My orchids taught me a lesson about overwatering yesterday

I was in my kitchen repotting a phalaenopsis and noticed the roots were all mushy. Turns out I had been watering it twice a week when it really only needed once. Has anyone else dealt with root rot from being too eager with the watering can?

3 comments

3 Comments

rileynelson29d agoTop Commenter

I used to be the kind of person who watered everything on a strict schedule like it was a chore, but after losing a whole shelf of succulents to rot I totally get it now. With my succulents I was watering every few days because I thought they needed constant moisture, but really they just wanted to dry out completely between drinks. It took me killing a beloved jade plant to realize that more water isn't better, it's just more water. Now I stick my finger in the soil and only water when it's bone dry, and my plants are way happier.

ruby_rivera7629d agoMost Upvoted

Heard a plant YouTuber talk about how overwatering is basically loving your plants to death.

gavina7326d ago

Overwatering being "loving your plants to death" always sounded a bit dramatic to me, honestly. I get that it kills plants, but people act like you're committing a crime for giving them a little extra water here and there. @rileynelson you mentioned losing succulents, and yeah those guys are fragile, but I've got a spider plant that's been drowning in a pot with no drainage for like three years and it's still kicking out babies like crazy. So maybe it's not always that simple, you know? Some plants are just tougher than others and can handle a bit of neglect either way.