Meet Lucy Jones, a Brooklyn woman whose tiny apartment is home to over 150 houseplants – including one very special dirty potato. Lucy’s intense passion for plants fills every corner of her home; learn her plant care tips, see photos of her extensive collection, and find out why one “ugly” tuber holds such meaning.
Meta description: Meet Lucy Jones, the Brooklyn plant lady whose 150+ indoor plants fill her tiny apartment. See photos of Lucy’s jungle home, learn her plant care secrets, and find out why she cherishes her “dirty potato”.
Introduction
For Brooklyn resident Lucy Jones, plants are far more than just home decor – they are her passion, her happy place, and her way of connecting with nature in the urban jungle. Lucy’s devotion to her leafy friends means every corner of her compact apartment is crammed full of pots, from unassuming spider plants to towering Monstera deliciosa. Her plant collection now numbers over 150 specimens, transforming her humble home into a indoor garden.
In this article, we take you inside Lucy’s plant-filled residence to meet the woman nurturing this indoor oasis in the heart of NYC. You’ll discover Lucy’s top tips for caring for popular houseplants, see how she fits so much greenery into her small space, and learn the touching story behind her favorite plant – the “dirty potato”. Leaf through our photos of Lucy’s homegrown jungle, and get inspired to welcome more plant life into your own four walls!
A Winding Path Led Lucy to Plants
Lucy didn’t always dream of living amidst a lush indoor jungle – her love of plants took time to blossom. As a child, she dabbled in gardening alongside her mother, yet never felt a strong connection to it. She left home for college focused on starting her career in marketing. Plant parenthood was far from her mind.
After college, Lucy moved to Brooklyn for her first job. Small living spaces and busy schedules kept her from planting roots of her own at first. But a couple years into city life, Lucy began to miss the greenery she’d known growing up. On a whim, she brought home her first houseplant – a sunny Golden Pothos. Caring for that Pothos brought Lucy joy she hadn’t expected. Soon, one plant became two, then five, then ten. Friends gifted her cuttings, she splurged on rare tropicals from specialty shops. Within a few years, Lucy’s home had become a plant haven.
These days, Lucy’s hundreds of houseplants are central to her lifestyle. Caring for them is how she unplugs from busy city life. The secret to her happy indoor jungle? Dedication to learning what each plant needs to thrive indoors.
Lucy’s Top Tips for Caring for Popular Houseplants
Lucy’s plant prowess comes from experience. Through trial and error with many varieties over the years, she’s learned best practices to help them flourish. Here, Lucy shares top tips for growing several of her favorite indoor plant types. Follow her guidance to have your plants looking lush.
Caring for Succulents and Cacti
From dainty string-of-pearls to majestic 30-foot‐tall giant agave, succulents come in endless shapes and sizes. But most share a love of bright light and long stretches of dry soil. Lucy recommends:
- Place in a south-facing window for at least 4 hours of direct sun daily. Rotate pots regularly so all sides get light.
- Use gritty potting mix formulated for cacti and succulents. Add extra perlite for improved drainage.
- Allow soil to fully dry between waterings. Wait at least 1-2 weeks in winter.
- When watering, drench soil until water drains from the pot’s bottom. This full soaking encourages deep roots.
- Avoid moisture on leaves to prevent rot. Use terra cotta pots to wick away excess dampness.
With proper light and sparse watering, succulents will reward you with vibrant colors and gorgeous shapes.
Growing Lush, Dramatic Tropicals
The tropical plant trend is still going strong, with exotic beauties like Monstera, Philodendron, Anthurium, and Calathea gracing many modern spaces. Though these plants hail from steamy jungles, they can adapt to indoor life. Lucy’s tips for tropical plant success:
- Provide bright, indirect light. East or west-facing windows are ideal. Monitor for leaf scorching if sunlight is too direct.
- Water whenever the top few inches of soil feel dry. Check by sticking a finger in the pot.
- Use pebble trays or humidifiers to boost humidity around the plants to 50-60%.
- Keep temperatures above 60°F. Cooler air can shock them.
- Wipe leaves often with a damp cloth to keep dust free and maximize light absorption.
Give tropicals a proper indoor environment, and their big, glossy leaves and unique flowers will thrive.
Growing Flowering Favorites Like Orchids
Nothing brightens a space quite like gorgeous blooming orchids. Though they have a reputation as fussy, Lucy insists that “with some simple tricks, orchids are easy indoor bloomers.” Her tips:
- Place in an east-facing window. Bright but indirect light keeps orchids happy.
- Pot in an orchid bark mixture, which provides air circulation around the roots.
- Water once a week by soaking the potting mix, then allow to fully drain.
- Increase humidity by placing the pot on a pebble tray filled with water.
- Feed monthly with specialized orchid fertilizer to fuel flowering.
Give orchids proper care tailored to their needs, and they will repay you with long-lasting, delicate blooms.
