The web rallied behind a girl who stated that whereas getting “clippings” from her beloved houseplants, her niece and sister-in-law killed a number of of them—after which offered the clippings.
In a brand new Reddit publish to the favored r/AmITheA**gap subreddit, u/plantmomaita requested if she was improper to ban her niece and sister-in-law from her residence after they killed her houseplants whereas attempting to get clippings. The publish has over 11,200 upvotes and three,100 feedback.
“Years in the past I acquired actually into houseplants and began to gather them. Over time Ive had as much as 70, however whittled my assortment right down to about 35, simply those I actually love,” u/plantmomaita wrote. “My niece Jenny (14F) has developed an curiosity in vegetation and can come over and we are going to speak about them and she or he helps with propagation and repotting.”
The unique poster, or OP, says she needed to exit of city for 2 weeks on enterprise, and requested Jenny and her mom if they might handle the vegetation whereas she was gone. In trade, she’d provide Jenny cash but additionally just a few cuttings, so she might develop her personal copies of the vegetation. They agreed, and u/plantmomaita confirmed them how one can care to the vegetation.
“SIL requested how a lot just a few of them ran me and I did share. This did not appear bizarre bc the household is aware of and Ive gotten some vegetation as presents,” u/plantmomaita added.
However when she acquired dwelling, she noticed a bloodbath.
“Nicely I returned from my journey and was horrified. They watered and gave the correct quantity of sunshine, however in addition they determined to present loads of my vegetation haircuts. Massive ones,” she wrote. “My prized cebu blue pothos mom plant was destroyed. The climbing one too. My manjula pothos had been performed the identical. My golden that I skilled up my stairwell. My string of pearls, hearts, and ruby necklace all destroyed. My silver stripe philodendron.”
“The worst was that my pink princess philo had been decreased to 2 leaves. And my albo monstera is down to 3. I do not even suppose they acquired nodes essentially. These vegetation are costly and prized,” she added.
She says she “broke down,” and when Jenny and her mom got here to return her key, she “screamed and screamed” at them. When Jenny began crying and stated that since she was promised cuttings, she thought it was okay. The OP demanded Jenny return the “cuttings” as a result of “SHE KNEW I DIDN’T MEAN SHE COULD DESTROY MY F***ING PLANTS,” however Jenny’s mom stated “what’s performed is finished.”
When u/plantmomaita balked at Jenny’s mom’s remark and stated, no, Jenny would return every part, Jenny stated that “Mother already offered most of them on market.”
“I misplaced it and simply screamed and screamed at them till Jenny was crying and her mother acquired in my face and informed me I used to be having a tantrum over vegetation. I informed her to get the fuck out of my home and do not EVER come anyplace close to me or my dwelling once more,” she wrote. “I referred to as my brother (SIL husband) and he was shocked and stated they informed him I stated it was all okay. He introduced me the stuff she hadn’t offered but and apologized.”
The OP says that she informed her brother she by no means wished to see both of them once more, however he stated that whereas he understands she’s upset, she was “taking it too far and that household means not holding grudges.”
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Taking cuttings from vegetation is an efficient solution to develop further vegetation. It’s a comparatively easy course of—simply take a stem reducing, and put it in a rising medium like peat moss, limestone or water till it grows roots, in line with dwelling and backyard web site, The Spruce. After that, the plant may be put into a brand new pot or the bottom. Cuttings work finest with soft-stemmed herbaceous vegetation, the Spruce says, however some woody vegetation will even develop from cuttings.
There are various issues to concentrate on when taking cuttings from a dad or mum plant. It must be wholesome and in its energetic development section—and ideally, the clipping should not have too many flowers on it, the Spruce says. It must also be massive sufficient that eradicating a part of the plant will not damage it.
Cuttings will even must have a node, which is a bump the place a leaf or bud would develop from—that is the place the roots will develop, the Spruce says. A reducing ought to comprise on the very least, one node and two leaves, in line with the location, which additionally notes reducing ought to typically solely be about six inches lengthy, as longer ones can dry out and die. As well as, if the reducing has too many leaves, that may stop the expansion of roots.
Reddit strongly backed u/plantmomaita, saying that Jenny and her mom had gone too far.
“I might give them the choice to switch every part. Then in the event that they did not I might straight up file a police report in regards to the stolen and broken property after which file with my renters insurance coverage, who I am assuming would reimburse me and sue them,” u/tedivm recommended.
“NTA…The half about “being offered already”. This was deliberate. This was about cash. A 14 yr previous is aware of higher than to steal somebody’s exhausting work and promote it. As a plant lover myself. I’m so sorry this occurred to you. It will need to have been devastating,” u/JustJessJ_Art wrote.
“Yeah, nicely “household” means we do not intentionally rob one another, both, however right here we’re. NTA,” u/Senator_Bink wrote.
A few fellow plant fans clarified how costly and uncommon the vegetation had been.
“Not OP however a few of these vegetation are price probably a whole lot of {dollars}, relying on maturity and site. Even the nodes (tiny chunks of the stem that can be utilized to develop a brand new plant) can go for loopy excessive costs. Changing a completely grown plant might simply price $1000 or extra,” u/bewildflowers wrote. “It may appear excessive however I might completely comply with this up with a police report or insurance coverage declare.”
“Her Albo was decreased to three leaves!! Even when they took 1 or 2 leaves, mature albos with 3+ leaves are $$$. I spent $200 final yr on a node with ZERO leaves,” u/hoppityhoppity agreed. “A high reducing from an albo, good variegation, is a whole lot. I noticed one at this time on Etsy with one half moon leaf going for $350, and that’s not an outlier by any stretch.”
As of this writing, a full, wholesome albo monstera plant is that can be purchased on Etsy for $6,500.