I can leave it for weeks and nothing will happen. But with my plants, they need me to care for them, water them, check them for pests, because, if I don’t, they will die…. I’m not ready to get rid of any of my plants just yet, but I have taken cuttings to give to people and just need to meet up with them so I can give them their plants that I potted up and have on my windowsill because I thought I’d have seen them sooner… anyway… Thank you for sharing! It means a lot that you shared this and thank you for letting me express myself! 💜💚🪴
I changed most of my plants to semi-hydro (leca or pon depending on the type of plant) helped so much. I only think about my plants once a week. I fertilize every other week. It has been a huge relief. I never have to worry about over or under watering my plants which used to really stress me out.
Same, now I'm more confident that if I'm out of town my friends won't kill them either. And in general I feel so much better now that I can just walk around and enjoy the new growth and freak out a lot less. I've reduced all my experiment to just plants I genuinely love and feel like I shifted from overwhelmed back to the original point of enjoying them for what they are.
@@TatesPlants Mine are all in pon (I find it's better for me and I have higher success rates than leca). Some are in self-watering and some just in regular pots with drainage holes. I've found that pon encourages them to grow super robust new roots and they can go a lot longer without showing any signs of thirst. I think the thicker roots store more water. So I only refill the reservoirs for the ones in self-watering once a month (I pay my bills and then tend to those plants - some can go even longer. Most of those pots are diy self-watering) and the others only need water once in *10 days... like in peak summer in an apartment with only south-facing windows! It's really been a game changer for me.
I would love videos about plant care, watching you deal with mealy bugs or re potting or changes in care for winter. I would watch whatever. If you go to store and see cool stuff and just film that and not buy anything! I’m not picky. 😊
I remember when I started getting into plants I was really on that stage of ‘catch them all’ you said. I was planning to buy plants I didn’t even like (boring leaf patters, ugly color combinations). Now I do have some desired plants thanks to planttubers, plants that are expensive or difficult to find in my area, but I don’t have that stress of looking for it everywhere I go like ‘if I don’t have this plant I’ll probably be dead within the next week’ haha. For me plant care is not a job, but some quality time I spend with living things that don’t yell or argue. Plant time is chillin’ time (usually!).
I’ve had a few plants for years, then they got so popular and plant channels on you tube made me want more. Now I have burn out, I’ve sold quite a few, gave some away and threw out the bad ones. Just keeping the ones that I really like and that are also easy, I feel really good about this decision .
You are young and you're life is expanding in all kinds of directions, as it should. Live by 'does it spark joy for me' and keep it simple. If you're not happy, figure out why and fix it. Life is too short to be feeling miserable and it's easy to get stuck in a rut. Do what feels right for you.
This is all really important for people to say and hear. And I think another important thing for all of us to think about is whether we're hooked on the rush of buying plants or whether we enjoy the relaxation of taking care of them. Because doing both leads to burnout - fast. I think being stuck at home during covid made people crave the rush of buying things in general. Whereas taking care of plants is something that a lot of people - many of them exhausted in other areas in their life - like to do to unwind. I've been doing the latter for like 15 years and only got into the rush of constant purchasing when I wasn't getting any excitement from anywhere else in life while quarantining. But that's when I realized my old plants were suffering and I was somehow doing something other than what I started out doing and that needed to stop and I somehow needed to consolidate and merge the latter into the former and find the joy again.
@Greenhousegirl94 recommends throwing out plants that have pests unless they’re rare or have sentimental value. I mention her because she has been a plant lover for years and works in the industry. To me throwing out plants is a way of saving the others without overburdening myself with chores that may never succeed. I have had plant burnout too but like you said it ebbs and flows. I agree if I end up getting rid of most of them I’m Ok with that. I’ve learned so much and I imagine from time to time I would build up a collection again. I’ve loved plants my whole life before I started a collection last year. I can enjoy plants with or with out owning them.
Great video! Sorry you have had so much stress lately. I'm glad you got to spend quality time with your plants. Mine are what ground me. I wake up everyday and spend atleast an hour with them, so far I have not experienced burn out, fingers crossed.
Hi. I understand what you are talking about. I will be rehoming some of my propagations in a couple of weeks. I have a few to many plants right now. But I do still enjoy them. I am needing to cut back on a few of the ones that I’m struggling with and get them a new home before they are to far gone. Thank you for this and your other video’s.
I pretty much have a system in place in which every 6 months I take inventory of all my plants and if there is anything that doesn't really do it for me anymore, I get rid of them. Some plants I don't think I'll ever get rid of, and others lose their shine very quickly.
I like plants and started watching because of an interest in plants but stay cause I like your personality. I like content creator's who are real, complex, balanced, quirky more then being totally obsessed with one thing. Talk about anything on your mind or anything your honestly into and the people will follow 🥰
You know I have ADHD and I know that high obsessed passionate feeling you are talking about and I've noticed a lot of other people with plant channels also have this same diagnosis when it comes to plants. I am super tight when it comes to extra funds when it comes to plant shopping so I made a bucket list of my do or die plants and if it wasn't on the list I could not have it.
I find that I get burnout if I get plants that need too much care. Like, if they're pest-prone or need constantly moist soil or whatever. I really like pothos and hoyas and peperomias, because they are all really low maintenance and thrive if you just give them light and some water sometimes. I've been lucky to have very little pest problems, but they do really take the fun out of plant care.
