Stop using a moisture meter to decide when to repot a succulent. That gadget can be useful for thirsty foliage plants, but with cacti and fleshy succulents it often makes people wait too long, then water too soon after disturbing the roots. I learned that the hard way after a jade plant, Crassula ovata, sulked … Read more
I weighed three pothos pots over 14 days in March, and the one in a plastic nursery pot lost moisture far slower than the one in unglazed clay. That tracks with what I see in the shop all the time: people blame themselves for a droopy Epipremnum aureum, when the real problem is usually pot … Read more
It’s 3 p.m. in February, the heat is running, and a Monstera deliciosa is drooping like it got offended by the room. At least once a week someone brings one into the shop with yellowing lower leaves and a pot that still feels cold and heavy from five days ago. Most of the time, the … Read more
It’s 3 p.m. in February, and someone walks into the shop with a stretched-out Echeveria in a pot that’s basically peat soup. At least once a week, someone brings in a succulent that “just started collapsing” after a fresh repot, and the cause is usually the same: too much pot, too much moisture, and soil … Read more
I weighed three pothos pots over 14 days last spring, and the one in terracotta lost 182 grams faster than the one in plastic. That tiny difference explained why one plant stayed crisp and the other sulked with yellow leaves. At least once a week someone brings in a Epipremnum aureum with soggy roots and … Read more
Last March I noticed three Monstera deliciosa on the same bench, all with the same complaint: yellowing lower leaves and soggy stems, even though none of them looked “overwatered” at first glance. Two had been sitting in plastic nursery pots inside decorative cachepots, and one customer had been giving hers 250 ml every three days … Read more
Philodendrons are the kind of houseplants that make you think you’ve got everything under control—until a few leaves start yellowing, the vines stretch out, or the soil stays wet for 10 days straight. The good news is that a solid philodendron care guide is mostly about getting a few simple conditions right: light, water, and … Read more
Have you ever watched your string of pearls, Curio rowleyanus (formerly Senecio rowleyanus), go from plump and playful to shriveled in just 10 days? That usually means one of three things: too much water, not enough light, or soil that stays wet for 4+ days. The good news is that string of pearls care gets … Read more
When a peace lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii) starts making yellow leaves, it usually feels like the plant is trying to tell you something in a language nobody taught you. That was exactly what happened to a 10-inch peace lily sitting near an east-facing window in my living room. One Monday morning, I noticed two older leaves … Read more
When a pothos starts drying out in 2 days instead of 7, or a peace lily droops even after watering, the pot may be the problem. I’ve seen plenty of houseplants perk up within 2 to 4 weeks after repotting, especially when roots were circling the inside of the container like a tight spring. The … Read more