I love this topic so much. I actually unfollowed a few KZfaqrs because their channels felt like it was mostly geared towards consumerism. I love cheering on all my plants and am picky about what comes into my house, I usually think on a plant for months at a time before I bring one home. Missing new leaves is a bummer and with such a large collection, those new growths can go unnoticed for a while. But yes, I agree, the point of having them for you, resonates with me 💚. Love seeing the growth and overall maturity I’ve seen blossom in you.

This is so me right now. I've collected way too many plants and I'm totally overwhelmed. I'm committing myself to getting rid of every one that isn't bringing me joy anymore. Thank you so much for this video. I already feel better just thinking about clearing out some of my collection. 💚

I agree so much with the fact about the styling your plants to enjoy them. I've never had the desire to have a plant room. I'm enjoy seeing them scattered around my home. I do have maybe 50 or so, but I'm not into all the "rare" plants that are to fussy for me. lol. I think you will be happy with what you have decided to do. Can't wait to see the tour. Have a wonderful day.

I haven’t gotten to that point yet, I’m still in the “buying-high”, but I can tell if I continue down this path it’ll get overwhelming fast. I started getting into baby succulents recently as a way to simmer down, it’s my way of still getting that excitement of a new plant, but on a much smaller smaller scale. I’m glad to hear people talk about this, it’s very important IMO. 💖

I feel this! I have around 70 plants & I’ve slowed down soo much on buying new ones after losing several and realizing I didn’t even care lol. I brought home so many that I didn’t really connect with, like I was trying to catch them all. It’s easy to spiral out of control, but the thrill wears off when the reality hits. It’s hard enough caring for the ones I absolutely love when I’m in a rut or life is chaotic. Plant care should bring more joy than anxiety and stress. Then I started my first outdoor garden, which ended up suffering when life got hectic and I had to put my houseplants first (overwhelming already). I honestly feel the same way when people ask me when I’m having more kids (hello, let’s stop asking this question!). Some people thrive with a big family. But I know physically, mentally, and emotionally - I’m at my limit. I would rather give all I have to my two kids & enjoy being their mama, rather than stretching myself too thin for another and being insanely overwhelmed. Life can be so tough. We have to be very intentional with our time & energy. Part of self care is not forcing ourselves to continue taking on more than we can (happily) handle ❤️

I agree with everything you said Fern . This is why I left the makeup community. I realized I only needed (or used ) only so many makeup palettes. Once you have 2 that is all you really need to create a look. I got rid of my makeup room , and moved to plants . Unfortunately, I started to see the same trend in the plant community. Plants are different than makeup in that they grow and need lots of time/care . Also spending over $100 every time a new rare popular plant came on the scene , was not a mood I wanted to participate in. Currently, I now only follow KZfaqrs with more focus on plant care videos. I am so glad you are in your new space Fern. Moving on is scary but worth. That is how we grow .

I don’t personally want a whole room dedicated to plants even though I love them. I feel that around 100 is about good for me and my home. I have them in all my rooms and now, I only buy a new one if it is totally different from anything else I have. I also have never spent more than £25 on any plant. I can’t get into spending a lot of money on them as it would stress me out if it wasn’t doing well or died. I love getting small versions or cuttings of the more unusual plants to watch how they grow and develop. I also don’t have space to do lots of huge plants justice even though I do appreciate how lovely they are. When I we t through a stage of buying too many, it actually started making me feel anxious when I brought them home as I couldn’t find a suitable space to display them. I also hid them from my husband ! Not ideal ! Great topic to reflect on, thanks Fern x

My bedroom used to be my pet room. Because I would only ever go in there for pet chores or to sleep, I felt like I never saw any of my animals. My pets are now in my living room and I love it! When I got into plants, cause they’re also my babies, I made sure I did the same thing and try to have them in my most used spaces.

I actually was currently in that stage. After listening to you it really is making me second guess everything and go back to me enjoying each and every plant and not worry about getting more and more. I also have depression and PTSD from the military and plants are the one thing that makes me truly happy.

I have 90 houseplants and I’m moving from a 3 bedroom house (where I have plant room) into a basement apartment with zero natural light for the next year. I have so much anxiety and such a strong desire to be more intentional and reduce my collection. I’m moving tonight and tomorrow and watched your video just now and I feel oddly more comfortable and capable of making these changes after hearing your take on all of this. I’m ready to focus on the joy my plants bring instead of having a “more is better” mentality. Kudos to you for getting to where you’re at! Thanks for the video!