This community is not just about plants. I love your videos because of your personality.. you can make videos about anything you love and I'm sure we'll love it all the same.❤️
Yes I totally feel you I have a lot but I didn’t have that one so I had to have it but yes it catches up with you I love my plants but sometimes I just don’t wanna deal with them then I feel bad and I realize just stop buying them and try to enjoy what I have but I get you
"Any speech patterny things" haha, you make me smile😊 I enjoyed your plant talk ramblings. For me, I went through the new plant mom stage of "gotta get it", though I usually had certain ones in mind I was looking for and would do my best to stick to them. At some point, I definitely backed off and "had enough" plants to care for. I will now only occasionally buy one, and rarely make special trips to shop for them. I think I'm better at plant care now that I have reached this point and more easily notice when they need my attention. It is definitely a hobby that ebbs and flows as you said and has times you are more "into" them than others. I do enjoy having them to care for but can also ignore a bit when I'm not feelin' it. Thanks for sharing your thoughts! 🌱🌿
This is very relatable. I’ve been dealing with something similar this summer to now...I made peace with throwing out several that were no longer giving me joy, and now my collection seems more manageable
I love this. I recently found out that I have a huge thrips infestation and I just find myself doing the absolute bare minimum to take care of them now. I will try my best to make time and see if it sparks my love for them again. Thank you so much ♥️
Hi! I had the same issue. I live in an appartment where it is really difficult to use pesticede sprays indoors and I lost all motivation to care for my plants. But then I ordered predatory mites! they are doing all of the work for me and I don't need to worry about treating them almost daily :)
Thank you for sharing your life with us. At times we sometimes forget and when we reconnect with what bring us "JOY" , it is a true blessing. Plants like any other hobby can take a toll especially when dealing with everyday life issues but always remember the beauty they provide us when we watch them grow and bloom. Keep up the great job and it is ok to express yourself...we are human and we need to release emotions when they become a bit overwhelming. Have a beautiful day...sending you love, positivity and light. :)
I’ve actually started feeling this way as well. I’ve been ignoring my plants. I’m at the point where I water them when I feel like it. I had beautiful plants El Choco, dead. Verrocosum dead. I wanted to replace them but instead I haven’t been interested in doing so. But I do check on my Anthuriums, Begonias, and Alocasias. But I barely. I think we buy them collect what we want because we see/seen others do so and lose interest afterwards. I haven’t bought moss pole material or pots in forever. But I’m slowly getting interested again, slowly!!😂
Summer 2020 roller skating became my obsession. I spent so much time and money on the hobby only to lose interest by 2021..I sometimes worry if this will happen with my plant obsession too… some days it feels extremely overwhelming.. and like you said it’s important to know when you need a break 💖
Maybe once you get your own place and are able to spread out your plants, not just in one room, your passion for plants might just rekindle. But certainly downsize if your burnt out. Run out of money, space, sanity, lol, perfect way to put it ; ) I'm constantly downsizing, gifting and reselling, plants because my collection feels overwhelming at times as well. In fact, got a new puppy coming home today and I'm already prepared to rid of at least 20+ floor plants to make room for his stuff (and puppy proof). Is it bad that I'm kinda hoping he does go after my plants so that I have to get rid of some? lol
Dearest Elimina, thanks for being REAL!!! It’s so refreshing!! I too am having the exact feelings about my plants as you… I get it!!! I would love to follow you if you would like to vlog. 💜🍃💜
I feel like it's pretty normal to just jump into stuff and just be excited about something. Not just with hobbies but sometimes love too. You get all this rush about the new stuff.. I think that's just how humans are 😅 I also got quite a few plants when I started, not to your extend xD , but it was pretty green here lol. And later I realized that I want them to be my relax time, help me with anxiety and not bringing me more of it. So I got rid off few of them and I felt so much better. I think you shouldn't be feeling too guilty about having a burn out and killing a plant. Health, friends and family are more important. Take your time ♡
OMG I have the same symptoms you said about obsessed with something and I could do it all the time for some times and then I will just don't touch it anymore. I end up spent a lot time and money for many different things. The difference with plants is the first living thing I obsessed with (not pet). They kinda connected to me more than my others hobby. I hope I can love them for a long time because I feel bad if I can't take care of them and they die. I can't. I don't get too many plants though because I don't have work during the pandemic and I have to spend less money so that's help slow down me a bit lol
You go girl for keeping it real! I went down the same road but my collection went to north of 250. I just went back to work after April 2020 and working ten to twelve hours a day. I’m way to exhausted to take care of my plants. Don’t get me wrong still love collecting plants but I now know that I need to get rid of the majority of my Home Depot plants and just concentrate on my rare or uncommon plants. Is it just me or is it strange for being home everyday and learning and taking care of all my plants for a year or more but the feeling of going away for eight to ten hours more and love seeing the growth from the ones you love for the first time? Sorry for the rambling
I think that if your plants dying was the price for a piece of happiness it was worth it. Plants grow at their own pace and so do you. I've sold and given away so many plants before and after I moved a couple of months ago. I only had the ones I loved the most left. Afterwards I felt the same as you do now. I had so many little plants, plants that needed a lot of water, that I wasn't able to enjoy any of them. So now I have less I notice the little things again. The new leaves and stuff. I love looking at them again. If you don't love a plant, get rid of it. Especially if it's one you're able to buy again later. If it has bugs and you're not in the headspace to treat it and you don't love it, save yourself the stress and burden of having to do it later. There is no shame in throwing a plant in the trash. You do you. I wish you and your girlfriend a lot of happiness:)
I’m literally going through the exact same thing! I spent so much money on plants that don’t even make me happy! And now I’m like… hmm… do I even like this
its very true, i wasthe same, buut now as i do still have a lot, its only ones i truly love and only buy special ones and not any just random one, like i wont just go out and buy ones i know wont be special enough to me.
Many plants seem to look similar. I only buy if I really like..... I love philodendrens, and thick leaved Hoyas, but no calatheas or antheriums, etc. I prefer common, easy care, and few bugs as possible.
Personally, I watch for your personality and I don't think I'm alone. If you want to try making some content that isn't plant related, I'll still watch! I'd love a vlog with you and your girlfriend 🥰
You're not wrong! I'd be around for different content... Tate, you live in my favorite city, so especially if you ever wanted to show us anything City related, I'm here for it😉
Not to make you or anyone else feel bad but this is exactly how the plant prices went sky high and a lot of us were no longer able to buy plants because the young people of today won’t wait for anything it’s I want what I want when I want it but now I don’t like them anymore. It’s just sad and could have been easily avoided and everyone could be happy instead of paying 150.00 for a plant that will probably die because the conditions in a bedroom are totally wrong for them to thrive. It’s not just you but a generational thing. Sometimes putting off gratification can make it a lot more meaningful. Blessings for a more meaningful relationship for the plants that you truly love.
