As a rule, my teenage son doesn’t display much interest is plants, at all. Today, I got a few questions on this echeveria cutting that I brought home from work a while ago. Every now and then he fancies a new plant in his room.

As my outdoor garden is still full of scaffolding due to the builders being an absolutely delightful bunch of blokes who would never dream of being in the way (I say sarcastically), I thought it wouldn’t be a bad thing if the echeveria went on the windowsill in his bedroom.

In the time I have had this little cutting at home it has rooted, which is good. It also has a bit of leggy growth on it and new leaves appearing, so it has been happy enough. I helped him to pot it up into a slightly bigger pot and it is now on the windowsill.

I’ve also ordered some echeveria seeds off the internet, so I’m going to have a go at growing them as they are cute little plants that can be inside or outside here in Sydney. My dear son would also like some of these once they germinate, which I’m going to insist he helps me with-any sign of interest and I like letting him have a goat doing something. He is one of those kids that needs to tinker with stuff as well as using his brain.

I’m made up that he shows an interest in plants, even if it’s only every now and then. It usually is only succulents and food (if there is any growing), but I really do enjoy sharing what I know and spending time with him too, even if both are brief!

I wanted to share this because teenagers often get a lot of grief for their disinterest in things that older people think that teenagers should be interested in. Such people forget that they should have hated being preached to at the same age-meet a teenager more on their terms, treat them well and as an adult and you will find you get a better response most of the time. As for respect, that works both ways-you earn it and don’t get it just because you are older!