Girl, 200 plants is exhausting just to say, let alone take care of! Happy to hear you’re at a place that works cohesively for you and your plants! I don’t allow myself to buy plants every month(I take long breaks) and if I still want a plant after 3-4 months, then I may treat myself. Take care of your brain first, plants second ❤️

What a great message and a good reminder to stop and enjoy the now. I have always been bothered by plant Haul youtube videos, as they made me feel that it was normal to buy 5 or more plants a month that would cost $200+. I feel like a lot of people are focused on showing off their plants instead of discussing or becoming interest in their history, care needs etc....

I got half way through watching this feeling very smug about my own plant management habits when it hit me like a kick up the backside that no amount of wardrobe weeding that I have done has been enough to stop my clothing situation from being overwhelming and psychologically bad for me. So I went through and did another round of weeding and some organizing (... found a hamper of dirty laundry from 8 months ago) and am feeling like I'm going to get back on top of the situation. So thank you for the helpful language around your things being in service to you rather than just vice versa!

One way I cut back on the number of plants was potting smaller plants together. For example I took 3 different pothos in 3-4" pots and combined them all into a 7" pot. Now I get the joy of having all the varieties but only 1 pot to water instead of 3. I think when I got beyond 50 plants the amount of time it took to care for them was unsustainable, I started dreading the big watering days and would even skip it sometimes. Thanks so much for the thoughtful video!

I definitely understand where you’re coming from and I feel the same way. I had a few months where I was buying like crazy, but then that high would only last for a short time before I wanted a new shiny plant, and I realized that this was not sustainable nor did it bring me real joy. What brings me real joy is having a plant for a while and seeing it grow and mature, then one day you look at it and realize “wow, you used to be so small 😭 we’ve come such a long way together” which is something that can be fostered with even the most common and cheap of houseplants. I have a scraggly monstera deliciosa and a Golden pothos that are my two oldest plants, and nothing will be as precious as they are because I’ve had them through SO many major life events, and even when I didn’t care for them they survived and are living today. 🌱

Yes yes and yes! My journey is the same as yours, 1st wave getting everything I could then 2nd wave getting into the rare ones. I’ve been getting rid of the odd couple here and there but I always feel so guilty as if they are actual human beings that it takes me so long to say goodbye 🙈😂🥲 I am also that person who completely shuts down often when I have too much to do!

I also think that plants should be enjoyed. I like to decorate with plants so I can watch them grow. They add a natural element to a room when things can get too hard lined, they add a softness, a living element, a touch of the outdoors. Hard to explain, but when their just sitting in a room their just things, things I own and can say I have but their not appreciated. Again hard to explain☹️🌺💚🙃

I'm so excited to hear what you say in this video. I feel like people don't really talk about the stress of having so many plants often. I'm glad you are ♥️

I’m very new to the houseplant world and seeing people with plant rooms and greenhouses totally threw me for a loop. I thought it was super cool, and I love learning from those people, but anytime I considered making an Ikea greenhouse I was like… but why? I don’t want all my plants in one area. I want plants all over, among me. So I continue to buy tons of pothos, philodendrons, ZZ plants and others that suit my space and will thrive in my environment rather than me having to work to make them thrive. I have a select few under grow lights and I practically worship them, like you were saying - i often go sit by them and just stare. Houseplants are an easy obsession for sure and more feels like a treat until it’s not. I have 25 or so and spend so much time checking on them - i can’t imagine having 200+ 😅 Loved this video and it was so refreshing after spending the last few months watching videos that make me want more more more. ♥️

Thank you for keeping it real. I've been a plant parent for over 50 years ( yikes!!) And have definitely ebbed and flowed.

Great video! I’ve definitely been feeling this the last few months, especially the fact that I was just crowding my plants around my windows. I’m definitely starting to downsize to my collection so that my plants can actually complement my space instead of making it look chaotic.

