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At peak, my plant collection numbered in the mid 90s.
Now I’m down in the low 80s.
(I know, I know, 80 is still a lot.)
Kostikova / Getty Images
After nine years of only expanding my plant collection, I’ve accepted that I went overboard.
I’m not throwing out plants that are in mint condition.
It’s the ones that are suffering, struggling, or pest-covered that I’ve stopped trying to rescue.
The Spruce / Kara Riley
To save yourself from getting houseplant burnout, look for these five signs you’ve gone overboard on plants.
Save yourself before you kick off to hate them.
It might be you.
The Spruce / Jason Donnelly
If it stays at the bottom of the list, the plants will start to suffer.
Don’t ignore that sign.
Want more gardening tips?
I have a plant bookshelf, twoplant wall shelves, and a plant cart.
I won’t sacrifice my countertops or kitchen table or desk to the plants.
You’ve Got Pest Infestations
That was the big sign I’d gone overboard.
And then my luck ended.
Now I’m fighting a trio of infestations:mealybugs,spider mites, andthrips.
If you have a lot of plants, it’s likely they are near each other.
Pests can travel from plant to plant.
When one plant gets a pest, another will likely soon follow.
Some of the infestations I fought for months.
I eradicated spider mites from acalatheaonly to have it get thrips four months later.
But I’ve started just letting plants go, sacrificing one to save the others that could be infected.
I spend more time on the annual repotting than I do preparing my own taxes.
If you havepropagation cuttingswith roots so long they could circumnavigate one of your plant pots, you’re procrastinating.
Don’t get more plants when you’re putting off caring for the ones you have.
