How to tell if you’ve taken frugality too far
I want to get a Boston Fern, both because I’ve been feeling really daring about being able to grow a plant lately, and because they’re supposed to be one of the houseplants that are good for purifying the air. (Also, they’re pretty and it would look good in a hanging container, which is a necessary part of saving it from the jaws of our plant-eating cat.)
My husband pointed out that Wikipedia says, “The fern thrives best in humid conditions, so when grown as a house plant it becomes necessary to mist the plant when relative humidity falls below around 80%.”
Since the average lowest humidity here is 36.3%, we’d be misting it pretty much every day.
We’d have to find a spray bottle.
But why should I spend two bucks on a spray bottle if I can come up with something better? Re-using an old one is out of the question, because I don’t want to accidentally kill the plant with chemical residue.
I immediately began thinking of spray-bottle alternatives. Maybe we could flick water on it with our fingers. Or we could bring it into the bathroom when showering. Just think! We could make walking the plant to and from the bathroom each day a part of our morning routine!
Ok, maybe we could just buy the spray bottle. (Although if you have another frugal alternative, I’m all ears.)
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April 5th, 2008 at 6:35 pm
I imagine asking my husband to carry a plant in the bathroom everyday for misting would go over like a lead balloon.
You can get a spray bottle at the Dollar Tree for $1. Just do yourself (and your family) a favor and buy it.
April 6th, 2008 at 7:29 am
Altho Boston Ferns are a really pretty plant, misting it daily would mean you’d have to be careful of misting the wall, water dripping on the floor/rug which would mean possiblity of stains, etc.
I’d opt for pothos – plain or golden. Also a plant that purifies the air plus the added advantage of being able to go without water for a week (or more as I often forget), can easily start new plants from cuttings and will even grow in just water!
Best of luck with whatever plant you chose.
April 10th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
It’s true, we do occasionally take frugality too far. If you’re already an avid saver, savings can become almost a hobby. I agree with two cents – the dollar store is an inexpensive (and sanity saving) alternative. Although, it did make for quie an amusing entry!