Well I just cracked the 200 barrier myself and I watched this video while sitting in my plant room so.... 😬😄 One thing for me is that all of my plants are in ceramic pots specifically purchased to fit a certain space so the plants are therefore very integrated into my decor. They feel like part of my house at this point and maintenance is just something like vacuuming or dusting. It can get annoying to sometimes have to stop what I am doing to water a plant I notice needs it, but the happiness they bring currently outweighs the negatives. The thing I am working on is not feeling obligated to keep a plant or plants that no longer interest me. Like I felt obligated for a long time to keep my big succulent setup in my large east facing window intact just because it has been there for a while, but I am now working on the best way to condense or outright remove it. I think that’s the key: no matter what the particular number of plants is, only keep what interests you and makes you happy. No negativity allowed from plants.

I see what you mean with the plant room! Living in a small space myself, I never had a plant room but I display them all around the apartment, so I'm able to see them every time I study, work, relax. And I love it ! It really soothes me. Plus, I look at them all the time :)

I can't wait to see your next plant tour! Would you maybe even make a video on what plants you got rid of and why? I've been collecting plants since 2019 and had got rid of a good amount of plants that I've had throughout that time. It can really get draining having to take care of so many!

I maxed out at 52 plants. I completely stopped propagating, it gets to be a little much. I can now enjoy the ones that I have.

I’m a senior citizen with a mini collection of my favorite Hoyas.Nothing rare. I’m content.You have a sparkle in your eyes.❤️

Lately, I'm combining plants for a fuller, smaller collection. All this resonates on such a deep level. From mental health awareness and major expenses to the sheer amount of time invested around the sometimes unbalanced happiness exchange. Plant parenting is a wonderful, nurturing experience... but yeah, it can be really overwhelming too. Thanks for reminding me that I'm not alone 💚

So much wisdom 🌟 I'm actually getting pretty sick of this trend of having tons of plants (esp very rare / variegated / pricy) for just a fact of having another collectable item in my house or just to show it on instagram. This is not a plant joy for me. Wish U all the best, greetings from Poland 💚

Watching your plant journey is very interesting as I am still a fairly new plant mom… I have maybe 25-30 plants and I still haven’t gotten every kind I actually want. Most of mine have been gifts. And thus far plants have brought me much joy and has been very therapeutic. But I can understand how it can be overwhelming. I have two small boys and they are very overwhelming for me sometimes as a new mother and plants is my new hobby that gives me joy.

Downsizing my collection has been the best then I did for my mental health. I have been enjoying houseplants since 2016 and as soon as I start feeling overwhelmed I know its time to let some go. I love real videos like this because so many of us feel this way too.

Hey, I totally get the anxiety, plant messes, being overwhelmed, and basically feeling paralyzed. Not just about plants, but chores, and duties. Less is more, and it hard to remember that when the world bombards you with all the new and exotic. Sending good vibes.

It's ok to collect all your favorites, just don't let them take away YOUR space. It's ok to give them a room of their own too, as long as you love those that occupy it enough to visit, hang out, and admire their beauty. Basically, if they are not bringing something to your life then they are not worth the space they are taking up. Surround yourself with the things you love most.

Agree 100% of everything you said!! I have +120 plants and I don't feel as excited as I did in the beginning. I'm so happy for you that you have come to this stage in your plantlife where you just enjoy them again ❤️

I agree with you 100 per cent ! I live in a small apartment (50 square meters) and my plants are all around me, I can enjoy and take care of each of them without feeling stressed. I’m happy for you! 🤗💚

Different lives, ages, continents... and though very similar feelings! Thank you for sharing. I totally recognise my own experiences in yours. In fact, being at the first year of my collecting plants journey, I am already slowing down with adding more and more plants, and getting rid of those that don't give me so much joy, just because I don't want to get overwhelmed. And I refuse to consider cabinet or green house, I prefer to choose plants that can live with me in my home conditions, so I can really enjoy them.😊

Yes I’ve definitely been going through this same thing. I’ve decided that there are certain families of plants that I love and that I’m not collecting everything

I really appreciate your honesty and your truth is helping me reflect on my own plant adoption/ buying habits. I love my collection but I don't want to get overwhelmed by adding more, and more and so on. You have set a good example for us all to appreciate and care for the plants we already have. Let them give back to us the results of our caring. With that said... I still look forward to your next plant tour🌿🙂

I completely relate to this, I’ve been collecting for four years and it’s come to the point where I don’t even look forward to watering them. The most difficult thing is trying to pick and choose who I want to keep and who I want to sell.

