Okay, for the last time … in a while anyway …
The other thing that I learned when being a houseplant parent is that there is a lot of information devoted to easy-to-care for houseplants.
I’ve killed a few plants myself, either by neglect, negligence or ignorance.
In almost every amateur horticulturalists’ blog or vlog that I’ve come across, there is at least one post that is devoted to these easy-to-care plants.
With exceptions, I again see similarities between the nurturing of houseplants to businesses. When I unpack the reasons why there is so much interest in easy-to-care houseplants, I think of Buffett’s slightly facetious line:
“I try to invest in businesses that are so wonderful that an idiot can run them. Because sooner or later, one will.”
Mr Buffett (circa late 2000s) on a variation on the same theme:
“If you’ve got a good enough business, if you have a monopoly newspaper, if you have a network television station — I’m talking of the past — you know, your idiot nephew could run it. And if you’ve got a really good business, it doesn’t make any difference.”
Innate resilience.
That’s what you should look for in houseplants (and businesses). (More discussion here.)
Though some gardeners (investors and/or CEOs) enjoy a challenge. Either that or there is no other choice.
For those that want something easy-to-care, look no further than the “plants” that are resilient that can withstand outright neglect (incidentally that is how Berkshire does it by having a hands-off approach to its subsidiaries). The key is in picking the right houseplant and also knowing a bit of what kind of plant parent you are yourself.