#10 Keep a plant alive for 6 months or more

My mom can grow anything. She got a floral arrangement that came in a willow basket once, and she actually got the willow branch basket to sprout and start growing…it went from a basket to a full fledged plant! She passed onto me her eyes, her laugh, and her aversion to running, but she did not pass on her green thumb. She could have spared one, she probably has two on each hand. But she didn’t, and I’ve never been able to grow anything with much success.

So, this year, I decided to try to keep a plant alive for six months or more. I started on this item right away because I figured that if the plant met its maker two months in, I would still have time to start the six months over with a new plant.

I consulted my mom, as well as Google, to find just the right (hardy) plant to grow, but it was my own past that supplied just the right specimen. You see, during my sophomore year of college, one of my roommates bought a house plant. I was doubtful that any of my three roommates or myself would be able to sustain this plant’s life. After all, we were still rookies at taking care of ourselves (I ate Oreos for breakfast, for goodness’ sake). Sure enough, one day, I came home from class to find our plant terribly wilted. Daring to hope, I poured a few glasses of water into its pot and went on with my business. A few hours later, the plant looked as healthy as the day it had arrived. It was a miracle. My roommates and I would witness numerous miracles like this one over the next two years. It was the miraculous nature of this plant that earned it its name. Lazarus. If you’re not familiar, Lazarus was a man in the Bible, a friend of Jesus, who died. He was dead for four days when Jesus came and brought him back to life. A fitting name, and a reminder of the omnipotence of my Lord! He rose a man from the dead, and created a plant that even I could grow. I found out (from the green thumbed wonder) that Lazarus was a Peace Lily. I like to think God thought of me when he designed the Peace Lily.

I knew that if I wanted to keep a plant alive for six months or more, I needed another Lazarus. I went to Lowe’s and bought Lazarus the Second. He is kind enough to remind me when he needs to be watered…and goes from looking quite pitiful, to standing proudly in just a matter of hours. I suppose it’s not ideal to let your plants get near the brink of death before watering them, but it works for Lazarus and I. He’s held on for 11 months now, and while I‘d love to say he‘s thriving, I‘m going to have to settle for saying he‘s surviving!

                                                                  "Lazarus The Second"

My dear friend, Trin, has been gradually and subtly trying to usher me into a new phase of plant ownership. When I was going through a difficult transition from teaching kindergarten to teaching fourth grade this fall, I came home one day to find a beautiful pink geranium on my front stoop. It was from Trin. She wanted me to have something beautiful to usher me out of my house in the morning and welcome me home in the afternoon. I was moved by her thoughtfulness….and slightly worried for the fate of the geranium.

Trin assured me that she would check in on “Gerry”, as we dubbed the pink flowered shrub, and told me that geraniums were difficult to kill. I assured her that if anyone could find a way to lead it to its demise, it was me. But together, we’ve kept Gerry alive (through some close calls) and she’s still blooming. And for my 31^st birthday, Trin brought me two more potted plants to adorn my front porch!

It’s now time to step up my game…after all, I made this list so that I could thrive instead of just survive.  Don't I owe the same to my rooted friends?