Very insightful! I’m glad you have downsized to the point where your plants bring you joy. I have always loved plants but for the past 8+ years I haven’t really been settled, constantly moving, etc. This past May I started up my collection knowing we were going to be more settled and then I saw all the KZfaq videos and Facebook posts about plants and I kind of felt like it was this contest about who could get the most plants and win. Win what? I live in a very small space (about 250 square feet) with two other people and it has been completely overtaken by all my new baby plants and the other day I felt overwhelmed. We will be in a new larger space (but still less than 500 square feet) in a couple of months so I know I will have spots for my plants. But I love plants as visual joy, as decoration, as beauty in my home. When i see ppl have so many plants I feel like they’re just plants and not beauty. They should be able to be appreciated. I’m not really getting my point across 100% but I completely get where you’re coming from. I look forward to your future content to see where you go with your new “smaller” collection. 😉❤️ Edited to add: I love waking up each morning and checking out all my plant babies and watching them throughout the day to see what they might do. I’m definitely a helicopter plant parent.

im just getting started on my plant collection, i have around 30 in my room and i can't dedicate any other rooms to it but, that teaches me where not to go, to enjoy the plants i have now and enjoy caring for them even if i want to care for so many more already. thank you for sharing this

Just went thru it and just finally started loving plant care again and watching my plants grow! All summer I blew them off, didn't care about them. And I had so many I didn't love or care about in my collection, so now I've gotten rid of those and repotted and chopped and propped, I am finally loving plant care again! Summer was just so busy and I didn't even care to take care of my plants, but now, I am back into it! Didn't lose a single one, they r hardy plants I own haha! Thrips battle a few weeks ago got me back to loving my babies and worrying about their health and promising to never let them hurt like that again! But I definitely know what u were feeling! I only have 80-85 plants, and haven't gotten a new one in months! And now I am also propping just to fill my pots in more. But I am back in love with my plants, and just want to watch them grow, and repot them, feed them, and love them again! Definitely back in the swing of plant love again! ☘️ 🌵 🌴 🌿 🍀 ❤️ ❤️ ❤️

I totally was one of those people in the plant noob phase of total acquisitions of plants. I really romanticized having a ‘jungle vibe’ in my home. But since I live in the desert SW, I really struggle with humidity. And I’m totally with you on wanting to be able to see and interact with my plant collection. I’ve thought about grow tents but I mean that’s not joyful to me and I don’t plan on starting a plant shop so that just sounds like a lot of work for what?? I also chose to up my game outside with a bunch of cactus and succulents but again, between animals, birds, and care, my plants are overwhelming me and definitely depleting the joy. I do think there’s some kind of temporary excitement in the ‘hunt’ for a plant. But then you get home and you’re on to the next one. And you are right, you now have to care for them. I have many small rare plants that will require years to grow. I may just sell or give away a lot of them and maybe get a few large ones instead. The ones that I really enjoy. I have over 250 plants indoors and over 150 outside. It’s overwhelming at this point. So I’m gonna just really sift thru my collection and observe this month the plants I want to keep. Thank you for this. 🙏

I found myself in a similar situation a few months ago, crying because I felt like I had too many house plants and that I was surrounded by a jungle I couldn’t tame 😂. I took inventory and gifted the plants to family and friends for birthdays, Mother’s Day etc and really curated my collection. Everyone LOVED their hand grown gifts that so much time and care went into, and I felt like I could breath again. I completely feel where you are coming from with this one girl ! 💕

Girl........I get it! Oh my goodness........I'm right here with you! Burn-out is real and I'm making a shelf of plants I'm ready to purge! You are awesome, Fern! Thank you for keeping it real and for your honesty!

Hey All Of Fern's Plants

I have a small collection and I can relate to the whole nurturing the ones you first bought as a new plant parent! ☺️ I think it's refreshing to see you realising that, it makes me think about how I don't want to get caught up in the plant buying hype or feel overwhelmed by plant care. From the outside looking in, it looks like plants could end up taking over your life and have a negative impact on your mental health, when in fact plants should be our connection to nature and make us feel at ease. Thank you Fern for talking about the reality of being a plant parent with a big collection! but for also just being honest about it all! We need more open conversations about this in the houseplant community! 💚

looking at all my plant clutter has been stressing me tf out lately. 🥺i actually started cleaning up my collection right before i clicked this video and hearing what you have to say it was encouraging for me, thank you!

