Hello Everyone!
A few weeks ago, we happened to pass by a small flower shop filled with a variety of plants and flowers. The place immediately caught our attention, so we decided to stop and take a closer look. There were colorful flowers neatly arranged, hanging plants by the entrance, and rows of potted greens that made the whole shop feel fresh and alive. My mom was drawn to the flowers and mentioned that she wanted to buy some to plant in our backyard to make it more vibrant.
While she was looking around, I had a different idea in mind. Instead of flowers, I suggested that we try buying plants that are more practical—something we could actually use in our daily meals. I mentioned plants like lemon, calamansi, or chili. Among those, I was really hoping to find a calamansi plant since we use it almost every day in our cooking. It would have been convenient to just pick fresh calamansi right from our own backyard.
Unfortunately, when we asked the seller, they told us that calamansi plants were out of stock. I was a bit disappointed, but the seller suggested that we could try chili plants instead. It wasn’t exactly what I had in mind, but it still felt like a good choice. So in the end, we decided to buy two pots of chili plants and brought them home.
At first, I thought taking care of plants would be easy. In my mind, it was simple—just place them in a good spot, water them, and let nature take care of the rest. But after a few days, I started noticing changes that worried me. The leaves began turning brown, and the plants didn’t look as healthy as when we first bought them.
I immediately assumed that they needed more water, so I started watering them every day. Slowly, I noticed some improvement. The plants began to look fresher, and the leaves regained some of their color. I felt relieved, thinking I had figured things out.
However, while scrolling through the internet one day, I came across some advice about plant care. Many people were saying that watering plants every day is not always good. In fact, some plants only need to be watered every couple of days, depending on their type and environment. That made me curious, so I decided to test it myself.
I skipped watering the plants for just one day.
The next time I checked on them, I was shocked. The leaves had curled up, and the plants looked like they were struggling. It was surprising how quickly they reacted. I panicked a little and quickly watered them again, hoping I hadn’t caused too much damage.
The following day, I checked on them once more, and to my amazement, the plants seemed to recover. The leaves had opened up again, and although they were slightly wrinkled, they looked much healthier than before. It was such a small moment, but it felt rewarding to see them bounce back.
From that experience, I realized something important. Taking care of plants is not as simple as I first thought. It’s not just about watering them whenever you feel like it—it’s about understanding their needs, observing their condition, and learning through trial and error.
In a way, plants are like pets. They may not move or make sounds, but they respond to how you care for them. They need attention, consistency, and the right balance. Too much water can harm them, and too little can do the same. It’s a quiet kind of responsibility, but a meaningful one.
Now, every time I look at our chili plants, I’m reminded of that lesson. Something so small taught me the importance of patience and awareness. And even though we didn’t get the calamansi plant I originally wanted, I’m glad we chose the chili plants instead—because they gave me more than just something to grow. They gave me something to learn from.
