Daria’s Dilemmas
Help 🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴
I’m helping a friend who has a beautiful array of indoor plants: Succulents Calathea, Snake Plant, Peacock and Rattlesnake plants, Monarch Fern, Fiddle -Leaf Fig, Orchid, and an Alocasia Jacklyn, and a Begonia.
Most have overwatering damage, and I’m not sure they’re getting the correct light. Unfortunately, I’m completely inexperienced in all of them, except the succs.
I’m compiling a care sheet for her, so any tips, best practices, learning lessons from mistakes, are welcome. Please, personal experiences only.
More pics in Comments #CalatheaCrew
#HappyPlants #RattlesnakePlant
@ #AlocasiaAddicts #PeacockFern @princesspitstop @SuperbRaspfern @TheConservator @Boymom-plantmom
I’m helping a friend who has a beautiful array of indoor plants: Succulents Calathea, Snake Plant, Peacock and Rattlesnake plants, Monarch Fern, Fiddle -Leaf Fig, Orchid, and an Alocasia Jacklyn, and a Begonia.
Most have overwatering damage, and I’m not sure they’re getting the correct light. Unfortunately, I’m completely inexperienced in all of them, except the succs.
I’m compiling a care sheet for her, so any tips, best practices, learning lessons from mistakes, are welcome. Please, personal experiences only.
More pics in Comments #CalatheaCrew
#HappyPlants #RattlesnakePlant
@ #AlocasiaAddicts #PeacockFern @princesspitstop @SuperbRaspfern @TheConservator @Boymom-plantmom
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@HappySelah25 that’s an adorable moisture meter. I might have to get one just because it’s so cute.
@DesertGreen I use it for all my plants. The succulents I only water when it goes to completely dry. And the cactus the same. My plants that like a lot of moisture like my polka dot plants I water when it shows 3/4.
@AlluringBacopa6 no you don’t leave the moisture meter in all the time. I just check each plant everyday -stick it in and it shows the moisture level immediately
@HappySelah25 my friend loves plants. I don’t think she knows all of the individual needs of each type.
@DesertGreen I put the meter in 1/2 or 3/4 into the pot sbd get the reading there. It’s measuring the percentage of water in that part of the soil, I believe
@DesertGreen yes, there are so many types-I go from Lithops that love to be ignored to polka dot plants that love to be pampered and misted often.
@HappySelah25 Simce I’m translating your advice to paper, I want to make sure I understand… In other words, the bottom 1/4 should always be wet. The top shouldn’t be more than 1/2 dry. Is it better to to use 3/4 instead of 1/2?
@DesertGreen The greg water recommendations rarely lead me wrong, but I would underwater rather than overwater. You may want to explore some temporary plant stand solutions to take advantage of the best light in your house.
@DesertGreen I can speak on a couple of them. The bird's nest snake plant likes soil to completely dry out before watering. I have mine in bright indirect sunlight outside.
The ZZ plant I water when 3/4 of the soil is dry. And I have it in an East window so it gets morning sun.
Both of the soil can be checked by putting your finger down into the soil if it's still wet from the last time it was watered I would wait a few days and then come back and check it again. Do not water until the soil feels completely dry or when the pot is light when you lift it. Tell your friend that when she does water water it thoroughly till you see water coming out of the bottom of the pot and then don't re-water until the soil is completely dry.
The ZZ plant I water when 3/4 of the soil is dry. And I have it in an East window so it gets morning sun.
Both of the soil can be checked by putting your finger down into the soil if it's still wet from the last time it was watered I would wait a few days and then come back and check it again. Do not water until the soil feels completely dry or when the pot is light when you lift it. Tell your friend that when she does water water it thoroughly till you see water coming out of the bottom of the pot and then don't re-water until the soil is completely dry.
@DesertGreen it all depends on what type of plant you have. Lithops, cactus and succulents should be completely dry all the way through. Plants that like moisture -vines, polka dot plants, Pothos should be 3/4 wet soil. All the rest 1/2 wet. I’m pretty new to the plant world and have studied a lot and taken some online classes. So I am learning. The most important thing to a plant is light-that’s how it makes its food and the proper lighting is key. And that all depends on the type of plant also. My advice is just what works so far for me. I’ve only killed one plant-it was a succulent baby toes and one day I was in a hurry and top watered instead of my usual bottom watering. My poor Tickle Me fell apart and disintegrated 😢
@DesertGreen This is a ZZ. They have rhyzomes along with roots under the soil that look like potatoes. They store water. Snake plants have them as well. That's why they don't need to be watered as often. Snake plants can stand full sun but ZZ's don't prefer it. My snake plant is outside and gets bright indirect light most of the day and about 3-5 hours of full sun. So, same water, different light.
@DesertGreen Sorry, I didn't even see the Fiddle Leaf Fig yesterday. Your friend is going to have to chop and prop it to get it back in shape. Bonus they will now have 2 plants. Lol I've attached a picture of where it needs to be cut. The top piece with leaves needs to be cut about 8-9 inches below the leaves and placed into water until 2 inches of roots form. Squirt some hydrogen peroxide into the water to help with bacteria forming. Be patient with it. They will grow. It could take a few weeks to a few months. ☺️Change the water weekly. The whole middle part between the red lines has to go. Which will leave the bottom stem with the leaves on top. That part needs to be replanted into a pot a couple of inches smaller than the one that it's in, with good drainage holes. Replant in some succulent or Cactus soil mixed with some perlite. I use a 2:1 ratio. 2 parts soil 1 part Perlite. Thoroughly saturate the soil then let the top 2 inches of soil dry out before watering it again. Check by putting your finger down into the soil a couple of inches. If it's dry water thoroughly if it's still wet from the last time you watered come back in a few days or swipe left to snooze the plant and the app will remind you in 2-3 days to check it again. When in doubt wait. 9 times out of 10 a plants demise is due to over watering so it's best to wait. It needs 6-8 hours of bright indirect light a day in a South -Southwest facing window. Its leaves are susceptible to sunburn so the sun should never be touching the leaves directly. Find a good spot with bright indirect light and don't move it. They like consistency. ☺️👍
@DesertGreen I use my 4 in 1 meter (does temp, moisture, solar and “ph” but I don’t think that part is accurate)
@DesertGreen I put it outside on my covered north porch in the summer but when temps at night get around 50 I bring it inside for the winter
@Bee_Balmer that’s great. We have the opposite weather. Our fall might be starting tomorrow, because the next week is full of 80 degrees weather, then in the 70’s. Today is 91 😂
@HappySelah25 😭 trust me, we’ve all had deadly learning lessons. It’s heartbreaking; however, you’ll probably never make that mistake again 💚
@tony please check for an “update”, where you’re specifically added, and reply. There are great answers from different people ( like yourself), so I can’t select all for “Best Answer.” Your recommendation deserves credit 😁
@Bee_Balmer I really appreciated your thorough instructions. With so many plant specific advice, and I can only select one as “Best Answer”, I’m going to post an “Update 2”, to give you credit. You’ll be the only specific member added.
@HappySelah25 I’m going to create a follow up post with only you tagged. You contributed so much that you deserve a “Select as Best” credit. It will be a #DariasDilemmas