Watching this honestly makes me so happy! I don't even have that many plants, maybe 20-30, and I stopped buying them in February/March and started focusing on the ones that I have. I also struggle with depressed/burnout episodes and the constant pressure of having to take care of the plants really isn't helping. I still get more plants now and then, but I make sure they're plants I really want and then start looking for people to trade with instead of buying. That way it feels so much more rewarding.

I can totally relate to this, I’ve been really intentional with my plant purchases for months now, I don’t really have the desire to buy anything new but still have a few wishlist plants. I’m still trying to find everyone their “home” in my place and make it look more aesthetically pleasing than just a mess of plants, I think having them spread out will help me appreciate them as well ♥️

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and feelings. I can totally relate in caught up in buying too many plants! Its a good reminder to just be thankful for and appreciate what we have.

Thank you for this video. Videos like these really help bring awareness of how overwhelming a large collection can be. It makes me appreciate and enjoy my small collection even more😌❤️🪴

I connect with this video so deeply. I have about 40 houseplants, and for me the balance was starting to tip into more work than enjoyment. Having a sore back after watering day; it was taking a toll on me. I've slowly started to weed out some plants from my collection. I've found a lot of enjoyment giving plants to friends and family members. Succulents were my down fall because they are so easy to propagate. Yesterday I threw away about 50 jade leaves that I typically would have saved and propagated.. I now feel more balanced and falling back in love with the plants that I currently own... 🌱🌵

Thank you for this video, this was very important for me to hear. I don't have hundreads of plants, but it's true that when I'm depressed, it's hard to take care of them. I'm glad I understood now that I don't need more plants, just taking care and enjoy those I already have. 🙂

Im also moving next March to another state and have gone down to 100 plants from about 250. I am back at a number where I am remembering what my “favorite kinds” are (ferns and palm-like leaved plants). I still go through waves of being excited about a new type (currently riding a Hoya wave for sure) but I think it is all in the process of finding what I like and don’t like. Having the ones I purged was important in knowing I wanted to keep the ones I have now. I’m sure my collection will continue to fluctuate as I continue to change and learn and appreciate different things about my plant collection, but my baseline will probably stay closer to 100 now. The first thing I do each morning is go round to all the plants and see how the new growth is moving along :D

I am really feeling this stress lately, thank you for talking about it!

I agree, its nicer when you can actually see and appreciate what you have instead of just collecting. Also, less chance of bug outbreaks!

I really fast tracked through the waves of plant buying since classes restarted. I started with buying a bunch of succulents then other small house plants. I’ve reached the point now that I only buy a plant if I specifically want it, not if I go to the store, see it, and buy it. And I’m working on buying mostly from local nurseries. Right now my babies are my Neon Pothos, my Golden Pothos, and my Stromanthe Triostar. They aren’t expensive or rare but they’re my babies.

I'm not allowing myself more than 50. Might even try to get to 40. Just keeping my absolute favorites ❤

I love philodendrons and i live in the tropics so they grow huge so fast, which ended up overwhelming me and making me stressed out. I eventually sold all my big plants, and only keep smaller plants that stay on the smaller side, and that really did stop me from stressing out so much. Now I just admire them on yt or ig, and live with my manageable collection!

Lol SEVERAL lifetimes 😭 unfortunately, ikwym. I love chill videos, especially on a Friday. Blessings and love to you Fern 💚

Have 75 plants and haven’t loss that loving feeling. Totally enjoy caring for them and only buy what l love. ✌️❤️

I’m 1/3 through the video, but wanted to say that I’m 100% feeling the same way!! I have around 100 plants, just got another one a few days ago and just wasn’t feeling the excitement that I used to feel... it slightly stressed me out. I miss the excitement too. I’ve been trying to focus on buying nice pots for each plant or put them somewhere nice instead of all on a table under a grow light. It’s helping me love them again. I’m sure the stress of finding a new home was making you feel overwhelmed as well. Hope all of us feeling this way can get back to how we were before 💗

Loved every bit of this. I can totally relate. Although I was unhappy to rehome the bulk of my collection, I see it as a growth point. I didn’t realize I was in a loop of self soothing while also increasing responsibilities and anxiety. It threw me out of wack with my values verses my actions. I think intentional is the perfect word. Plants have taught me so much about myself and others. How I treat my mental health now directly correlates to my relationship with plants. I think for the first time I am seeing the value in myself. My kindness and anger does not go unnoticed towards myself especially. Maybe I smoked a little too much, however - I think we have so much love to give and we poured it into a hobby that changed us for hopefully the better. Choose what’s right for your sanity and don’t fall into old habits. Cheers to your new mindset!

