This is the first year I have tried houseplants in a very long time. So far it is that silly Golden Potho of mom's. still hanging in there. sorta..

My Spider Plant isn't looking too good either right now. Not sure what is up with that, but I will keep trying with it.

It is a good "live to learn" lesson, only if we dont keep doing the same things over and over-- ;)

Marjie

I can't seem to keep the "easy" plants alive. Maybe I fuss with them too much. I killed my wandering jew just a week after bringing it home. Luckily I took a few starts. Those seem to be doing well (knock on wood). I had some starts off of a spider plant that really didn't seem to like it here at my house, so I gave some to my dad, and some to my mom. They are of course thriving into nice sized plants at their houses lol Before I heard of the gritty mix I killed at least 4 jades. I was looking at pictures the other day and noticed that one of them was sooo beautiful. It had lots of red color around the leaves and was the perfect shape. Makes me sad :-/

Orchids, I would say at least a dozen...sad - but hopefully learned from it. And it was overwatering. Even when I thought I am watering right on it was still too much. And probably too dry environment.
Have 6 now, and longest surviving I have for more than 4yrs. I am glad that they are doing well, I think I got the watering/soil thing under control.
Rina

When I first started I used to kill ferns all the time..over the years I became very successful with most plants that I purchased with the exception of china doll, those still give me a fit..anyone good with those that can help me..as far as the ferns are concerned I usually overwatered

I'm not sure if serial killer is a good title for me, I think I'm more of a torturer (is being a torturer or a killer worse? >.> ). By far, I've tried a number of peace lilies and african violets. I thought peace lilies would be easy for me to care for but so far, I've managed to kill about six or seven already. African violets... I've managed to return them before they completely bit the dust, but seemingly tortured them in the process... my latest one I gave to my Mom after it started dropping leaves, it's blooming for her now haha.

Planto

Strongylodon macrobotrys, twice

tacca integrifolia, 4 times

Most stuff will grow for me as long as I stay interested in them. If not I try to find someone to give it away to. These two plants just won't cooperate with me. Will I try them again? Yeah, probably . . .

Orchids for me to, I've had like 4 of them before just giving up on them.

For me it's been Streptocarpus, Vanda Alliance, and Oncidium Alliance orchids. The vandas I forgot to water them as much as they need. The Streptocarpus is a watering/aeration issue. I never got the balance right. I never could figure out the Oncidiums. They would be looking great for months and suddenly collapse.

I've had horrible luck with orchids and hoyas. The first 4 orchids I had I defiantly over watered. I've got 2 noe that are doing well but I can't get them to re-bloom for the life of me. I've killed 4 hoyas but they were next to a compacta that had mealie bugs so I'm pretty sure that can't be counted as entirely my fault. I managed to save 2 vines from the compacta and they're now mealie bug free and I recently bought a small crimson princess. Wish me luck with these hoyas! :)

I use to always kill spider plants at first, and it would depress me because they're suppose to be one of the easiest house plants to keep alive....I finally got more and this time I've just ignored them...I wait til they're looking kinda sad before I water them, and now they're growing like crazy and looking wonderful!!

Now I'm trying orchids, but my moth orchid I got less then a week ago has two yellowing leaves I noticed today...now I'm sad again...but it seems like I'm not the only one with problems in the beginning...so I'll keep on trying...I know I have to eventually get it right.

I've also managed to kill string of pearls MANY times, and I got another one 2 months ago, and it's actually thriving, where as before they would be gone in a week or two...

Sometimes it so confusing..they die if I don't water, and they die if I do...it's so frustrating sometimes...but I guess it's a learning game with plants...

-FlowerPotTipper

Ferns & Ivy, and yes, I keep buying them, even tho' I don't know why I kill them. Ferns, I probably let dry out too much, and get too cold in the winter. Ivy, I am mystified still: the stuff grows outside fer cryin' out loud! And I can't keep it going in the HOUSE?!

But, they're both so pretty, and green, and interesting... so I am a serial killer.

GB

This is sad, I lost my 3 years old jades a few months ago :( They are: Hummel's Sunset, Variegated Oblique/ tricolor, Finger Jade, 'Crosby's compact'. They were in a gritty mix but get too cold in the winter and overwatered (my mistake!). The trunk part was wrinkled and shriveled, and somewhat soft/mushy to the touch. I am trying to save some of them, about 1- 1.5 inches small little branches. I love jades and got to start all over again.

Some more plants that I lost.... Huernia Zebrina, Easter cactus, Aeonium 'Kiwi', Crassula Tetragona.

Ivies and ferns, don't try them anymore.

I've lost jades (but I think they're actually easy if I just took care of them properly and they do not need a gritty mix-just fast draining soil)

Really have learned how to take care of an Exotic Angel Hoya (in their hanging baskets) with watering from the bottom and have had great success.

Susan

We hadn't had snow or heavy frost since 1982 where I live in eastern Ireland; we had a little two years ago but I was expecting cold then because it was after Christmas; a year last November I was taken by surprise and lost my jades, my echeverias, even my variegated aspidistras and countless other plants. I will never have as many again. I am slowly buying in some of the ones I miss the most. Before that I was very lucky and lost hardly any plants, usually pelargoniums which I overwatered in the tunnel and the odd fuchsia. Lesson learned.

keep trying, you have helped me you will get better at it. i guarantee. african violets are so easy to kill with the slightest hickup. either ajust the condition in your house or stick to low light and drought tolerant plants such as hoya carnosa compacta. sorry if i sound pushy, i just dont want to see you give up. i used to be terrible but i improved and i have kept christmas cacti since i was two or three

Wax on, wax off. Let's not get too big for our britches, I have plants more than 3 times your age. Your enthusiasm is awesome, but it's a fine line between confidence and conceit. Keep an eye on it. Thank you, grasshopper.