LEILA FADEL, HOST:
Got a plant that's seen better days? I do. NPR producer Ana Perez has several and went to find out - are any of them salvageable?
(SOUNDBITE OF BIRDS CHIRPING)
ANA PEREZ, BYLINE: With spring in full bloom, the patio is where I want to be. But I'm not looking into a bright green oasis.
Super dead (ph).
(SOUNDBITE OF LEAVES CRUNCHING)
PEREZ: It's more like various shades of brown, with the exception of one plant that's hanging on for dear life - my strawberry plant.
It's got some growth on it.
Is it past the point of no return?
JOHN VALENTINO: It is something that comes up frequently.
PEREZ: John Valentino is president of John & Bob's Corporation out in Fresno, California. He specializes in all things plants. I showed him my sad strawberry plant.
VALENTINO: Did you have that outside?
PEREZ: I did.
While talking over Zoom, Valentino checked for a few indicators.
VALENTINO: If there's no leaves on the plant, then there's a big problem because that's plant's way of surviving and thriving. Then check to see if there's any green in the branches at all or any buds that you can see that have life in them.
PEREZ: And my plant had life, that little sprig of green. Valentino says I shouldn't feel discouraged over my bad luck with plants. According to a 2024 survey from Tree Triage, a landscape service, 1 in 6 people kill every plant they grow. But after learning mine was savable, I decided to take a trip to my local plant shop.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: Oh, hi.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #2: Hi.
PEREZ: Caitlin Tuttle is co-owner and creative director of PLNTR in Washington, D.C.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: Let's figure it out.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #2: (Laughter).
PEREZ: Tuttle's team DMs treatment plans to customers on Instagram who are struggling with their plants.
CAITLIN TUTTLE: We just run through a series of questions. When was it last repotted? Where does it live? Have you been keeping it outside over the winter? So we try and ask all the questions to really get to the bottom of it so people feel armed with information.
PEREZ: All plants can be easy, Tuttle stresses, as long as planters have the right information.
TUTTLE: So it's understand your light. What direction do your windows face? Watering...
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TUTTLE: ...Making sure people know you're fully saturating your soil. And then, of course, nutrition.
PEREZ: Now for the diagnosis for my ailing strawberry plant.
Is my plant...
JAMES BEACH: Thriving.
PEREZ: ...Good?
It just needed a little TLC. And while repotting...
BEACH: Just fill around. Pack it down.
PEREZ: ...And pruning it...
(SOUNDBITE OF PLANT BEING CUT)
PEREZ: ...PLNTR co-owner James Beach found a little surprise...
BEACH: The radio folks can't see, but there's an actual little baby strawberry in here. So, yeah, just keep it up.
PEREZ: ...Just in time for spring.
Ana Perez, NPR News.
(SOUNDBITE OF COLLEEN'S "GEOMETRIA DEL UNIVERSO") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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