Appreciation post: My neighbor's weird cactus made me stop killing succulents

I used to just water my succulents whenever I remembered, which was maybe once a week, and they'd always rot. Then my neighbor in Tucson showed me her 20-year-old prickly pear and said, 'I give it a full cup of water, but only every six weeks.' I started doing that with my jade plant, and it's finally growing. How do you figure out the right watering schedule for your plants?

3 comments

3 Comments

elliotl242mo ago

Honestly, my first plant died because I loved it too much. Watered it like a daily chore, basically gave it a swimming pool. Turned into a sad, mushy stick. Now I just stick my finger way down in the dirt and if it's bone dry for a few days, maybe then I'll give it a drink. Still not great at it, but at least they're not drowning anymore.

robin_foster12mo ago

That finger trick saved my spider plant too.

wade76724d ago

I mean, that thing about sticking your finger in the dirt is the only reason any of my plants are still alive. My mom swears by the "lift the pot" method, like if it feels light then water it, but I can never tell the difference. Guess I just don't have that sixth sense for pot weight or whatever. Actually, I've started using those chopsticks you get with takeout to poke around in the soil, way easier than getting my whole finger dirty. It's honestly kind of funny how we all have these weird little rituals just to keep a basic houseplant going.