Ep 237. Roofs to Roots: Reviving Houseplants

Mary Stone discusses the benefits of using rainwater and snowmelt for indoor plants and how to revive houseplants in duress. She explores the quiet wisdom of water through stories of Christmas cacti, Jolee's water bowl, and flowing streams, and reflects on patience, renewal, and trusting life's natural flow.

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Related Episodes and Posts: 

Harvesting Rainwater & Snowmelt Wisdom - Blog Post

Ep 89. Wisdom in the Rhythm of Water

Wisdom in the Rhythm of Water – Blog Post

Houseplants in Duress Turn Happy – Blog Post

Benefits of Watering with Rainwater – Blog Post

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Mary Stone, Columnist & Garden Designer

More about the Podcast and Column:

Welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries.

It's not only about gardens; it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from mother nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots to talk about.

Thanks for tuning in, Mary Stone
Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone.com
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Transcript

Ep 237.  Roofs to Roots: Reviving Houseplants 

Sat, Jan 10, 2026 9:51 AM • 11:06

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

Indoor plants, air quality, rainwater, snowmelt, chemical fertilizers, soil nitrates, rain barrel, water collection, house plant care, winter gardening, natural hydration, soil microbes, plant roots, garden dilemmas, nature inspiration.

SPEAKERS

Mary Stone

Mary Stone  00:00

Mary, Hello, fellow lovers of all things green. I'm Mary Stone, and welcome to garden dilemmas, delights and discoveries. It's not only about gardens, it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learn from mother nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in, in the spirit of learning from each other, we have lots to talk about. 

Mary Stone  00:25

Hello there. It's Mary Stone on the screen porch. It's quite a contrast from last week's frigid weather. The snow is melting off the roof on this mid 40s, early January day. It makes me a little sad to see the snow melt, but it makes me happy too for the indoor plants, as I have been gathering the snow melt from the roof, and they will appreciate it a topic of today. But first, I want to thank those who reached back after our last chat about what we release and what we grow, reflecting on releasing what no longer serves us, and setting intentions that grow in their own time. How even in dormancy during the winter months, there's movement, promise and a subtle change happening all around us in our natural world, just like within.

Mary Stone  01:11

So on to today's topic rooted in a few blog pieces that many of you have loved over the years, and it starts like this, Hello, fellow lovers of all things green during the winter months, many of us long for greenery. The ownership of plant babies, also known as house plants, has grown in recent years. Roughly 66% of American households have indoor plants notes the New York Botanical Garden. Not only are they beautiful, but they also help improve air quality and provide joy and serenity, helping improve mental health. While we naturally reach for tap water to water our indoor plants and outdoor plants, the water from our municipality piped into our homes has been treated balanced for pipes and people, and often contains salts, chlorine, fluoride and other additives. These elements can build up in soil over time, especially in pots, making it harder for plants to thrive. Sadly, even those of us with well water realize it's not what it used to be due to the chemical pesticides added to our environment since the 1940s the overuse of phosphates has impacted soil greatly, thereby causing water to become out of balance. That's another reason to stay clear of chemical fertilizers. I don't use them here, and I'm grateful I don't so I have well water, and I hope it's good for me and the plants. 

Mary Stone  02:37

In contrast, rainwater and snow melt are nature's original plant water, untouched by our municipal processes. Rainwater is ideal, with a pH of seven which is slightly acidic, unlike municipal water, which is typically kept alkaline to preserve pipes, plus one of the critical nutrients a plant needs to survive is nitrates, a combination of nitrogen and oxygen found in rainwater. That makes rainwater ideal for everything from your house plants to container gardens. You may be overwintering in your garage. By the way, you should be keeping them moist, so check that soil. 

Mary Stone  03:12

I accidentally discovered the benefits of rainwater many years back with a tired Christmas cactus after years of decline, realizing maybe it's time to toss it in the compost pile. I felt sad for the plant, so I left it outside one rainy summer, and it exploded back to life. The soil was refreshed. Roots were breathing, and the cactus began blooming again with bright magenta flowers. I will put a link to that story in show notes, because it's fun to see the before and after. Right now, while snow is melting off the roof during this warm spell, we have the same gift if we choose to collect it. 

Mary Stone  03:49

Rainwater harvesting dates back to ancient times and is growing in popularity among home gardeners. By collecting rainwater from the roof. Run off into a rain barrel, you gather the benefits of organic matter from plant debris, pollen and bird droppings, and the barrel itself creates an environment that keeps water alive, offering nutrients to plants every time you water. But my technique is to use one of Jolie's clean water bowls under the gutter, especially during heavy rain events, then pour it into a five-gallon bucket and put it in the garage, and I cover it a bit so no debris falls in. But sometimes I take the time during a light rain or snow melt to stand vigil and watch the bowl fill slowly. It's a meditation of sorts. 