A lot of people don’t realize plant shipping is a relatively new phenomenon and that's made a big impact on this instant gratification thing. Before, you may have had to spend months or even years searching for a hard to find plant and that was part of the joy of it. Prices were reasonable but you had to take your time. Now if you fork out enough money you can get whatever you want instantly from anywhere in the world and the whole hobby and market have become a little bonkers. People are just getting used to dealing with rehabbing plants all the time and it really shouldn't be that hard and stressful. And getting that dopamine rush from buying more helps you recover from the stress of rehabbing etc. It's a crappy cycle that we just didn't deal with a few years ago. Also, the rush involved in social media has hugely shaped people's approach to the hobby in recent years. I think a lot of the criticism of younger people I've been hearing lately is a bit skewed and avoids looking at the context that has triggered this way of thinking. Society on the whole has changed and younger people just don't have anything else to compare it to. And a lot of people struggling to cope with the pandemic etc. are just looking for something to look forward to and get excited about. Unfortunately they don't realize that the plant hobby is much more difficult and involving that most people think at first and plant burnout is becoming a big thing in general right now.
youtube burn out rather than plant burn out I reckon, If youy grow plants it's for yourself not for showing off on social media and fill a youtube channel. my 2cent opinion
I am so glad you and Harli G did a video like this because its real life! I have been "planning to repot" since the beginning of summer...and have been looking at all my supplies collecting dust in my corner...
Aw I’m so glad to hear that, I was worried when I noticed she had done a similar video. But yeah I think this is something we’re all feeling right now!!
You are not alone. I've been planning the same thing, and nope ...🥺🏜️
I know exactly what you mean! I spent weeks on a home renovation project due to water damage in my floor and my plants suffered from my shift in focus. At one point, I had spider mites in every other plant and I didn't even know until I held a flashlight to them. I then finished the renovation and it took some time to get back into the swing of things (caring for my plants, posting content, etc.) and like you, it got to the point where I thought it felt like a job. I would put off plant chores because I thought they would make for good content, but then I was never in the mood to film, so the chores would never get done and I would feel disappointed in myself that I would just let my plants suffer... until I sat down and finally got my hands on my plants again. Thank you for sharing!
Love this video because it's just about plants but about anything. It's why I have my "Poser Homestead" not a real one. My March garden is obsession. My July garden? Where's Waldo to find a tomato.
ADHD is a superpower, btw. Might seem negative, "lacking focus," burning through things... but really it can allow you to do those deep dives, connect the dots across disciplines and discover amazing interests.
"Ebbs and flows" is a great balance, because anything should bring you joy. Once I learned to give myself permission to burn through interests/learnings (and a few I realize I need discipline to do every day but after the "all in" period I give them balance) I could start to see I was discovering a ton of things and the learning/doing was the part that gave me joy. When I downsize on something, I always look for someone rising in that interest--a college kid getting into fish, plants to share, language books, whatever... So, it's fun on both ends:). Great channel!!
i literally cannot thank you enough for making this video and for the algorithm for putting it on my recommended videos. i started in late 2018, hit the gotta catch ‘‘em all part this winter once i had my own money and hit the plateau when i moved back to college..i’ve had spider mites eating my plants alive for months and i just can’t bring myself to deal with it. i finally had a day a few weeks ago where i took really good care of a few of them and washed them and treated them and i could tell an instant difference in how they looked happier. it’s such a struggle i’ve never heard anyone talk about before
Plants are the only hobby I have been able to consistently be interested in for the YEARS, but lately I just really don't feel like dealing with them. I have my staple house plants for decoration (a ton of beautiful hanging and trailing pothos), and a bunch of common plants, but my lovelier plants like my monstera albos and rarer orchids I really have fallen out of love with and just wanna sell them and buy something that doesn't require maintenance AND REPOTTING (THE BAIN OF MY EXISTENCE), like a smart watch or new computer, or something like that. I don't know what to do, and don't know if I will feel regret if I sell the more high maintenance plants, but especially with winter coming, the lack of physical growth on the plants as well as the inevitable repotting in the spring, has me really just not like the hobby.
( just got your comment about your ADHD, which I also have lol) I have been so proud of myself for keeping with the plant thing because I've concerned that I would never be find hobbies I can continue doing for a long time without getting bored (candle making, paint by numbers, crafts and such), and I do get satisfaction out of my plants, but I think I am at a point where I need to sell a few of my nicer ones that don't give me joy anymore, and do something good with the money.
We watch because your there. Not just the plants. You need to do what makes you happy and live your life how you need to. It should be a passion not an obligation or at least calm you down when you've got too much on your mind. You don't owe us anything, a video a smile, anything. Gardening and keeping plants does change over the years but mostly its appreciating what you have nurturing what you have not the buying the plant. And sometimes they go through bad and crap phases like we do. When I started with plants and my mental health declined i couldn't take care of my plants and a lot died and it made me feel and I didn't get plants for a long time but last year i started growing a lot of things for the garden like veggies and started gradually getting into plants again. It's a process to get back into it. Trying a different approach to plants and gardening as a whole. I'm enjoying different kind of house plants but i don't feel I want to buy more plants
Thank you so much for this video. I think many of us have felt this way at some point in our houseplant journey, but we try to deny it because our plants are supposed to make us happy, not anxious and overwhelmed.
yep. i'm coming out on the other side of this right now. i realized that reducing the stress in other areas of my life helped to renew my interest in plants! i also started working at a plant shop, so it's helping me to be more particular about what i actually want to have in my care vs. which ones are just nice to look at once in a while :)
(Quick note that my experience is more so poor mental health than plant burn out but I think the effects are similar? If not my apologies!)
My plants used to take up half of my floor space in my very small bedroom. I couldn't get to my dresser and closet without tip toeing around plants and soon I couldn't get to my bed without having to move plants around. Every morning, my bed and the floor around it would get covered in plants so I could get to my desk and by night, my desk, my chair and the floor around them would get covered so I could sleep. For months I was moving plants a few times a day just so I could be in my own space. And I won't lie, a lot of them got neglected because I simply couldn't get to them without moving plants. I needed to have every plant to feed my obsession and of course, it bit me in the ass. Eventually my mental health got so bad that I wasn't even tempted to buy plants anymore. I didn't buy any plants online for 7 months when before I would spend most, if not all, of my paycheck on as many plants as I could get.
