Just realized my sister's advice about watering plants was totally backwards

She told me to water my succulents every morning like clockwork, but after two weeks they all started rotting from the roots. Has anyone else been given bad plant care tips that messed up their whole routine?

3 comments

3 Comments

emery_black6d ago

Did your sister also tell you to feed them Gatorade for electrolytes? Succulents barely need water once a week, and even then you gotta check the soil is bone dry first. Overwatering is like the #1 killer of those things. Sorry about your plant graveyard though.

wendysanchez6d ago

Nah I gotta push back on @emery_black here. Look, succulents CAN rot from too much water but your sister's advice isn't totally crazy for every situation. If you're growing them in a really hot dry climate with tons of direct sun and super fast draining soil, watering every morning might actually work fine. The real problem is probably your soil mix or pot drainage, not the frequency. I've seen people keep succulents alive for years with daily watering in terracotta pots with sandy soil, it's all about matching the routine to your specific setup. Plus your sister was trying to help you build a consistent habit, which is more than most people do with their plants. Maybe check if your pots have drainage holes before blaming her advice completely.

theagibson3d ago

Yeah @emery_black, I switched to watering my succulents only when the soil was bone dry and they finally started thriving.