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rachel whetzel

@whetzelmomma

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Artist. Teacher. Rust Lover. Rule Bender. Green Thumb. Spider Saver. Sailor Mouth. Mess Maker. Chewy Mom. Gritty Gramma. Good Intender.

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I did plant chores and repotted YESTERDAY... I still haven't wrapped a single Christmas gift... So naturally, I'm mixing up potting soil I won't need until after Christmas. #getdirtunderyournails #plantchores #planttherapy #procrastinationstation

I have refined my mix to suit the majority of my plants and my watering habits. I live in the PNW, and my home's ambient humidity sits around 50% most days. My home's year round temperature is pretty steady, between 68-74° F. Usually within the 69-72° range. I supplement with grow lights because my natural light isn't great, so my plants get light 12+ hours a day. I try to take time to check my plant pots once a week. In the past, I was a chronic UNDERWATERER. (Hey. Life gets busy. Some weekends don't include plant care, and back in the day, I lost track of time even worse than I do now!) This information is important , because my home conditions vs someone else's home conditions, and how/where we grow our plants changes what kind of soil will create the best chance for success! I've found that if soil is too chunky, my Hoya especially dry out too much, and the ones with delicate roots are at risk of dry rot. So to counter the speedy dry out, I add coir to the chunky coco husk that many Hoya growers use in more temperate/humid areas. I also include Pumice in place of perlite because pumice adds weight, and holds water for longer than perlite. It still helps maintain the airflow necessary for healthy roots like perlite does. I round out the mix with horticulture charcoal for even more chunk, and worm castings to add nutrients to my otherwise zero nutrient mix. For plants that need even more moisture, I will customize this base by adding coir, or using wicking pots. By keeping the foundation of my substrate chunky, I reduce the risk of root rot from roots staying wet too long because air can still circulate within the substrate. I also create a longer window of time before I MUST water or lose plants. I made this adjustment about a year ago, and the more I use it, the more I love it. by @whetzelmomma

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10 months ago

Rehab update! A while back I shared that my marble queen pothos was not doing well. It had been a pot full of cuttings that never really rooted, and so I had to clean them up and try to salvage what was left of them. I put what was left into Fluval Stratum, and I'm excited to report that they are doing really well!! I got my Fluval from Petco near me, and I'm learning that you can mix it, and make it go even further. So far, everything I've put in it has rooted, and faster than any other medium I've used. It's reusable, so even though it costs a bit, it will go far. In the long run, I will save money because I think it will keep me from losing plants and props. Another reason I love the stuff is because I don't need to worry about getting it all off my roots when I move the plant to soil. #plantrehab #plantsofinstagram #marblequeenpothos #pothos by @whetzelmomma

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3 years ago

Handwashing station! Normally, I don't collect the grey water, but I put holes into an old pot to keep the rinse water from splashing. <3 #MigMogAcres Who knew all those years ago you had that station on a tree, I would make your redneck genius into something like this, eh Cody? by @whetzelmomma

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6 years ago

I got plants. I got lots of plants. Lots of plants takes up lots of time. Especially on watering days. I recently put together a system after I saw @_plantswithkrystal_ share her watering bucket on wheels with a camping shower submersible pump. I ordered my pump on Amazon, and got a rolling caddy with rollerblade wheels so that bad puppy can go over my carpeted floors fully loaded with water, no problems. I cut my watering time down from 5 hours to 2.5-3. I love the system so much I bought a smaller bucket and a pump for my classroom. I have one for bathing the dogs. (Now I can put warm water in the bucket and bathe them indoors or out.) But TODAY I just cracked ANOTHER watering time saver. I broke out a second 5 gallon bucket. While I'm watering using one bucket, I leave the second in the sink with a slow trickle of water to fill while I water with the first. When the first bucket is empty, I switch them out, and refill the first while I empty the second. No more waiting for the bucket to refill! Cut another 30 min off of watering. Got all 260+ plants watered in 2 hours. Less than 30 seconds per plant! by @whetzelmomma

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6 days ago

Some days you get a reminder that you might have made a difference to one of those kids you've taught and loved. I try to make a piece of art for each of my seniors to take with them at the end of their senior year. In 2024 I read the book "I Wish You More" to my seniors, and gave them this art. Today, I got a message from one of those seniors... This is their fridge. In their new home. With a message from them... "You made it to Missouri with me."
#imnotcryingyourecrying by @whetzelmomma

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11 days ago

Straight out of the camera! Hoya Rebecca blooms! The first set for me, from a rooted cutting gifted to me by @lindsaylabelle3 last year. She has taken root, and even has a couple more peduncles getting ready! The blooms smell like roses. Set under a single @barrina_us corded pick light. #lightingmatters #hoyaheads #hoyarebeccaflower by @whetzelmomma

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15 days ago

I just adore the markings on this Hoya Thompsonii (white) one of my favorites. by @whetzelmomma

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a month ago

Snail mail delivery today! Such a fun little bundle to look forward to each month! ❤️
#snailmailclub by @whetzelmomma

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a month ago

I come from a long line of green thumbs. My mom's mom was an outdoor plant girl. Day lilies and roses remind me of her. All her plants were in her yard, and on her covered porch. My great Gramma had plants she carried with her from California. Plants I remember as a little girl, on her small patio space beside my gramma's house before their move to Oregon. Her jungle cactus. Her red geraniums in their Mexican Terracotta pots. Her gnarled knuckles as she firmly pulled off spent blooms and taught me how to deadhead and why. My dad's dad grew a giant Aloe in his porch in Arizona, and tended a small grove of fruit trees in that dessert yard. My own dad studied bonsai, and grew fruits and vegetables every year. Peonies and naked ladies were his flowers. Plants are in my blood. I started with flowerbeds and gardens... My houseplant collection began with a Hoya. One cut from a mother plant that once belonged to my husband's great grandmother. It's probably not strange then, that I have a little bit of nostalgic love for the old school plants. The nothing fancy plants. They remind me of my childhood. The men and women who taught me how to nurture and tend. They smell like California to my four year old memories. Part of my collection is beginning to gather some of those heritage style plants. Is there a name for that style? They are 70's plants to me... The kind I grew up with. They aren't flashy. They're tough as nails. And they are beautiful. Do you have a plant that reminds you of old times? A memory attached to one of those OG houseplants? #nostalgicplants by @whetzelmomma

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a month ago

My first ping bloom!! Love my little bug eaters!
#carivorousplantbog #pinguicula #sundew by @whetzelmomma

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2 months ago

Back to the grind this week... And a mystery bouquet left on my porch the first day of school. I had my suspicions it was my sweet neighbor across the street, and I was right! Thank you, Janice! I love them. by @whetzelmomma

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2 months ago

#snailmailclub from @mixonplantsncrafts today... ❤️ by @whetzelmomma

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2 months ago