Then warm weather hit and I put 70+ plants outside. Splitting up my collection helped far more than I would have ever imagined. I was doing so much better on plant care and I didn't see sad plants every time I looked around my room, which in turn would make me sad. I bought 3 more shelves, a grow tent and 5 new sets of grow lights for my room. Over the summer I cut down my collection by about a fifth which may not seem like much but it was almost 100 plants. By giving away the ones I didn't care for anymore, potting many of the multiples up together and trashing the ones that were far too rough that I didn't have the energy to rehab I really cleared my head and got rid of 90% of my stress. I have to bring in nearly 200 plants, but being able to declutter my living space helped me massively.
Everything made me so much happier to the point that last month I bought 58 plants, including my first rare ones! I have enough space now, better growing conditions, a designated quarantine area and even a couple mother plants to work on. I'm finally focused on propagating and selling, which I was planning on starting last year. It took me a while but I'm happy and my plants are happy too. Only one out of my 450+ plants are struggling, and it's the only one I don't like. If it lives until the spring, it'll get planted in the yard. If not, it'll be trash and I won't feel bad about it.
Sorry for the very long comment, just know that you aren't alone and your happiness is more important than anything else. Do what you have to to live your best life. We'll all be here cheering you on. 💛
I feel you 100%. Unlike some other hobbies I've had, plant keeping is the most demanding. Thank you for sharing :).
I really rejected the notion of “catching them all” early on, and I’m glad I did. I also have ADD and I know how fixation works. I have so many hobbies but I realized that this was something that could easily spiral out of control. I think of the money to keep me in check as well.
But the number one thing that has helped me stay mindful is remembering why I wanted a plant collection at all. And it wasn’t to have a green indoor jungle- it was to have a really interesting “oddities” wall of things that were special to me, odd plants that really captivate me. And that’s what I try to remember when I see something I want. I also look at it from
A design perspective as ask “do I have a plant that has similar features? Do I have the right lighting for where I want it to go?” Etc.it’s not a perfect system and neither am
I but I think it has helped me nothing down the overwhelming “250 plants in my collection!” Thing. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Purge what you need to get your head in a good space. Good luck 🙂
@Lèmon Lēe yeah I totally get that. while I have fallen for some “rare” plants, I’ve really not gotten into the whole variegation thing. And I am thankful I didn’t lmao. Truthfully, I don’t care if a plant qualifies as rare, I usually fall in love with it’s look first then find out it’s insanely priced. And I r sworn off paying over $100 for any plant.
I am the same. I hope from one obsession (crafting,painting, plants, coloring) to the other. I literally hyper focus on just one hobby for months then hop to the other. It's totally an ADHD symptom. Falling in and out of love with diff hobbies. I also get very easily distracted doing one task then flipping to another in the middle of the first task. Then becoming hyper focused on the task that distracted me. I hate it! I'm also always running late,putting stuff off until the last possible second! ADHD is a bitxh! I am finally back in love with my plants and not doing any other hobbies. I feel I don't have time to do both. Drives me nuts. Hate this brain unbalance! I also got rid of the plants I don't love and just collect ones I truly love alot!! I only buy plants I really want and love! ITS OK! TO NOT WANT EVERY PLANT OUT THERE! :) And it's definitely normal to feel overwhelmed
God, I didn't know that it's apart of ADHD behavior! I absolutely hated going from one hobby to the other. From being obsessed from one thing and then completely not enjoying it later! How do you handle this?
I’m experiencing parts of this as well. I propagated a lot a while ago and got a lot of tiny plants, which made it look messy to me. So now I’m getting rid of (successful) propagations and it has brought a lot of peace to my mind, especially since I had a thrips outbreak. All the little foliage is hard to treat and a potential “source” of thrips. All the plants look nice, but you have to take care of everything and that’s not just watering, so you have to find a balance (I think).
Thanks for sharing Tate🥰 Do what feels good for you, UA-cam shouldn’t be a priority in comparison to how you feel☺️
I feel like so many of us are experiencing this right now and it is so helpful to hear others' experiences as a reminder that we all feel this way sometimes and it's totally normal and okay!
I also went HAM with plants initially, about 2 years ago, and just totally absorbed myself into the hobby. Joined dozens of plant groups, made lots of amazing plant friends, binge-watched plant-related content, and quickly filled my entire apartment with planty goodness. All of my free-time went towards my plants. If I wasn't buying new plants, I was repotting old ones or fawning over my plant wishlist.
But life gets busy, things happen, and priorities change or shift. And suddenly, all of that free-time needed to be spent elsewhere, and the plants suffered. It made me feel like I was an awful plant parent and I started resenting myself and my "inability" to take care of things. But it wasn't that at all. I just had to reassess and get my collection down to a more manageable and realistic number. I didn't have the same amount of free-time anymore - and that's okay! It's all part of loving and keeping plants in our homes. We live and learn and continue to grow through the entire experience.
Another big one for me was that I had to step away from social media for awhile. Facebook, Instagram, UA-cam... I followed SO many accounts during my obsession that it was all I would see when I would log on. Inevitably, I would see a gorgeous plant that someone shared and I'd wish I could have it. The constant comparison would give me this sense of "Look what I have!" and it just became too much. I also had to be realistic with myself about the amount of space (and lighting) that I had in my small 1BR apartment. I dream of having south facing windows (or windows at all, really). I had to come to terms with the fact that I didn't have the amount of lighting that my plants required and I needed to either buy more grow lights (which means $$$) or reduce my collection (which means sad, haha). That was a really hard one to face but I know that I won't always live in my current place and things will get better in the future.
I also have ADHD so I completely relate to the hyper-focusing on hobbies (Before plants, it was bullet-journaling and buying stationery). It's not the same "OBSESSED" feeling as when I first started out and initially I thought that meant that I was falling out of love with them... but I think I was just growing. I still love them - I can't imagine my home without them - but I needed to allow myself to have enough time for other things, too. If anyone else is dealing with this and struggling, don't worry. You've got this.
I found your description of your plant experience to be well thought out and gently worded. You did a great job in describing what it is like to be human. Well done! 😊👌
@@peggymalabuyoc9150 thank you for your kind words, Peggy. That means a lot! ❤️
Girl I’ve got that ADHD too!! Super INTO PLANTS FOR A WHILE!!! And I got a bit burnt out too. YOU making this video relates to SO MANY, I just know it !!! Thanks for being honest!! You’re Golden!!
i’m really happy you made a video talking ab this as someone who also has adhd it was nice to hear i wasn’t the only one worrying if plants were even a real interest. definitely helped to take a step back, slow down, and enjoy the plants i already have
This was lovely and vulnerable. I really appreciate you talking about this. I have gone through periods of burnout before and I can feel another bout of it coming back. It's strange that we attach an almost moral element to plant burnout because we are taking care of living things. We care about them, but we have to care for ourselves too. Thank you for extending grace to yourself and reminding us that it's okay to go through ebbs and flows.