How Lucy Fits 150+ Plants in Her Small Brooklyn Apartment
A tiny NYC apartment seems an unlikely place for an indoor jungle. But through clever decorating and spatial tricks, Lucy has transformed her 550 square foot home into a plant paradise. Here are some of her secrets for maximizing greenery in small dwelling spaces:
Use Walls and Ceilings
When floor space gets crowded, utilize vertical space by installing wall-mounted shelving and hanging plants from ceilings. Lucy mounted wooden slats across her largest wall to display rows of plants. Macrame plant hangers dangle from her ceiling, keeping trailing vines and air plants suspended overhead.
Embrace Multi-Purpose Furniture
Lucy swapped a bulky couch for a slender daybed, which takes up less floor space. Her coffee and side tables have built-in shelves to hold potted plants. Even her TV console pulls double duty displaying plants underneath. Look for furniture that can multitask as plant stands.
Choose the Right Plants
Certain compact plant varieties are ideal for small homes. Lucy recommends mini succulents like Echeveria, air plants like Tillandsia, and trailing plants like Philodendron or Ivy. Their small size and vining growth habits maximize vertical and horizontal space efficiently.
Let Plants Do Double Duty
In lieu of art, Lucy lets plants become living decor. Framed botanical prints would take up wall space, but putting the real things on display achieves the same visual impact. Plants can also provide privacy screening, sound dampening, and room divisions—all while purifying the air!
With creativity and the right plant picks, even the tiniest apartment can support an abundant indoor garden. Lucy’s jungle is proof you don’t need a big house to have a green thumb.
The Touching Story Behind Lucy’s “Dirty Potato”
While all Lucy’s plants hold meaning, none compare to the sentimental value of one particularly peculiar specimen – her “dirty potato.” This lumpy tuber is actually an extremely etiolated Monstera deliciosa. Learn the moving story of how Lucy came to cherish this unique plant.
Several years ago, a dear friend gifted Lucy a Monstera deliciosa cutting. She nurtured it into a thriving plant which climbed a moss pole in a place of pride by her window. Lucy loved its dramatic Swiss cheese leaves and nicknamed it “Monty.”
When Lucy needed to leave town on a work trip, she asked a neighbor to care for her plants. Yet despite her detailed instructions, almost all Lucy’s plants dried out and declined. Only Monty clung to life upon her return, though severely etiolated from lack of light.
Though no longer a visual showstopper, Lucy lovingly rehabilitated Monty. Its straggly stems and odd lumps touched her heart. She saw beauty in its will to live. Plus, Monty was a lasting connection to her traveled friend.
Lucy decided to embrace Monty’s quirky new look. She affectionately dubbed the plant her “dirty potato” and gave it a little wire frame “sweater” to match its unconventional form. Though far from Instagram-worthy, the dirty potato remains Lucy’s most treasured plant. Its survival story and emotional ties make it priceless to her.
Lucy’s tale illustrates why many plant lovers form such strong bonds with their botanicals. More than just decor, to Lucy each plant represents memories, relationships, and a bit of her personal journey. The dirty potato most of all embodies the meaning plants bring to her life. Though it may look like an unremarkable tuber to others, to Lucy this tenacious Monstera is beautiful.
Frequently Asked Questions About Lucy’s Plant Collection
Lucy receives lots of questions about choosing, growing, and caring for her massive plant collection. Here she addresses some of the FAQs plant lovers often ask her:
How does Lucy afford so many plants?
Lucy is always hunting sales, buying tiny starters she can nurse into larger plants, and propagating her own plants from cuttings. She also splurges on rare wishlist plants occasionally as a treat. Building her collection slowly over years made it an affordable hobby.
What are Lucy’s go-to low-maintenance plants?
For easy, unfussy plants, Lucy recommends her Pothos varieties, ZZ plant, Snake plant, Philodendron, and Hoya. They thrive on occasional watering and indirect light. Her air plants also need minimal care.
Does Lucy use any special equipment to care for her plants?
Lucy swears by using a soil moisture meter to prevent over and under-watering. She also has grow lights over her shelves to supplement natural light. A portable humidifier provides a moisture boost.
How does Lucy keep her apartment from feeling dark and cluttered?
Strategic use of mirrors and light colors prevents a closed-in feel. Lucy also embraces the jungle vibe with wood, wicker and green accents. Plus, she focuses on plants with bright or colorful leaves to add liveliness.
What advice does Lucy have for beginning plant parents?
Start with easy, forgiving plants while you hone your skills. Pothos and Snake Plants are great starter plants. Don’t start too big too fast. Build your collection in stages so it doesn’t get overwhelming. Most importantly, enjoy the journey and have fun with it!
Conclusion
Lucy’s Brooklyn home and booming plant collection demonstrate that even city dwellers can create an indoor oasis. With dedication to learning plants’ care needs, creativity in designing display spaces, and passion for nurturing life, anyone can transform their residence into a private jungle. Let Lucy’s story inspire you to welcome more greenery into your personal environment. You’ll be amazed how fulfilling planting roots indoors can be, no matter how compact your living space. Just start small, focus on plant health, and let your budding indoor garden unfold.