Why Killing Houseplants Doesn’t Make You a Bad Plant Parent: Best of Growing Joy Replay

2026-08-06

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When it comes to killing plants, it's not a matter of if... it's a matter of when. And killing a plant doesn't mean you're bad at plants. It just means you're a plant parent. But so many of us carry real shame around plant death. One loss, and we decide we're a plant killer and quit for good. In this Best of Growing Joy series episode, I'm bringing back my conversation with Cassidy from Succulents and Sunshine about the guilt that comes with plant death, especially with succulents. They get sold as easy care plants. They're...

When it comes to killing plants, it's not a matter of if... it's a matter of when.

And killing a plant doesn't mean you're bad at plants. It just means you're a plant parent. But so many of us carry real shame around plant death. One loss, and we decide we're a plant killer and quit for good.

In this Best of Growing Joy series episode, I'm bringing back my conversation with Cassidy from Succulents and Sunshine about the guilt that comes with plant death, especially with succulents. They get sold as easy care plants. They're not.

We get into why even plant experts lose plants, how to know when to treat versus when to toss, and why your plant number shifts with the seasons of your life.

In this episode, we learn:

[00:00] Does being a plant parent mean you’re also a plant killer?
[05:24] Who is Cassidy and how she became the plant parent she is today
[06:00] What is Succulents and Sunshine about?
[10:55] Cassidy's take on how plant parents handle plant death
[12:45] Trying to keep an echeveria succulent alive
[14:36] When to toss vs. treat your plants [it's simple!]
[16:24] The importance of a plant care routine
[18:34] Why it’s important to know your plant number
[19:27] Emotional attachment to our plants [feat. Maria's lime tree story]
[22:20] Maria's experience with generational plant gifts
[25:45] What Cassidy learned from every plant failure
[25:52] Tip #1 Be more attentive to your plants
[26:18] Tip #2 Different plants require different care
[27:41] Tip #3 Don't be too hard on yourself; plants die in the wild too
[28:43] Where to get plant seeds that are guaranteed to last longer
[30:40] Get quality grow lights that will last and look stunning next to your plants
[32:31] Why most of the plants we have aren’t designed to live in our homes.
[34:39] Why Haworthia is most suitable as your indoor succulent
[36:37] Should you try to grow the same plant again or let it go completely?
[41:20] What are some ways to reduce your plant collection?
[44:13] Learning to let go of dying plants
[48:32] The mental cost of holding onto something that no longer serves you
[51:23] What are the two options when you kill a plant?