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Spent 2 years underwatering my monstera because someone told me they liked dry soil
Saw a yellow leaf. Thought maybe sunburn. Then another. Then brown tips. A guy at the greenhouse in Austin pointed at my pot and said "that soil looks like dust." Told me monsteras need consistent moisture not drought cycles. Felt so dumb. I was treating it like a succulent. Anyone else get bad advice that set them back months?
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sanchez.mary29d ago
Yeah that's the worst. A finger test is all you need, stick it in up to your second knuckle and if it's dry, water it.
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Oh man, that dust comment hit me right in the gut because I did almost the exact same thing for like a year with my calathea. Someone swore they liked to dry out completely between waterings and I ended up with crispy leaves and a sad, sad plant. I'm curious though, did the guy at the greenhouse give you any tips on how to actually tell when to water, like checking the soil with your finger or lifting the pot? I feel like everyone just says "keep it moist" but nobody says what that actually looks like day to day.
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diana_king29d ago
Stick with what sanchez.mary said about the finger test, but take it a step further. The pot weight thing is actually the most reliable once you get a feel for it. Pick up your plant right after watering, then pick it up again when it's bone dry. That difference in weight is your real clue, not just a knuckle deep check. The dry soil will feel way lighter, like a empty cup versus a full one. It takes a couple tries but you'll get it faster than you think.
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