I learned this with books. I dont have to keep every book.... Even if I dont read it. There are always going to be new books that I am more interested in. There are always going to be books at thrift stores I want to buy.... my love of books with be EVER changing. Its okay to get rid of books... even if they are pretty... even if people said it was good... even if its a classic... I dont have to own ALL the books. I dont have to keep every book I read. Move them out, and move new ones in. Libraries shouldn't and will never be stagnant. Books in 2023 are not the same as books in the 1800's... its OKAY. When I start running out of space on my shelves and I have no place to put new books it stresses me out... so instead of buying more shelves... I just get rid of books. 3 billy book shelves are enough...lol. I ALSO have ADHD and caught on to my hyper fixation issue.... I learned early on to CHILL or else I will get burnt out. I now never allow myself to dive fully in to anything at 150% because if I do, this will be the result. I need to be a slow and steady person to stay passionate.
This video was recommended to me today and I'm so glad I watched it. What a lovely honest person you seem to be. It's good to hear that other people go through the same thing, and I'm glad you came through the other side. Just going to go and subscribed to your channel and have myself a bit of a binge watch ❤
I'm in the same place. Not so much burnout, but lately I've been rethinking my relationship with plants and realizing that the plants I don't really like are just taking up my precious space and time. Plants should be here to bring us joy, not to add stress to our lives =)
I went through a phase last winter where I really started hating my collection and was too busy trying to keep up with what was trendy at the moment, and the work was getting overwhelming for plants I didn’t really like! Most of them I let die because I got to a point where it was relieving to have one less plant to take care of.
This year I made it a point to only get plants that would do well for me, didn’t need me to hover over them, and I genuinely thought were interesting. Since then, most of my collection has shifted towards epiphytic and succulent plants. Now, I genuinely enjoy taking care of and spending time with my plants. It’s something I look forward to doing 🥲
OMG!! Yes!!! You do need to be in a productive mood but also a sociable mood to make a lot of plant content, I’ve never been able to put that into actual words! Glad you seem to be figuring out what works for you in this wonderful little hobby 🌱 lots of love ❤️
Aw wow hi Caitlin thanks so much for watching 😭❤️
Amazing video tate! 💚🤗 you really are great at verbalizing emotions💚 everything you said makes complete sense..depression, guilt, obsession, hyperfocusing...it seems to always be a pattern with us adhd folks to get super addicted and hyperfocused to the extreme and then fall out of it and feel guilty💚 and it is totally normal for adhd...when I fell out of that plant "obsession" phase I turned plant care/content making into a calming tool and a refocusing tool..life is stressful so take a few minutes to calm down and care for a plant share it with others occasionally💚🤗 its a hobby so that is how it should be💚☺ 100% agree we can't go to level 1000 on the hobby love 24/7 some days it's only a level 2 hobby love or even -2 and that is totally ok👌💚 so many other amazing things out there..I feel like it's an older generation mentality to pick 1 thing and be obsessed forever. The world is so much bigger with so much more! I look forward to watching more awesome content about your journey☺👍
I completely relate! I've arrived to a place in my hobby where I've identified the species I'm actually in love with and have moved on from buying everything I don't own. I've learned to appreciate without owning.
What a wonderful phrase, “to appreciate without owning.” So well said! 👌
So I haven't been officially diagnosed but I'm sure I have ADHD. I'm slowing down now, but for a solid six months I was OBSESSED with plants. I too have all encompassing obsessions and then get bored. I totally think this is an ADHD symptom
Yes!! Everytime I get burnt out I really look at my plants and their growth and I feel so happy that I can foster that growth and share it with others 😊
Thank you for your honesty. I have recently gone through a phase of being really stressed out by school since I have a lot of exams at the time. I really neglected my plants cause I fell into a bad mental phase and couldn’t do anything except go to school. So i did not water any of my plants for like 2 or 3 weeks. I felt horrible seeing them decline one after the other and experienced the same feelings that you described. My love for plans just became less and less prominent.
Now I finally feel better and started watering and treating pests again and I am so happy to see that I am not alone with those thoughts and problems. I found it so encouraging to see how they started growing when I started caring again. Thank you so much for this video
Very honest and courageous of you. I watched your channel because of your vibrant energy and enthusiasm but also because you are so likeable. Keep making videos, plant or no plant content.
I relate so much to the hyperfocus thing, I too have these phases and I’m praying every day that the plant phase will not just end one day too…
Hey!
It is the first video I saw from you, but I just wanted ro say that It helped me a lot and soothed my own guilt of my plant burnout.
I had the same journey like you, I got onto plants, first the uncommon ones, and then I found out about the rare ones, but it got to the point where it was a chore to me to take care of them all. I think I've collected about 150 plants and I also loved propagating and taking care of plants for my friends but When I had several depressive episodes at a time I realised how much it took a toll on me to water and care for so many, where for some I didn't feel the spark with them anymore. I bought plants where my only Motive was that I haven't had them or that it would be interesting or me, but it slowly accumulated into a bunch of babies that felt fore like a pressure of responsibility than like a hobby.
I put all the plants that were too much for mein a box outside now, and the other half I will put them on Craigslist (since they are Cuttings ect.) and knowing that they will leave my apartment in the next time already feels freeing.
Listening to you makes me feel relieved. The burnout is real and I'm happy that you are talking about it.
Thank you!!
Aww thank you so much, I’m so glad to hear people relate to how I feel. It’s such an amazing but intense hobby, sometimes it helps to go back to basics and remind ourselves why we love it in the first place
thank you so much for sharing this. fellow recent ADHD diagnosee (and recent subscriber) here and i am so happy to hear someone else talk about this. have been working on coming out of a rut with plants as well. had to really trim my collection down and go back to being intentional with plant purchases. i LOVED the way you talked about the almost spiritual connection you had to reconnect with your plant. it's like any relationship - sometimes we need to reconnect and focus on nurturing the good parts
I’m an old lady, lol, & have gone thru many purges of collections that I once loved. Over time, I have added again to my collections or completely moved away from some (not only plants), my interests & passions have changed over the years. It’s perfectly ok to step back & take a break. Enjoy your life & be happy. Hugs!
