I'm going out with a guy who told me that I have too many plants.

I was shocked because those words are offensive, ill-informed, and incorrect. I told him he had too many opinions and never to say that again (he hasn't).

Besides, how is it possible to have too many plants? Do parks, reserves, deserts, fields, and lawns have too many plants? No. I mean it's not like I have 400 cats running around my living room (I have only 326, thankyouverymuch).

But I mentioned this to a friend who said her husband also constantly tells her she has too many plants, even if she breaks down an Echeveria and puts each leaf into is own pot--that's the same number of plants as before but suddenly it becomes "too many."

Do you have such wretched, terrible, in your own life? How do you get rid of, I mean deal with, them?

Where are all these plants?
Inside?
I used to live with a "crazy cat lady".
12 cats in a 2 room apt.
She also fed the possums.
Unfortunate!y, no plants...
Maybe that was the problem.

If this guy isn't a plant guy.... Maybe you need to date some of the people on this site.

Maybe ask @dave for a dating forum.
I'd use it.

Haha! I probably would, too. I'm the only gay 30-something man on the planet who doesn't drink or party or do drugs. In other words, I'm extremely boring and dull unless you want to talk about breeding plants.

My plants are mostly outside, so it's not even fair to criticize me. And when winter comes the majority of them will be composted. I do have about 30 houseplants but even most of those are outside right now. The only ones who stay indoors in summer are my epiphytic cacti, orchid, delicate Lithops, and any topiaries that I happen to be training.

(Also for the record, I have 0 cats, lol.)

You can never have to many plants, you are correct, too many opinions.

Jai_Ganesha said:I'm the only gay 30-something man on the planet who doesn't drink or party or do drugs.

My plants are mostly outside...

(I have 0 cats)

Did you used to party?

Really doubt that statement would stand up if you made a sober partner a priority.
Maybe try visiting one of the groups dedicated to helping people change their drunken ways.

If most of the plants are outside.... Sounds like. He just wanted something to complain about.... Straight people are the same.

0 cats!
What?

How does anyone have a garden and zero cats?

I keep a herd, but they're working cats....

The GF didnt like her cats to hunt, practically had hysterics when one of my cats brought in his kill to eat....

No, never. I have never partied, smoked marijuana, been drunk, or a host of other things most people think are fun. I'm also a lifelong vegetarian, have never had a TV, and very rarely even take caffeine.

It's a strange set of circumstances that has led to me basically being a holy old judgmental puritan. lol

If you are able to take good care of all your plants, then you don't have too many. Enjoy them, and poooh to the naysayer! Same thing goes for cats.

I think some people don't realize how much our entire lives depend on plants.

From the clothes we wear, to the foods we eat, to the homes in which we live, to the air we breathe. None of that would be possible without plants.

I think that a couple generations ago we were probably not so far removed from the fact that our entire existence depends on plants like this.

well I suppose he has the right to that opinion and to voice it if you are in a relationship. You do want a relationship where both of you are free to speak? If he speaks and you don't like it, ? My husband does that to me, he will ask me something, I will tell him what I think about it and then he is mad because I didn't say what he wanted to hear. Quite frankly we don't get along and are not compatible. There are other fish in the sea, yes there are. If he bothers you this much, you should consider ending the relationship. Honestly, being with someone who doesn't like you as a person, or value your passions is REALLY miserable. I know from experience. Now if he just voices, but still respects your habits, that is ok. But if he nags, complains, makes you feel like there is something wrong w you or that he is better than you, that you need 'fixed', you have huge red flags.

I agree that you might see if you could find a fellow gardener, Jai. There are a lot of them around if you frequent nurseries, garden clubs and garden sites. It's hard to live with someone who doesn't appreciate the way you want to live.

Jai_Ganesha said:No, never. I have never partied, smoked marijuana, been drunk, or a host of other things most people think are fun. I'm also a lifelong vegetarian, have never had a TV, and very rarely even take caffeine.

Probably for the best.... You seem like the kind of person that could easily over-indulge, and find yourself enslaved to some of the worst kind do self-destructive habits....

Reckon you should be grateful for not trudging some of the paths that the rest of us went down....

It's a lot easier to have never started smoking, than to quit... Or... Drinking, or.... Some of the drugs I hear about....

Those new designer drugs.... There's something about synthetics... Not good in the garden, and not good in us....

Believe me, I know whereof I speak.... I watch Jerry Springer and Dr Phil when I need a reminder of what it was like to party....

Interesting idea that Karen has about using plant nurseries as a dating scene.... Maybe she can give us some tips?

We have the opposite issue here. Let's just say I know my limits and have almost come to a complete stop with adopting new plants. Almost. I am at my limit to care for what we already have . DH OTOH sees something new and wants it! But that's easy to do when you're not the one caring for them. He's so cute, gets all excited when he likes one. Then I start in about "How much sun does it need?" "Where should we put it?". Then he decides, yes, our garden is pretty full up.

Stone! I'm happily married almost 52 years, so I don't find dates there, but I do end up talking to many of the other patrons and staff. It's fun, and if I were single, I think it could result in dates. It probably depends a bit on the nursery. Some are more friendly than others.

Most cities have organized garden clubs.

That's true, but in my experience most of the members are middle aged and older. I never see any younger ones like Jai might want to meet.

My hubby is annoyed when I bring in some of the plants for overwintering. Yet he wants me to propagate and propagate. Kept telling him we will lack space if we do that and our growing area has such weather limitations. I plant in moderation and try to really understand what can and will endure our weather extremes here. I do experiment at times too, and still attend plant shows more to see what else I have not grown or to see what methods are being used, or any new plant tools I can use in my garden. And my hubby goes with me, and is even eager to attend them these past few years, finally dawning on him there is a lot of effort in gardening. But we still clash in how to garden, specifically since he is not a gardener and he refuses to listen to my input when he wants to move around the plants when I expressly prohibit him from doing so.

Oh he really gets irked, when I eventually remind him what happened when he decided to move some plants while I was away one summer, and how many died, all because he did not follow my instructions to just water ever few days and do not move them.

I hope he's listening now, and not moving or overwatering things while you're gone. It is nice he will go to the plant shows and nurseries with you.

Ah still on and off battle of wills

Darn, I wonder how many more years it will be before he 'gets' it?

Ah...lifetime??