I know, I know. Lately, it’s been quite silent here in Flash For Zonzon. Let me explain.
Too much everything in life. One thing of this bundle of everything is houseplants. I have hopelessly lost my mind and soul to houseplants. The increasing amount of plant pots causes the increasing need of care of these green friends. The number of species is growing and the size of my darlings is getting bigger. It is a chain reaction that causes the need to repot plants to bigger pots. All this hassle takes time from other free time activities, like drawing.
I joined a Finnish Facebook group of House Plants. Boom, the amount of knowledge in the group thrilled my brain. I have learned about the different types of breeding grounds. Before it was just a regular sac of soil carried from grocery store. Well, nowadays my plants have different mixtures of coconut fiber, perlite, vermiculite, pine bark, rough sand, leca substrate, moler clay. Every plant type has its own typical need for ground and light.
I have realized that there is point on finding out the care instructions of different plant types. Plants thank you by growing beautifully. And that is the magic!
Also, how it’s said, knowledge increases pain. Before I was totally ignorant of the enemies of houseplants. Species of insects like harmful mites are many who love to consume the wonderful greenery. Just in a concrete way. Now and then there is need to use some power against pests. Anyway, I like to use natural methods.
This image is made for Doodlers Addicts drawing challenge. The topic was Mother Nature. As much as I love to wander in woods I decided to illustrate my plant friends. We in Finland has this long dark period called winter. Especially in those dark days it is precious to have the green vital plants at home and workplace. It really gives energy.
The effect of living plants at home is sure more effective when you live in the weather zone where half of the year there is no leaves on trees. When I visited Spain, I felt myself become fools seeing all the plants we care so tenderly indoors, growing wild and happy outdoors. A ten-meter-high ficus compared to my meter-high-ficus elastica.
All the plants in this image live with me. But these are just part of them. Maybe I’ll illustrate them all later… Good idea!?
Many of the plants has been years with me, like twenty or more. We grow together. This money tree is one of them. And Euphorbia leuconeura, Madagascar jewel, has lived with me as long as I can remember. This or the children of the original plant. I keep on growing new little Madagascar jewels and give them forward to human friends.
