My neighbor told me my orchid looked depressed and I took it personally

I had this phalaenopsis for two years in my Seattle apartment, and my neighbor Linda said, 'Finley, that plant isn't thriving, it's just surviving. You're giving it ice cubes like the tag said, but it's a tropical flower.' She was right. I switched to room temperature water and moved it to my bathroom for the humidity. What's the one piece of plant advice that totally changed your game?

3 comments

3 Comments

wesley_fox9223d ago

Ever see a friend kill a cactus with kindness? My buddy kept watering his on a strict schedule, but it turned to mush. A gardener told him to only water when the soil was bone dry, like really stick your finger in there. He felt silly, but that one tip saved his next plant. What's the worst plant care myth you've heard?

owens.nancy23d ago

Hate the "stick your finger in" advice, honestly. It's not enough for a lot of plants. Your finger only checks the top inch. Roots go way deeper. Saw a friend's big fiddle leaf fig die because the top soil felt dry but the bottom was a swamp. You need a moisture meter for bigger pots, or lift it to feel the weight. Good tip on the cactus though, wesley_fox92. Letting things dry out is key.

nancy82015d agoMost Upvoted

Used to believe the finger test was gospel for everything. Then my peace lily started drooping no matter what. Turns out the nursery pot had a thick layer of wet, packed soil at the bottom my finger never reached. Now I check the weight of the pot or use a chopstick to probe deeper. That cactus advice is solid, but you're right about bigger plants needing more info.