You’ve inspired me. I have about 40-45 plants and I’ve been neglectful and uninspired for weeks now. I see them and think “I gotta inspect you guys” but find myself just quickly watering and going about my day. I’ve stopped purchasing about a month ago and feel ready to just care for and possibly gift some.

Love this video! Recently had surgery and lost a bunch of plants during recuperation when I couldn’t give them as much care. Realized I had been just collecting and not enjoying my plants. I will not do that in the future and this hobby will be less stressful than it has been on occasion. Please continue your honest blogs. I so enjoy watching you!

Yep, I think a lot of people are going through the same stages. I started collecting 2 years ago and live in a small apartment with only two small windows that I can use for plants. I had nothing near the quantity you did. I have about 40 and that is a good amount for me. I love looking at each one almost daily and admiring their beauty. I don’t want to ever have so many it stresses me out. I struggle with chronic anxiety disorder and am on medication for it. The plants help me to get out of my head and focus on something I enjoy. So good to see you getting some down time.

Taking care of my plants has become a “chore” to me right now. Sometimes I put off watering plants a little. I just bought a simple moisture meter and it’s great. Now I know when to hold off on watering. Thank you for sharing this.

I can totally relate! This is where I am right now too. When I was feeling overwhelmed (I had less plants for sure but they were all over the house and the outdoor garage/yard), how I dealt with it was potting up my smaller plants and propagations together (I was planning on giving some to friends but we had another lockdown), and letting go by planting them in our garden where they thrive (like seriously, prayer plants just love being outdoors!!!) I also went through a period of introspection (lol) on what was making plant care overwhelming and less fun for me. So as I started identifying those, I tried to address them gradually. I am a lot busier compared to last year and early 2021 so I had to take that into consideration. Now I’m trying out semi-hydroponics to see if it will help simplify plant care for me (no soil, roots I can check on without making a mess, not having to worry much about watering, less chances of root rot, less chances for pests…) I still buy plants, but not as much as before. Now, I really take time (like weeks) thinking before I commit to it - no more impulsive plant hunting days! Taking care of plants has returned to a relaxing and peaceful hobby/activity again 😌 PS. I just love how plants really teach us a lot about mindfulness 🧘🏻‍♀️

When you mentioned the feeling of being so eager to care for the few plants you had… I hear you, that’s currently where I’m at with my 20 plants and I love it 🥰

I hit the wall about a year ago and gave away a lot of plants (over 100) - it felt great. Cutting down of propagations is a big part of it. I'm using a one in - one out rule. If I get a new plant someone has to go to a new home. I still have some plants I would like to get but I am being very selective. Too many plants can create a lot of anxiety regarding plant care and if you have a pest infestation that triples the the whole issue. My plants give me a lot of pleasure and I want to take care of them the best that I can, it is so rewarding to see them thrive.

Amen! 🙏 I went through this over the summer. I wanted to keep only the ones that I am truly excited about. After letting go of all the extras I really was able to appreciate the ones that brought me so much joy. It gave me a new enthusiasm of why I started with plants to begin with, they bring me peace and happiness. 🥰

I understand completely! It is a lot of work & responsibility taking care of a big collection. There's some days that it seems that they all need something done for them an you can spend the whole day just taken care of plants an getting nothing else done! It can get pretty stressful at times. I also have to agree with wanting my collection throughout my living space verses having a room or greenhouse that I would have to go to in order to enjoy my plants. I like enjoying them sitting on my couch or walking thru my dining room or doing dishes in my kitchen or laying in bed. Making them part of my decor, a reflection of who I am! A person who loves nature an all the beautiful things in it. Although I can do without fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, fungus gnats, thrips, white power mildew, mealy bugs and the other annoying problems & pest!!! 😂I have learnt that I only want plants that I truly enjoy. My motto is "Do whatever makes u happy, life is much too short to spend it being miserable!"

I related to everything you said sooooo much even though I don’t have nearly as many plants as you did. I struggle with anxiety and depression as well and plants have helped me with this in several ways, so I wouldn’t like to get to a place where they begin to feel like a hassle and not as a hobby that I love. Thank you for the video!

