I am always admonishing my orchids, "You can do better, I just know you can". Like children, some listen and respond and some do not. Guess which fares the best?
I have always thought of my plants as female. I don't know why. Goodness knows, the females in my life listen the least of all. But I have also always thought of them as my children. Often, when corresponding to someone who is having a plant(s) shipped to them, I refer to them as "my babies". I just do this instinctively. You would probably be surprised at how many people respond to this in a positive way, knowing that I really care about the plants and thus, they care about the plants as well.
