Westerly Sun Column | How to Keep Your Houseplants Alive

I have a friend who has — no exaggeration — over 100 plants in her home. She knows all of their names, and has found the ideal spot in the house for each one, depending on how much light they require. She even has cute little growing lights for those that need it. Not only has she managed to keep her plants alive, they are absolutely THRIVING. Conversely, I have a grand total of nine houseplants, all of which are perpetually on the verge of death (and have been, for the last five years or so) because I can’t quite figure them out. Until now, anyway. The time has come. My bag is full of recently checked-out books, like “What is My Plant Telling Me?” by Emily L. Hindsdale, and I’m ready to learn all I can about houseplant care. Why the sudden change? We have a very exciting project launching at the library next month, and it’s kicking my butt into gear!

Beginning on Oct. 15, Westerly Library and Wilcox Park is starting our own Plant Cutting Library! Located on the second floor, right next to our Seed Library, this will be a place where community members can share and grow their houseplant collections. Here’s how it works: bring a rooted plant cutting (no dirt, and no pots, please), and place it in one of the tubes of water. Fill out the log with any pertinent information about the plant, such as the name and care instructions. If you donate a cutting, you are invited to take one of the others home with you; we’ll have damp paper towels and plastic baggies for you to transport it home safely. That’s it! Our hope is that — with your help — the cutting library will be self-sustaining, and filled with beautiful plants for the taking.

Perhaps you (much like myself) are interested in growing your home plant collection, but you can’t distinguish a snake plant from a spider plant. Not to worry, we have plenty of books at the library for complete novices! “The Green Dumb Guide to Houseplants” by Holly Theisen-Jones is a straightforward guide to caring for 45 different plants, from hardy, “practically plastic” varieties to more finicky types. If you want to take part in our Plant Cutting Library, but don’t know the first thing about propagation, fear not! “The Propagation Handbook” by Hilton Cater or “The Plant Propagator’s Bible” by Miranda Smith will walk you through the whole process, from what tools and supplies are needed, to which methods are best for different plants. You’ll be a pro in no time!

As mentioned, the Plant Cutting Library will launch on Oct. 15, at which point we welcome you to bring your adorable rootlings to the library. Since many cuttings take several weeks to root, the time is NOW to get them started! If you have questions about the Plant Cutting Library, please feel free to reach out to us. And if you have a question about plant care … well, at least I can point you in the direction of a good book.

by Cassie Skobrak, Adult Services Librarian