Yeah, my buddy had the exact opposite happen. He put some top-shelf housing on his gravel bike but mangled the cuts with old pliers. Felt awful, like @finley_craig53 said, the good stuff couldn't even do its job. He redid it clean with a proper cutter and it was a night and day fix. So maybe it's both, you need the good base material and a clean start.

Check the pot before you pour, and @aaron_gonzalez, maybe they're just giving you free coffee grounds for your garden.

Seriously? I bet those roses were just thirsty from the old water. Fresh water at any temp does the same thing. It's just a coincidence. My aunt swears by warm water and her flowers still wilt in two days. People see what they want to see.

Wow, that's some next-level cat architecture. I guess my last project was just a cardboard box.

That section's been rough for years. Four feet sounds like an exaggeration.