Same for me. I'm an Ontario stylist, was shut down for all 3 lockdowns, lost 11 months of work. So I too focused on plants and propagating. Now that things are moving towards "normal", I was overwhelmed with my plants because I have less time to care for them. I gave many away and stopped propagating, and have moved towards only having plants I enjoy and have time to properly care for. Such an interesting journey it's been tho, I've learned so much about what types of plants truly serve my joy and which ones caused more stress than anything else.

Needed this video! I’m overwhelmed with the care of 100 plants. I’ve been doing a lot of propagating for plant swap/sales and I’ve really enjoyed it. I may have to reevaluate. Thanks Fern. You look so relaxed 😌

Thank you for sharing this, I totally relate with what you said about being overwhelmed and anxious about all the things and then not doing anything. I love your videos!

Great video! I feel like I have gone through a similar experience with my plants, however I am not as far along as you are in the sense of downsizing. I started off with a few plants and helicoptered, then was buying everything "cool" or different that I saw in the greenhouses and box stores. Eventually I realized they were very common plants and slowed down buying those plants. Now I have moved to more "rare" plants and got my first cabinet. I look at those common plants as my trial and error plants because now they are the base of my experience for my expensive plants. I am currently at 84 plants and I still helicopter all of them but still on the hunt for more lol. Sometimes I will lose my drink and I know to just search the plant shelves for it because it will be where I was last admiring plants.

This video really spoke to me since I'm going through the same thing right now. I started off buying every plant I saw just because I loved plants, but not necessarily the plants I was getting. Lately I've been trying to grow plants so I could sell them but I kept neglecting them because I they didn't bring me any happiness. I started plants because they brought me joy, and caring for them helped my mental health (I also struggle with depression and anxiety). But it turned into another source of stress that I don't need in my life. So right now I'm trying to Marie Kondo my collection, "this does not spark joy" lol. I've gotten rid of a handful of plants, and I'm hoping to get rid of more to make my collection something that makes me happy and present. It used to be something that kept me grounded and now i'm just more scattered, so hopefully decreasing my collection helps. Thank you for sharing

Depression SUCKS!!!! I’ve lost so many plants bc I just can’t most days….thank you for talking about this….the struggle is never talked about

Great points! I’m not fan of having a plant-room myself, I loose the joy of watching them, and wanting to take care if them, so I have them all in my living room, and I really love having plants that can tolerate being dry for a while, makes it much more easy to take care of more plants

Thank you so much! I shortened my diagnosis from, BPD, ADHD, MDD, anxiety, PTSD... to FUNU. Fucked Up from the Neck Up. So hearing that you have trouble taking care of your plants when you're suffering from mental health issues was a weight lifted off my shoulders. "Everybody" else wasn't having that problem they were loving spending all there time watering and taking care of there plants with the results there plants were beautiful/lush/large. I felt like less than. Thank you I feel so much better! Beverly, a less stressed Plantie Mom

I actually do this every few months! I start taking inventory at the beginning of each season and making notes on which ones I tend to look after the most. The ones at the end of the list get passed to a new home so someone can enjoy and spoil them more. ❤️ I am so, so happy you’re feeling lighter!!

Can relaaaaate. About a month ago i counted like 55 plants that I have plus MANY propagations…..and realized it was too much. It had crossed over from stress relief to stressful. So now I have some set aside to sell/give away, and I’m not propagating anymore for a while at least! 💚 visual clutter makes me feel anxious, so I don’t really want to have plants on every surface of my home. But I like to be able to look around and see them here and there, especially vining plants. 🤗

Totally agree. I'm kinda in this phase now as well, I went from like 3 plants my mom gave me to almost 100 since February. I still love all the plants I have but when that realization hit me I knew that I need to be more intentional if/when getting new plants. I'm not in the burnout phase but I know if i had kept going I would have easily gotten overwhelmed and burned out. I really like the more relaxed and "podcast" style of videos btw, and i'm excited to see a tour of the new place :)

It has always been my intention to have my plants to add to my life not just to say I have them. Mine are in several rooms in my home where I can see them and watch them grow. But I get being overwhelmed by to many plants and that’s not something I want nor do I want to be stressed because I gave hundreds of dollars for a plant and panicked because it’s not doing well. I think some people have plants for the wrong reasons and I don’t want to be one of those people. If they don’t bring joy to my life I won’t have them. I’m glad your doing what is making you happy.

