My neighbor the retired botanist told me to stop watering my fiddle leaf fig so much

So my neighbor Carol (she's like 70 and has been a plant lady for decades) saw me dumping a big glass of water into my fiddle leaf fig last week and she just shook her head. She said I was basically drowning it and that most houseplants die from overwatering not underwatering, which I thought was crazy because the leaves were all droopy. I backed off to watering like once every 10 days instead of twice a week and she also told me to stick my finger in the soil first to feel if it's dry. Three weeks later and the thing has new growth at the top and the droop is totally gone. Has anyone else had a neighbor or older gardener call them out on something simple like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

anna7585d ago

Ha, yeah no I actually have to disagree a little here. I tried that whole "neglect method" thing and my snake plant got all shriveled and sad looking. Guess it depends on your light and pot type though, so if it works for your friend that's awesome.

the_eva5d ago

My friend Jen killed three snake plants in a row before her 80 year old neighbor told her they only need water once a month during winter. She felt like an idiot but tried it and suddenly her new snake plant is thriving after 6 months. Now she brags about her "neglect method" to everyone who visits.