How to Pot Houseplants in 3 Easy Steps

July 30, 2020 by micah catherine

One of the simplest ways you can ensure your new plants are healthy and growing strong is to pot them when they’ve outgrown their plastic nursery containers. If you’ve been nervous to pot houseplants you’ve recently purchased, or think it might be too late, don’t worry! Your plant can stay in its original container for weeks (and even months) before it’ll need a new home.

Just remember, plants thrive on the nutrients found in rich potting soil, in addition to soaking in light and water. It’s only natural that after some time, your plant will have benefited from much of the nutrients in the small amount of soil and will need to be re-potted. For plants still in their nursery pots, check for roots growing out of the drainage holes and up through the top of the soil. If so, it’s root bound and time to move your plant to a new pot! Here’s how:

1. Gently remove the plant from the current pot
Placing one had firmly at the base of the plant, turn it sideways and gently tap the bottom of the plastic pot. Then, squeeze carefully around the edges to loosen the soil and roots. Slowly pull the pot from the container being careful not to strain the stems.

2. Remove excess soil from the base and roots
This part can get tricky, so take your time and be gentle with the fragile roots. While still holding onto the base of your plant, use your other hand to massage the soil from around the roots. If your plant is root bound, these roots will most likely be large and winding, so you can uncurl them if needed. When most of the soil has been removed, your plant is ready to pot!

3. Secure the plant in the pot with fresh soil
This is the easy part! Before adding your plant to its new pot, put a small layer of soil at the bottom and pack it to remove any air pockets. Then center your plant in the pot and add soil until the roots are covered and the dirt is filled to just below the rim. Firmly, but gently, press the soil down around the base of the plant. Then give your newly potted houseplant a drink, watering until the soil is moist and water drips from the drainage hole.

You’re done! Now you know how to pot houseplants and can help them thrive in a bigger, healthier home. Have you been putting off potting? Or are you a pro? Tell me in the comments!

XO,
Micah

Wild Geese by Mary Oliver

July 23, 2020 by micah catherine 1 Comment

This isn’t the first time I’ve shared a poem written by Mary Oliver. So, it comes as no surprise that I’ve been wanting to post another favorite of hers called Wild Geese.

Oliver, as you may recall, is best known for her innocent and thought-provoking observances of the natural world. In many cases, she ties these moments of nature into a bigger, more spiritual contemplation about life and the little joys the earth brings us each day.

Here is Wild Geese, with one of my favorite poetical and inspirational lines from Oliver: “the world offers itself to your imagination”. Enjoy!

Wild Geese
You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting –
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.

How to Drill a Drainage Hole in a Ceramic Planter

July 16, 2020 by micah catherine 1 Comment

how to drill drainage holes in ceramic planters

As a plant lover, there’s nothing worse than discovering a beautiful ceramic planter, only to find after you’ve peered inside that it has no drainage hole. While this may not seem like a big deal to the average onlooker, it can be a matter of life and death for your plant. Yikes.

Why planters are still made without holes is true cause for confusion. Especially since anyone with a green thumb knows that plants living without proper drainage often suffer from root rot (which can be fatal). Thankfully, with the proper tools and a little handiness, you can easily drill a drainage hole into any planter! You’ll need the following supplies:

Power drill
3/16″ – 1/2″ masonry bits
Painter’s tape
Ceramic planter
Your favorite plant

Pro Tip: If you don’t have access to a power drill, check your local library. Many libraries have tools available to rent for patrons. You can find a set of masonry drill bits at Home Depot for around $20.

Step 1: Mark the Holes
Using a piece of painter’s tape, mark where you want your drainage hole drilled. In most cases, this will be the center. (I drilled two holes because my pot was extra large.) The painter’s tape keeps the drill bit from moving around before you get traction from the bit going deeper than the surface.

Step 2: Drill a Small Hole
To keep your ceramic pot from shattering, drill your first drainage hole using a 3/16″ bit, with the painter’s tape as a guide. Drill slowly and with even pressure. This process will take a few minutes, and it’s best not to rush it. Any resistance from the planter immediately dissipates once the drill makes it through the base.

Step 3: Drill a Large Hole
Using increasingly larger drill bits, slowly widen the drainage hole. A 1/2″ hole is a fairly standard size for most plants. Once you’ve reach this side and cleanly drilled through the base of the planter, remove any dust and debris from the area. Your planter is ready for your new plant! If you need tips on finding the right potting mix, read my blog post here.

Ready for a Little DIY?
If you’re like me and are tired of buying terra cotta pots simply because they all have drainage holes, you’ll benefit from knowing how to drill your own drainage holes. And you’ll never have to choose function over beauty when shopping for new ceramic planters again! Have you already mastered drilling drainage holes? Show me your beautiful planters!

XO,
Micah