Although moving is a huge stress, the upside of it is that you can get the chance to rethink what truly matters to you, and sort out your belongings...which makes your life better& happier .

Ah Fern there is a reason why I kept following you over other plant parents 😊 you are right it is very easy to get caught up in social media and “the next thing” in this community. Burn out is very real here, and having a lot of plants and having the next trending plant doesn’t always bring happiness. It is overwhelming. But every one is different. Some people can roll like that and that’s awesome if it makes them happy and they can do it. But totally understandable for others who can’t. I am one of those people. I no longer have a green house set up either. I’m saving all my favorites that don’t demand much and caring for them feels so good

Great vid! I love your honesty. I'm a beginning gardener and I'm feeling a little overwhelmed myself. I only have a few house plants but my collection is growing slowly. Keep up the good work! 😍👍🏾👍🏾

I also have had a similar realization. Sold some duplicates and gave away some that I just wasn't loving anymore and now I'm trying to focus on only buying ones that I really love and enjoy. And fill my space the way I want instead of just hoarding plants lol It was starting to feel like clutter and not special anymore.

Best start to a Saturday morning in lockdown here in New Zealand 💜

The whole point we get plants is to enjoy them and not sticking them on a shelf. Plants are to be enjoyed. I stopped watching plant channels because it was just to buy them and I get it. I went thru the same thing. Looking forward to watching your new approach.

Great topic choice and important. I've given away my plants to friends, but still unable to sell/enter the market place. The good thing about selling is not only income, but you know the buyer wants the plant enough to pay for it. I am unable to throw away any viable plant and can't stop propagating. I have 8 feet tall bottle palm, ficus benjamina, dracaena marginatas and massive monsteras and other philodendrons, pothos, snakes plants, and the list goes on since my collection started back in the 80's before the current boom. I do hope to give away more to keep my living space both indoors and out a "joy" and clutter free. Love your videos!

There was so much I could relate to here. I'm sort of at this point in my plant journey. I spend nearly all of my free time caring for plants on top of my regular job. I need to start thinking about re-homing some plants.

I see so many people that get stuck trying to keep their influencer cred, and it gets obvious to me at least they aren't having fun anymore, they just have to buy more plants to make more unboxing videos and spend more and more money on more and more elusive stuff that they don't even want.

It is good to hear that you are honoring yourself and your needs. I don’t have a plant 🪴 room. I have plants in my rooms and we live together. 💚

You hit the nail on the head 100% about having a separate designated plant room. I thought about this a lot about a year ago when I started to think about how I was going to overwinter some of my new ones and setting up a little tent for them to have enough humidity and perfect conditions and everything, but since they were all hidden away, I forgot they existed! None of them did well at all! If it was really just about an aesthetic, we could get fake plants, hell we could get printed wallpaper with a planty motif, but the real joy is from going every day or every few days and checking on everyone, hello hoya, are your blooms finished? Working on some new ones? Good morning monstera, do your new leaves have fenestrations? Just staring at them and realizing you spaced out, enjoying their presence. Anyway good video! Good wisdom!

Thank you for posting this. I was feeling the exact same way with being overwhelmed with plants. Caring for them became a chore instead of a stress reliever when I too accumulated too many too quickly. I got rid of several that weren't bringing me joy and I feel better. You're one of the most realistic plant youtubers I've seen so I just subscribed!

It can be a lot sometimes 🥺💚✨ btw love these kind of videos! They are so chill I love watching them whenever I am doing chores around the apartment. 😅

I definitely have not propagated in order to sell my plants, but I have done the sphagnum moss and perlite because I want more full plants around my house. I think people tend to forget these plants are here as long as we keep them alive, so it could be years or even decades! I want to have all my wishlist plants, and then propagate them so I can make bigger wishlist plants. Or if someone wants one I can do a random act of kindness. My plants can get overwhelming at times, so sometimes I'm just lazy and put it off another day or two. I never want my plants to be a stress for me. they've been so helpful through the pandemic, I can't thank them enough. I think it's better to not dedicate one room just to your hobby. Also, the jungalow vibe is awesome, and if they're all stuffed in one room then it defeats the purpose. You do you, there is a ton of support!

Thanks for bringing this topic up. I always was more on the minimalist side of consumerism... until I got into houseplants. There are just so many beautiful plants out there that I felt that I had to have them all. I'm also rethinking things now