I killed 3 houseplants with kindness before the lady at the plant swap in Austin set me straight

Rowan Kelly · 2026-11-12T02:30:06.249006+00:00

For two years I watered on a schedule, every Sunday, no matter what, because that felt like being responsible. The lady at the plant swap in Austin looked at my yellowing pothos and asked if I ever stuck a finger in the soil before pouring, and I honestly couldn't say yes. She had me lift the pot and it weighed almost nothing, bone dry, so I'd been drowning the roots once a week and then letting them bake in between. Now I just check with a finger down to the second knuckle, and my monstera put out two new leaves since March. What finally got me was her one line: roots need air as much as water. Curious how often you all actually water versus how often you think you should?

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I killed 3 houseplants with kindness before the lady at the plant swap in Austin set me straight | Botany Lovers - The Community Guide