Urban Jungle - the challenges and joys of being a plant mother
Have you ever come across the term Urban Jungle? It usually refers to using, abusing, or really abusing plants in home decor ! And let's face it, plants are a way to decorate and make your home cozy, but you need to have a routine and care to maintain them!
Living in São Paulo is a constant challenge, after all, we are in the largest metropolis in the country, in direct contact with pollution, trash and chaos. But no, I don't want to discourage you from coming to the center, despite all this, this is a land full of history, opportunity, and ways to take care of yourself.
When I decided to live alone, I made a PowerPoint presentation for my father, with all the furniture I wanted in the house, colors, styles and decorations. For those who don't know, my father is an architect and carpenter of custom furniture! And one of the elements of this presentation were the plants I wanted to have in the house, because having plants in an apartment or studio apartment requires planning.
In this text, I want to tell you how to care for plants, and most importantly, how to incorporate this care into your routine! Plants, in addition to making the environment beautiful, help us to ground ourselves and occupy our minds with other demands.
Starting the Urban Jungle: Find out where to buy plants...
My biggest mistake was to start buying plants at the supermarket. That's because it's super expensive, and you're not sure how to care for them. I recommend buying plants at CEAGESP, at the plant fair at dawn, or at the market, because the vendor will be able to explain how to care for them and tell you everything about the plant. That's the best way to start your urban jungle!
CEAGESP has the largest flower and plant fair in the country, with an entire warehouse lined with many varieties and prices. The fair takes place in the early hours of Thursday to Friday, and is a place for both apartment dwellers and florists who need to replenish stock. The best part is that the prices are fair and affordable, and the plants are also of good quality, not exposed to artificial light or the care of a supermarket. CEAGESP is a little far from the center , located in Vila Leopoldina, but with an Uber for R$30.00 you can arrive safely and guarantee your plants.
A place that is a real treat and is located in the Santa Cecília region is Bluemenfee Florticultura , a wonderful space with the most charming plants in São Paulo. The price is a little high, so you will hardly leave there with your entire urban jungle, but you will find all kinds of flowers, plants and arrangements for your home. In addition, Bluemenfee is located in the garage of Casa Jardim Secreto , a place that brings together art, decoration and aromatherapy from different vendors in São Paulo. So, in addition to leaving with your own little potted plant, you have the chance to get a natural perfume kit, or an artisanal passion fruit liqueur, a tongue cleaner, and an ecobag! There are so many options, it's a Sunday outing that I recommend!
...and which plants to buy for your urban jungle
But before you go to all these places, you need to understand which plants to buy and have. Remember at the beginning of the text when I mentioned the presentation of plants and decoration? This was an essential step for the beginning of my life as a plant mom: we can't, and shouldn't, have everything at home. To have plants at home, you need to evaluate your space and light! To do this, I'm going to take one of the Citas apartments and give examples.
One of my favorite rooms at Citas is this one in República , all decorated in a gray, blue, white and black palette.
Here, we have some light coming from the window (it doesn't appear in the photo, but you can see it on the website's floor plan), but it would still be too little to have a thicket in the room. The best plants for this room are succulents and darker foliage plants with wide leaves.
Succulents are very hardy plants that like low light and low water, as their leaves already have a lot of water in them. They are great plants for those who spend little time at home or have difficulty taking care of them. They are also ornamental and each one has its own unique style! Perfect for the urban jungle!
Succulents can be small, and in this Citas apartment they look great on the woodwork on the walls that hold the pictures!
And what plant would you put next to the sofa? I'm sure you've asked yourself that too! Next to the gray sofa, near the window, I would put a larger plant with dark leaves. One of the internet's favorites is the ficus lyrata, a beautiful and enormous plant that does really well in apartments, as it doesn't need much light or much watering.
Another plant that is also a favorite among apartment gardeners and is great for your urban jungle is the rib plant, a plant with huge leaves that can be grown in both soil and water! In addition, the rib plant is great for those who love photography and watercolor painting, a great reference for aesthetics.
How to take care of plants when traveling?
I think this is one of the main concerns of those who have an urban jungle, or want to have one. Plants are living beings, which in addition to water and light, need a lot of love and care. My grandmother talks to her orchids, and it has been proven that talking to plants is essential for their growth.
When you’re traveling and can’t invite any friends over, you can do the following trick: buy a few small bottles of water and then pour all the water into a bucket. Then, run a sharp knife over the stove burner and pierce the bottle near the base! Now, fill the bottle with the water you saved and place it in the plant pot. Open the lid a little and let the water slowly drain into the pot. This way, you’ll be able to keep the soil moist and your plant will survive your trip.
Food plants!
Trash is a big issue in Brazil. We have lots of landfills and dumps, and we usually don't pay attention to how easily we dispose of what we consume. And the most interesting thing about becoming a plant parent is to realize how food is a great source of plants.
Roots, fruits and vegetables can become kitchen plants, water plants and potted plants. If you are vegetarian or vegan, you definitely can't miss sweet potatoes at your grocery store! I personally love baked sweet potatoes, I think it's one of the tastiest ways to eat them. And there's always a stalk of potato left over that we don't use, or in the rush of everyday life, we overcook the potatoes and they end up spoiling.
This is when you can reinvent what would otherwise end up as trash. When you put the stem of a sweet potato in water, it sprouts and turns into beautiful foliage! The vase can be a small pot, a glass, or if you want to be bold, a really pretty glass vase. You can find tips on where to buy glass for your home in this article here.
Phew! So many tips, huh! I think that with these you can already mother and father your plants, make your room more cozy and with your personality, and also be able to clean the air in the greater São Paulo area. Don't forget to tell me how your plant adventure is going: omiobinrin@gmail.com