Just realized I was wrong about watering my pothos for years

I always watered my pothos on a set schedule every Monday morning for like 3 years. Then last month I noticed the leaves turning yellow and dropping off one by one. My neighbor who runs a small greenhouse stopped by and asked if I ever check the soil before watering. I stuck my finger in the pot and it was soaking wet even after a week. Turns out I was drowning the roots since the pot has no drainage holes I never noticed. Now I only water when the top inch is dry and the plant is finally bouncing back. Anyone else make this basic mistake with houseplants for way too long?

2 comments

2 Comments

grant_ross2719d ago

Oh man, I used to be completely against the "check the soil first" method. I thought it was a waste of time and that a consistent schedule was the only way to keep plants alive, especially with pothos since they seem so tough. But then I had the exact same issue with yellow leaves and my own plant started looking sad, so I finally caved and tried it, and now I'm a total convert. It just makes so much more sense to let the plant tell you when it's thirsty.

mary61419d agoTop Commenter

Tbh I had the same stubborn phase with my succulents. I was so convinced they needed water every Tuesday like clockwork until I started getting mushy leaves and frantic googling at 2am. The finger test felt like such a hassle at first but now I just poke the dirt without even thinking about it. Ngl it was a humbling moment when I realized my dusty finger was giving me better plant advice than any fancy schedule I made. And pothos are definitely tougher than most but they still appreciate you checking in before drowning them.