c/botany-lovers

Thought I could fix a stubborn vine in a weekend, took 3 months

I noticed a trumpet vine creeping under my fence into the garden bed. Figured I'd dig it out in a Saturday afternoon. Turned out those roots ran 15 feet across the yard under the pavers. I kept finding new shoots popping up for 12 weeks before I finally gave up and hired a guy with a mini excavator. Has anyone else had a plant that just refused to die no matter what you did?

0 comments

mason.anna•1d ago

Used to water my succulents every 3 days without fail

I was drowning them dead for a FULL year before I figured it out. Switched to checking the soil moisture with a wooden skewer before watering, probably around 6 months ago. Now I only water my jade plant and echeveria about once every 2 to 3 weeks depending on the season. The change was noticing mushy leaves and brown spots that just would not go away. That skewer trick saved me from repotting 4 different plants that were starting to rot. Does anyone else have a plant they overwatered for way too long before learning your lesson?

1 comments

evan_morgan81•1d ago

Took me 6 months to figure out my peace lily was getting too much light

Everyone online says peace lilies are super easy and just need low light. I moved mine to a corner with indirect sun and it kept dropping leaves for MONTHS. I tried different watering schedules, new soil, even a bigger pot. Finally a guy at the local nursery in Austin said it was getting 4 hours of direct afternoon light through a window reflection. Now it's in a dark bathroom and it's finally happy. Has anyone else had a plant that just refused to follow the usual rules?

1 comments

richardharris•1d ago

Thought I knew how to propagate my snake plant in a day...

I decided last Saturday to finally split up my overgrown snake plant. Read a few guides online, figured it would take maybe an hour tops. Cut the roots apart, potted each section, and waited. A week later, three of the five new pots looked totally dead. Turns out I packed the soil way too tight around the roots and they couldn't breathe. Had to dig everything back out, loosen the mix, and replant the whole lot. What I thought was a one hour job ended up taking me about 5 hours across two weekends. Has anyone else had a propagation project turn into a bigger mess than they planned?

1 comments

hernandez.jordan•4d ago

Spent 45 minutes trying to figure out why my Monstera was drooping

I watered it, checked the soil, even talked to it like an idiot. Turns out I had it pushed too close to the AC vent in my living room. Moved it three feet to the left and it perked up in like an hour. Has anyone else had a plant throw a fit over something dumb like air flow?

c/botany-lovers

Thought I could fix a stubborn vine in a weekend, took 3 months

Used to water my succulents every 3 days without fail

Took me 6 months to figure out my peace lily was getting too much light

Thought I knew how to propagate my snake plant in a day...

Spent 45 minutes trying to figure out why my Monstera was drooping

My favorite fern pot cracked right in half during a repotting session last weekend

Took me 4 hours to fix a mislabeled ficus at the nursery

TIL my fern was dying because I was watering it wrong for 6 months

TIL that moss on a roof wasn't just an eyesore, it was ruining my shingles

Wasted $120 on a fancy indoor hydroponic tower that barely grew anything

Noticed my snake plant perked up fast after a repot

My prize Hoya started dropping leaves after I moved it 3 feet to the left

Rant: It took me four hours to identify a simple leaf spot fungus

My $90 propagator melted my seedlings overnight

Spent $45 on a soil thermometer and it saved my tomato starts

Overheard a botanist arguing that houseplants are basically just high-maintenance decor, got me thinking

I compared starting my tomato seedlings in peat pots vs. newspaper pots this spring and wow what a difference.

Just realized pitcher plants eat more than bugs in the wild

Went to the botanical garden downtown and the cactus room was a total mess

Overheard a plant shop employee whisper "stop naming your plants, Susan"

That neighbor who told me to stop watering my succulents every week

Caught poison ivy in my own garden at the greenway trial

Used to baby my fiddle leaf fig with bottled water now I just use tap

Visited a wrecked greenhouse outside Austin last weekend

That compost bin mistake I made last June