Three of these plants I got several years ago from the Wal-Mart Charlie Brown Christmas Tree section, where all plants are up to 75% off and look like dried herbs and sad little representations of plant-like species. To my great surprise, the Wal-Mart plants keep growing and prove even me, the World's Worst Gardener, to be a successful plant momma. For now, anyway.
After re-potting the plants, I notice a few things. First of all, there's a huge-ass, ugly, horrifying spider in one of the pots, and it's running around the rim between the the plant and freedom, unable to make it over the edge. The second thing I notice is that my gardenia plant appears to be making some buds that will, with any luck at all, bloom in the fall. The third thing I notice is that one of my Charlie Brown plants suddenly droops and wilts and appears to be committing suicide now that I've given it room to grow and fed it some water. The last thing I notice is that one of my other Charlie Brown plants is suddenly growing like crazy, and the pot I originally choose is going to be too small, so I'll have to improvise a catch-basin out of foil for a bigger pot.
I have faith that my plants will survive, but give me time. No matter how nice I am to the little darlings, they always turn on me. There will be no Charlie Brown ending for these plants, but I will fight for them until they're shriveled and brittle and obviously ready for the dirt pile across the street.
