This day last year I began my upcycling journey with my broken coffee cup, and the start of this series, when I planted my cactus seeds. People were actually much more interested in the idea that I initially anticipated, and some people commented saying they were considering getting their own cacti.

Here’s what happened in it’s first year:

Still a baby

I actually anticipated my cactus to be much bigger by this time, right now it’s going through a weird cactus puberty type thing, as at the start of the month it began getting wider from the top and has been moving down since. I hadn’t realised how long they take to mature. I’m fairly sure it’s a saguaro cactus, which means in hundreds of years time it’s going to be a giant.

Gardening is not as easy as I thought

Although cacti and succulents are pretty easy, I also tried to grow a bonsai tree several times and failed, the dil plant I tried to grow didn’t grow. I also kept having issues with mould – despite not watering that much. However, I’ve found cinnamon to be great for keeping it away.

The windowsill garden 

Right now I’m growing a sunflower, dwarf sunflowers, hibiscus, butterfly bush, and a pumpkin for Halloween outside.

I have a little garden on my windowsill. I have my original cactus, another cactus I got for the sheer fact that it for some reason reminded me of a kraken, a pink succulent,  and what I thought was a baby aloe vera and now I’m not so sure.

I’m so excited to have a big beautiful garden, and lots of indoor plants, when I eventually get my own place. I want my garden to be a haven for bees and other pollinators. I also really want to get a green house and grow my own food.

A new hobby

I never thought I’d get this invested and end up with a new passion for gardening so it’s been a pleasant surprise. My granda had the most beautiful garden, and a green house that used to be full of tomatoes and other foods, so it’s been a way to feel closer to him since he passed in March.