Parched Plants.

It’s August in the Midwest. The grass varies between light brown and a pale shade of yellow. When stepped on it crunches. Weeks of no rain, combined with 90 degree days and strong winds, are a lethal combination to all plants. Particularly vulnerable are my potted annuals.

More times than I’d like to confess my lovely vinca plants have nearly perished this summer. After a day of neglect (okay, maybe two or three) the leaves shrivel. Gone is the fullness and sheen that gives the plant its beauty. Fighting to survive, the plants cease their least critical processes, namely flowering.

Each time this happens, I drench the pots with water. I’m tempted to call it quits and toss the plants in the compost bin. Yet, remarkably the next day the leaves are full again and flowers are blooming. But I wonder how much this infrequent watering stresses the plants.

My approach to self-care too frequently mirrors the treatment of my potted plants. The litany goes something like, “I’ll do later” which transitions into “It’s too late today,” and then finally, “I’ll do it tomorrow.” When I repeat the scenario day after day, I become like my parched vincas. The only remedy is a boatload of TLC.

My plants deserve better than inconsistent care and honestly, so do I. Being one step away from the compost bin is no way to live. And having to come back from the edge isn’t ideal either.

Author Ingela Ratledge gets to the root cause of ignoring self-care. In her article “Martyr Complex” she writes, “Funneling the bulk of your energy into external situations provides a handy distraction: It gives you a pass on addressing your own vulnerabilities, goals, and shortcomings. How could you possibly... make it to the gym when you’re so busy taking care of everything else?” Ouch. I can’t disagree.

I just took a look at my vincas. They’re looking sad. Time to grab the water can. And this evening spend some time lost in a good book.