Mary Stone  04:36

Maybe someday I'll invest in a rain barrel. The average home model holds 55 gallons. There are water tanks too that can yield hundreds of gallons from an average sized roof. But I don't know. I think about what would happen if the water got stagnant, and surely it would freeze here in Northern New Jersey. So, do you empty it to overwinter it? Maybe some of you rain barrel experts. Pipe in and give me the skinny. Yeah, please do would you? Would you email me at Ask Mary stone@gmail.com, I'd love to know your tips and tricks and experiences on rain barrels. 

Mary Stone  05:12

Beyond my Jolee dog bowl gathering technique. I also fill clean five-gallon buckets with snow and bring them into the garage to melt. A little factoid here, based on the average 10 to one snow to water ratio, a five gallon a bucket of snow yields about a half a gallon of water. I know maybe it seems silly to you, but I enjoy doing it. The ratio, by the way, does vary depending on the heaviness of the snow, like heavy snow is seven to one ratio, which is what we've had this week. Of course, avoid snow contaminated by road salt or other chemical snow melts, and don't water your plants with ice cold water, either, as that can shock and stress them. So let it warm to room temperature. 

Mary Stone  05:54

Speaking of house plants, in winter, house plants can suffer from low humidity, insufficient light and yes, water woes. In past seasons, I've gotten house plants so desperate they look like they were wearing pants two sizes too small, restricted, uncomfortable and unhappy. Root bound pots, tired soil they were asking for help. Early spring is the best time to repot them, though. So so one interim intervention that always helps is a long soak with room temperature water until the pot drains fully. And if you have snowmelt or rainwater available, far better. That gentle, chemical free hydration with natural nitrates flushes the soil, feeds the roots and wakes up the soil microbes during the transitional time between winter and spring. While watering them trim off any yellow or dead foliage. It's a refresh, just like clearing away the old to make room for the new. 

Mary Stone  06:53

So back to harvesting snow belt and rainwater as we spoke about long ago in Wisdom and the Rhythm of Water, which is episode 89 - I encourage you to jump pack two. I will put a link in the show notes- water is everywhere, including as vapor in our atmosphere and the cells of all living things. It never sits still for too long, even when frozen, it's only resting waiting for the conditions to change. Water teaches us rhythm. It moves when it's time to move and pauses when it's time to pause. It doesn't rush. It doesn't resist. It responds. 

Mary Stone  07:30

There's something else from the observation of water, you'll notice it doesn't always flow evenly down stream. Sometimes it flows up stream or circles around, but ultimately it finds its way to the lowest point. It flows in its own rhythm. We have no control over the flow like the currents in our lives. It's the lesson of the leaf my brother left behind, and I'm still learning to trust and let go like a leaf in the water. Go with the flow, as they say, merrily, merrily down the stream. 

Mary Stone  08:05

In winter, water teaches us patience. Snow rests quietly on branches and roofs, insulating the earth below. Then, when temperatures rise even briefly, it slowly releases itself one drip at a time. The gentle melt seeps into the soil, reaches roots that are active over winter, and prepares the ground for what comes next. There's wisdom in that isn't there so often we want change to happen quickly. We want clarity, healing or growth on our timeline. But nature reminds us that transformation usually occurs gradually, invisibly beneath the surface. Like snowmelt, the most meaningful nourishment arrives quietly when we water our plants with rainwater or snowmelt. We participate in that rhythm. We're honoring a cycle older than us, and when we slow down enough to notice it, something shifts within us too. Standing by the gutter watching Jolie's bowl fill slowly, I'm reminded that tending plants isn't about keeping them alive. It's about paying attention and nurturing life. Water doesn't force its way through obstacles. It finds its way around them. It teaches us flexibility, resilience and grace, lessons we can all use, especially in seasons that feel uncertain or transitional. So today, as snow melts from the roof and indoor plants receive a long drink, I'm reminded once again how nature, how life, offers exactly what we need when we need it, if we're paying attention.

Mary Stone  09:51

So thanks for coming by and visiting with me. I'm much warmer today, as you can tell, being out here listening to the snowmelt off the roof, i. Um, just want to thank you again for all the wisdoms you share with me and your emails. And I would love to hear from those of you that are rain barrel experts. I have been thinking about getting one. It would be fun to have, I suppose, but I do like my therapy of Jolie's water bowl, and it was Ellie's water bowl before that, so maybe I'll do a little bit of both. I can do both, right? Have a rain barrel on one gutter and do my therapy on another. So thank you again. I look forward to the next time on the screen porch. Keep your ideas of topics coming. I always love hearing from you. Have a beautiful day. 

Mary Stone  10:35

You can follow garden dilemmas on Facebook or online at Garden dilemmas.com and on Instagram at hashtag. Mary Elaine stone garden dilemmas, delights and discoveries is produced by Alex Bartling, thanks for coming by. I look forward to chatting again from my screen porch and always remember to embrace the unexpected in this garden of life. Have a great day.