Well said and so true! 😊
I have way too many plants and taking care of them gives me a reason to live.
Thank you for this video. After reading all the comments from your viewers I can see that the content was both appreciated and needed. You did a wonderful job describing your plant experience in a way that plant lovers or anyone else for that matter can relate to. Truly well done. One of your best videos! Take care. 👏🌿🥰💚
Thank you for this! I can very much relate. I was recently diagnosed with ADD and I've had some health issues and so I could not take care of my plants properly. I also got my first thrips infestation when I really had no energy to take care of it so my plants have really suffered. I also had to learn to go from a light "gotta catch them all" to a more "these are the types of plants I really like and I'm going to focus on". If I find myself having fallen out of love with a plant permanently I just pass it on.
I was able to relate to so much of what you said. I tend to find a hobby, get obsessed and need to have all of the “things” that go with it and end up spending hundreds of dollars (maybe even more), and then fall out of love with it. I have a craft room filled with so many different types of crafts and I have nail art things, a variety of nail polishes from regular polish, to gel polish and I stopped doing nails a little before the pandemic, but when Covid started, it gave me the perfect excuse to completely stop. Then, I got into jewelry making and I bought so many beads, wire, leather and more… Now, mind you, I became disabled 6 1/2 years ago and am home all day so all of these “hobbies” gave me something to do. Thankfully, my husband and family understand that, but I look around at everything I have, and I feel horrible about how much money I’ve wasted and then feel overwhelmed by how much stuff I have! I said that I was done buying plants and then I found a Mermaid Tail cactus for 1/4 of the price they usually are, and that’s been my wishlist plant for so long, that I had to buy it! I don’t even know where I’m going to put it because I don’t have any more room!! But, it’s a living thing that will rely on me to care for it, so I have to do my best for it. That’s what keeps me going with my plants. My craft room is a mess, and I know I need to clean it up and organize it, but I can leave it for weeks and nothing will happen. But with my plants, they need me to care for them, water them, check them for pests, because, if I don’t, they will die….
I’m not ready to get rid of any of my plants just yet, but I have taken cuttings to give to people and just need to meet up with them so I can give them their plants that I potted up and have on my windowsill because I thought I’d have seen them sooner… anyway…
Thank you for sharing! It means a lot that you shared this and thank you for letting me express myself! 💜💚🪴
I changed most of my plants to semi-hydro (leca or pon depending on the type of plant) helped so much. I only think about my plants once a week. I fertilize every other week. It has been a huge relief. I never have to worry about over or under watering my plants which used to really stress me out.
Same, now I'm more confident that if I'm out of town my friends won't kill them either. And in general I feel so much better now that I can just walk around and enjoy the new growth and freak out a lot less. I've reduced all my experiment to just plants I genuinely love and feel like I shifted from overwhelmed back to the original point of enjoying them for what they are.
That’s so great, I’m glad you guys have found ways to cope with the stress! I might consider moving some to pawn/leca for those benefits
@@TatesPlants Mine are all in pon (I find it's better for me and I have higher success rates than leca). Some are in self-watering and some just in regular pots with drainage holes. I've found that pon encourages them to grow super robust new roots and they can go a lot longer without showing any signs of thirst. I think the thicker roots store more water. So I only refill the reservoirs for the ones in self-watering once a month (I pay my bills and then tend to those plants - some can go even longer. Most of those pots are diy self-watering) and the others only need water once in *10 days... like in peak summer in an apartment with only south-facing windows! It's really been a game changer for me.
I would love videos about plant care, watching you deal with mealy bugs or re potting or changes in care for winter. I would watch whatever. If you go to store and see cool stuff and just film that and not buy anything! I’m not picky. 😊
I remember when I started getting into plants I was really on that stage of ‘catch them all’ you said. I was planning to buy plants I didn’t even like (boring leaf patters, ugly color combinations). Now I do have some desired plants thanks to planttubers, plants that are expensive or difficult to find in my area, but I don’t have that stress of looking for it everywhere I go like ‘if I don’t have this plant I’ll probably be dead within the next week’ haha. For me plant care is not a job, but some quality time I spend with living things that don’t yell or argue. Plant time is chillin’ time (usually!).
That sounds so lovely Marta!! That’s how I hope to be with my plants as well
I’ve had a few plants for years, then they got so popular and plant channels on you tube made me want more. Now I have burn out, I’ve sold quite a few, gave some away and threw out the bad ones. Just keeping the ones that I really like and that are also easy, I feel really good about this decision .
You are young and you're life is expanding in all kinds of directions, as it should. Live by 'does it spark joy for me' and keep it simple. If you're not happy, figure out why and fix it. Life is too short to be feeling miserable and it's easy to get stuck in a rut. Do what feels right for you.
Thank you 😭 words to live by
This is all really important for people to say and hear. And I think another important thing for all of us to think about is whether we're hooked on the rush of buying plants or whether we enjoy the relaxation of taking care of them. Because doing both leads to burnout - fast. I think being stuck at home during covid made people crave the rush of buying things in general. Whereas taking care of plants is something that a lot of people - many of them exhausted in other areas in their life - like to do to unwind. I've been doing the latter for like 15 years and only got into the rush of constant purchasing when I wasn't getting any excitement from anywhere else in life while quarantining. But that's when I realized my old plants were suffering and I was somehow doing something other than what I started out doing and that needed to stop and I somehow needed to consolidate and merge the latter into the former and find the joy again.
@Greenhousegirl94 recommends throwing out plants that have pests unless they’re rare or have sentimental value. I mention her because she has been a plant lover for years and works in the industry. To me throwing out plants is a way of saving the others without overburdening myself with chores that may never succeed. I have had plant burnout too but like you said it ebbs and flows. I agree if I end up getting rid of most of them I’m Ok with that. I’ve learned so much and I imagine from time to time I would build up a collection again. I’ve loved plants my whole life before I started a collection last year. I can enjoy plants with or with out owning them.
Thanks for this video. I can definitely relate to the hyper-focused mentality and how it can go too far. The message at the end really spoke to me!
