plant mom - Boston Moms

Long before I became a mom to my son, I became a plant mom.

I hope you’re not thinking “crazy plant mom,” as in the oft-envisioned “crazy cat lady.” But I enjoy being a mom to my (mostly) content household plants. Plants are one of the few constant bright spots in this uncertain world. I enjoy outdoor gardening as well, but New England offers such a short gardening season, and it’s nice to have the year-long comfort that comes with indoor plants. I admire them in my bay window daily and instantly feel a sense of peace. Not to mention there are health benefits to owning indoor plants, such as cleaner air to breathe.  

I mention myself as the sole person responsible for my household plants for a reason — I am a bit protective of my plants. I don’t want my son over-watering them, for example. And I prefer to leave my well-meaning husband off of plant duty completely. (The one time I asked him to water my plants, he not only watered them, he also doused the fake plant that was next to them. Enough said.)

Perhaps you already know the joy of being a plant mom. If you are not yet a plant mom, or if you’re a newbie plant mom, I truly believe plants will bring you great comfort. If you’d like to own plants but are not sure where to start, below are a few varieties that are super easy to have in your house. 

Trust me when I say you cannot kill the following plants:

Snake plant (sansevieria)

These plants are low maintenance (unlike your children). They require very little and in the winter can actually go a month or two without water! Doesn’t get much easier than that. They can take bright light or low light, and the tall ones look beautiful in planters on the floor.

Christmas cactus (schlumbergera)

I have a few of these, and the flowers come back each winter after I’ve done absolutely nothing to them all year besides water them every two or three weeks (and add an occasional fertilizer). Make sure your pot has a draining hole, and water it a bit more frequently than the snake plant. Otherwise, no special care is required!

Pothos (epipremnum aureum)

This is the absolute rookie plant for new plant moms. Pothos grow quite a bit, but unlike your actual children, you can give them a trim and they won’t look horrible afterward. (Side note: I learned the hard way that I should not trim my son’s hair.) This beauty will thrive in bright or low light, and once you trim some of the stems you can root them in water and start a new plant!

Chinese money plant (pilea peperomioide)

chinese money plant - Boston Moms

This is a fairly new variety to my home that I discovered recently at Mahoney’s. I wasn’t sure how difficult it would be to care for this plant, but so far, so good. It’s a beautiful plant with round leaves and can be propagated to grow more plants for your own home (or to share as a nice gift). It’s a beautiful conversation piece — not that I’ve had anyone over recently!

Whatever varieties of plants you choose in your own home, I hope the serenity and beauty of being a plant mom is something you will enjoy as much as I do. After all, unlike your children, plants are quiet, eat what you feed them, and can be left alone for a while.

Cheryl Mastrogiovanni
Cheryl is a native of Salem, MA, and now resides in Arlington with her husband and son. A graduate of Boston College, she has been a high school counselor for over 20 years and enjoys helping seniors navigate the college application process. A lifelong Boston Bruins fan, Cheryl began attending hockey games with her father in the original Boston Garden at the age of 8, a tradition she is now sharing with her son. Cheryl published a children’s picture book about the Bruins, and is also passionate about soccer, Cape Cod, all things Italian, and spending time with her family. As much as she loves to travel, she equally loves coming home. Loves: playing soccer on the weekends, GOOD pizza, hot summer nights, '80s music, sneakers, and being organized Dislikes: long meetings, loud noises, messiness