Date Written: July 31, 2021
What do you do during your free time aside from being a couch potato and scrolling on your Social Media feed?
What makes you get up early in the morning?
Let me share with you my away-from-the-Social-Media journey that I have just started in April of this year.
It all started with 10 pieces of water spinach that we bought in the market. Instead of throwing the lower part of the stems which we don't include when we make dishes out of this vegetable, I then decided to just plant it. My husband also picked some cuttings of Kamote Tops near our street.
I soaked it in water and let the roots grow from it. One week later, the branches started to bear another tiny branch with leaves.
Before I planted these stems, I already watched some tutorial videos on YouTube and I learned how to make self -watering plant containers out of pet bottles.
I applied what I have learned.
And since we are living in an apartment and we are on the third floor, my greatest challenge was space and soil to use. Also the plots to use were a problem.
But as they say, if there's a will, there will always be ways; so I asked my neighbors for empty pet bottles and soil.
And yey! My plantita life finally started.
I just realized recently what my dreams really are, my retirement plan and one of it is to have my own farmland. I believe that in farming, we'll have a sustainable life. If everyone knows how to plant, we will never get hungry.
Also, all the products in the market are getting high due to inflation or different economic situations, and it won't affect us if we have food planted or produced around us.
It was also my dream to harvest my own fruit and vegetables straight from my own farm.
And I strongly believe that this dream has been the trigger for my planting journey.
Currently, the balcony of our apartment already has several plants. I still have my water spinach, then alugbati, bell pepper, tomatoes, rosemary, spring onion, aloe vera, chili,pechay, calamansi, oregano and I also have a pot of snake plant inside our room. It was just so addictive that I kept on adding plants to my collection.
Planting also keeps me busy during my free time.
My plants also motivate me to wake up early, get up from my bed and go see them.
Planting time or watering the plants goes first before my cup of freshly brewed coffee. And I'm okay.
Also, there were times that I was working from home and when I got stressed, I just went to the balcony and looked into my plants. My cloudy mind and emotions became lighter again.
I also made my own composts as fertilizers for my plants.
I also bought loam soils and every time I make new plant pots, I mix the soils and compost that I have. Composting also lessens our kitchen wastes. By just properly composting - which I've learned online, there'll be no foul smells of your composts.
By looking at my plants, I felt excited as if I am one step closer to my dreams.
I am learning everyday.
It is also a bonus joy during harvest time!
I don't believe in green thumb.
I don't even believe that I have that.
I'm just trying hard every day, I learn from my mistakes, and apply what I have learned.
Experiences will really take us somewhere.
I was once a starter and I just thought that I'll just give it a try to make something productive out of boredom. I didn't know that I would enjoy it this much. I have killed plants from the past (until now actually) and then believing that I don't have a green thumb. But because of my future plans that I am strongly pushing to get done, I won't give up planting and never will quit.
For those who want to start planting or just recently into planting, I personally guarantee that you will love the fruits of your labor.
Just don't stop learning, don't give up, and always give time to have peace of mind.
Yes, planting relaxes my mind.
It's a bit messy but beautiful in the end.
Even though we have limited space and resources, just start with one and look how far you'll go with your plant life journey.
So there!
This is me and this is my plantita journey.
I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoy my life now with my plants!