Great video! Sorry you have had so much stress lately. I'm glad you got to spend quality time with your plants. Mine are what ground me. I wake up everyday and spend atleast an hour with them, so far I have not experienced burn out, fingers crossed.
Thank you so much!! Aww that so sweet, I hope it stays that way for you!
Hi. I understand what you are talking about. I will be rehoming some of my propagations in a couple of weeks. I have a few to many plants right now. But I do still enjoy them. I am needing to cut back on a few of the ones that I’m struggling with and get them a new home before they are to far gone. Thank you for this and your other video’s.
This is such an important topic! Thanks for such a candid and honest video 💚
I feel this %100! Love your content. Love the realness of this video.
I pretty much have a system in place in which every 6 months I take inventory of all my plants and if there is anything that doesn't really do it for me anymore, I get rid of them. Some plants I don't think I'll ever get rid of, and others lose their shine very quickly.
I like plants and started watching because of an interest in plants but stay cause I like your personality. I like content creator's who are real, complex, balanced, quirky more then being totally obsessed with one thing. Talk about anything on your mind or anything your honestly into and the people will follow 🥰
You know I have ADHD and I know that high obsessed passionate feeling you are talking about and I've noticed a lot of other people with plant channels also have this same diagnosis when it comes to plants. I am super tight when it comes to extra funds when it comes to plant shopping so I made a bucket list of my do or die plants and if it wasn't on the list I could not have it.
Plant collecting can get expensive really quick!! 😅 learning this first hand
That is why I stay at around 40. Just cause that is manageable.
Same. I am around 40 and have taken 3 years to get here. It's just like anything else. Slow and steady does it
I'm subscribing to your channel because of this video. Thank you for sharing this.
I find that I get burnout if I get plants that need too much care. Like, if they're pest-prone or need constantly moist soil or whatever. I really like pothos and hoyas and peperomias, because they are all really low maintenance and thrive if you just give them light and some water sometimes. I've been lucky to have very little pest problems, but they do really take the fun out of plant care.
I totally feel this!! I find that I gravitate and love plants that give more reward for less effort more than ones that need a lot from me
This community is not just about plants. I love your videos because of your personality.. you can make videos about anything you love and I'm sure we'll love it all the same.❤️
Aww thanks so much 😭 I might try that out!!
Yes I totally feel you I have a lot but I didn’t have that one so I had to have it but yes it catches up with you I love my plants but sometimes I just don’t wanna deal with them then I feel bad and I realize just stop buying them and try to enjoy what I have but I get you
"Any speech patterny things" haha, you make me smile😊 I enjoyed your plant talk ramblings. For me, I went through the new plant mom stage of "gotta get it", though I usually had certain ones in mind I was looking for and would do my best to stick to them. At some point, I definitely backed off and "had enough" plants to care for. I will now only occasionally buy one, and rarely make special trips to shop for them. I think I'm better at plant care now that I have reached this point and more easily notice when they need my attention. It is definitely a hobby that ebbs and flows as you said and has times you are more "into" them than others. I do enjoy having them to care for but can also ignore a bit when I'm not feelin' it. Thanks for sharing your thoughts! 🌱🌿
Haha thanks 😅 And yeah, I totally relate to all you just said!! It’s such a ✨journey✨ we’re all on
@@TatesPlants Yes, plant journeys indeed😊🌿 Especially learning to not totally blame myself when one dies. Tried my best!
This is very relatable. I’ve been dealing with something similar this summer to now...I made peace with throwing out several that were no longer giving me joy, and now my collection seems more manageable
Do what you gotta do!!!
Thanks for the honesty. I loved it
I love this. I recently found out that I have a huge thrips infestation and I just find myself doing the absolute bare minimum to take care of them now. I will try my best to make time and see if it sparks my love for them again. Thank you so much ♥️
Hi! I had the same issue. I live in an appartment where it is really difficult to use pesticede sprays indoors and I lost all motivation to care for my plants. But then I ordered predatory mites! they are doing all of the work for me and I don't need to worry about treating them almost daily :)
Ah shoot I’m so sorry!! That sucksss. But the more small things you can do the more itll help over time, its a marathon not a sprint!
Thank you for sharing your life with us. At times we sometimes forget and when we reconnect with what bring us "JOY" , it is a true blessing. Plants like any other hobby can take a toll especially when dealing with everyday life issues but always remember the beauty they provide us when we watch them grow and bloom. Keep up the great job and it is ok to express yourself...we are human and we need to release emotions when they become a bit overwhelming. Have a beautiful day...sending you love, positivity and light. :)
Thank you for the video.. it's really honest.. i m going through the same situation now... i can totally understand
I’ve actually started feeling this way as well. I’ve been ignoring my plants. I’m at the point where I water them when I feel like it. I had beautiful plants El Choco, dead. Verrocosum dead. I wanted to replace them but instead I haven’t been interested in doing so. But I do check on my Anthuriums, Begonias, and Alocasias. But I barely. I think we buy them collect what we want because we see/seen others do so and lose interest afterwards. I haven’t bought moss pole material or pots in forever. But I’m slowly getting interested again, slowly!!😂
Summer 2020 roller skating became my obsession. I spent so much time and money on the hobby only to lose interest by 2021..I sometimes worry if this will happen with my plant obsession too… some days it feels extremely overwhelming.. and like you said it’s important to know when you need a break 💖
Great video. So relatable. Thank you for sharing your helpful story.
Maybe once you get your own place and are able to spread out your plants, not just in one room, your passion for plants might just rekindle. But certainly downsize if your burnt out. Run out of money, space, sanity, lol, perfect way to put it ; ) I'm constantly downsizing, gifting and reselling, plants because my collection feels overwhelming at times as well. In fact, got a new puppy coming home today and I'm already prepared to rid of at least 20+ floor plants to make room for his stuff (and puppy proof). Is it bad that I'm kinda hoping he does go after my plants so that I have to get rid of some? lol
Thank you so much for this honest video 💚
I think this is your best video Tate. Couldn’t be more relatable if you tried.
Dearest Elimina, thanks for being REAL!!! It’s so refreshing!! I too am having the exact feelings about my plants as you… I get it!!! I would love to follow you if you would like to vlog. 💜🍃💜
I feel like it's pretty normal to just jump into stuff and just be excited about something. Not just with hobbies but sometimes love too. You get all this rush about the new stuff.. I think that's just how humans are 😅 I also got quite a few plants when I started, not to your extend xD , but it was pretty green here lol. And later I realized that I want them to be my relax time, help me with anxiety and not bringing me more of it. So I got rid off few of them and I felt so much better. I think you shouldn't be feeling too guilty about having a burn out and killing a plant. Health, friends and family are more important. Take your time ♡
OMG I have the same symptoms you said about obsessed with something and I could do it all the time for some times and then I will just don't touch it anymore. I end up spent a lot time and money for many different things. The difference with plants is the first living thing I obsessed with (not pet). They kinda connected to me more than my others hobby. I hope I can love them for a long time because I feel bad if I can't take care of them and they die. I can't. I don't get too many plants though because I don't have work during the pandemic and I have to spend less money so that's help slow down me a bit lol
You go girl for keeping it real! I went down the same road but my collection went to north of 250. I just went back to work after April 2020 and working ten to twelve hours a day. I’m way to exhausted to take care of my plants. Don’t get me wrong still love collecting plants but I now know that I need to get rid of the majority of my Home Depot plants and just concentrate on my rare or uncommon plants. Is it just me or is it strange for being home everyday and learning and taking care of all my plants for a year or more but the feeling of going away for eight to ten hours more and love seeing the growth from the ones you love for the first time?
Sorry for the rambling
I think that if your plants dying was the price for a piece of happiness it was worth it. Plants grow at their own pace and so do you.
I've sold and given away so many plants before and after I moved a couple of months ago. I only had the ones I loved the most left.
Afterwards I felt the same as you do now. I had so many little plants, plants that needed a lot of water, that I wasn't able to enjoy any of them. So now I have less I notice the little things again. The new leaves and stuff. I love looking at them again.
If you don't love a plant, get rid of it. Especially if it's one you're able to buy again later. If it has bugs and you're not in the headspace to treat it and you don't love it, save yourself the stress and burden of having to do it later. There is no shame in throwing a plant in the trash. You do you.
I wish you and your girlfriend a lot of happiness:)
Thank you so much for your words of wisdom!! You nailed how I’m feeling right on the head, it’s such an ever-moving process!
I’m literally going through the exact same thing! I spent so much money on plants that don’t even make me happy! And now I’m like… hmm… do I even like this
THANKS FOR SHARING
Love the color of your headboard where did you buy it
We grow up and change. It happens.
its very true, i wasthe same, buut now as i do still have a lot, its only ones i truly love and only buy special ones and not any just random one, like i wont just go out and buy ones i know wont be special enough to me.
This is some real, unadulterated content 👍
Hey this really resonated with me thank you for sharing it means a lot 🥰 ❤️
Loved this, it's so true on every level . Thank you
Many plants seem to look similar. I only buy if I really like..... I love philodendrens, and thick leaved Hoyas, but no calatheas or antheriums, etc. I prefer common, easy care, and few bugs as possible.
omg same i iam currently in a plant "burn out" . i thought i was the only one going throuh this
Not even my "rare" plants are motivating me...sad panda
That spark will come back, I promise!
I’m going through the same thing. I’m editing many of my plants
I just threw away two plants!! I feel better I only have three now and I love them :)
Personally, I watch for your personality and I don't think I'm alone. If you want to try making some content that isn't plant related, I'll still watch! I'd love a vlog with you and your girlfriend 🥰
Aww thank you so much Kayla 😭❤️ I might be expanding to new content just to try it out, we’ll see!!
You're not wrong! I'd be around for different content... Tate, you live in my favorite city, so especially if you ever wanted to show us anything City related, I'm here for it😉
Good Morning, Tate!!
Good morning Joanna!! Always nice to see your comments 🥰
Not to make you or anyone else feel bad but this is exactly how the plant prices went sky high and a lot of us were no longer able to buy plants because the young people of today won’t wait for anything it’s I want what I want when I want it but now I don’t like them anymore. It’s just sad and could have been easily avoided and everyone could be happy instead of paying 150.00 for a plant that will probably die because the conditions in a bedroom are totally wrong for them to thrive. It’s not just you but a generational thing. Sometimes putting off gratification can make it a lot more meaningful. Blessings for a more meaningful relationship for the plants that you truly love.
A lot of people don’t realize plant shipping is a relatively new phenomenon and that's made a big impact on this instant gratification thing. Before, you may have had to spend months or even years searching for a hard to find plant and that was part of the joy of it. Prices were reasonable but you had to take your time. Now if you fork out enough money you can get whatever you want instantly from anywhere in the world and the whole hobby and market have become a little bonkers. People are just getting used to dealing with rehabbing plants all the time and it really shouldn't be that hard and stressful. And getting that dopamine rush from buying more helps you recover from the stress of rehabbing etc. It's a crappy cycle that we just didn't deal with a few years ago. Also, the rush involved in social media has hugely shaped people's approach to the hobby in recent years. I think a lot of the criticism of younger people I've been hearing lately is a bit skewed and avoids looking at the context that has triggered this way of thinking. Society on the whole has changed and younger people just don't have anything else to compare it to. And a lot of people struggling to cope with the pandemic etc. are just looking for something to look forward to and get excited about. Unfortunately they don't realize that the plant hobby is much more difficult and involving that most people think at first and plant burnout is becoming a big thing in general right now.
i get obsessed to but not adhd, i have ocd
best video of yours.
awww, you're so sweet...it's a HOBBY....do not feel guilty......you are HUMAN....and definitely take your gf out on a date!! lol
Aww haha thank you randi, I will!!
Hang in there. We've all be there or will be there. On a happier note...I love you brown shirt. Where did you get it, if you remember.
Thanks! I got it a kohl’s last week actually! It’s super soft I love it
@@TatesPlants Ahhhh....I love Kohl's. Thank you!🤗🌱🪴🌿🌵
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Hi again 😍
Hello!!
👍👍👍💕💕💕
youtube burn out rather than plant burn out I reckon, If youy grow plants it's for yourself not for showing off on social media and fill a youtube channel. my 2cent opinion
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awwww yeah my like got it to 666 XD
Girl get therapy becuase you definitely had a manic episode when you got into plants