Editorial Q&A
Plant questions, answered plainly
Common plant care questions, answered by the Plant Care Club editors. Signed-in readers can ask a question or add an answer.
- questions
- 15
Showing 1–15 of 15 questions
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1 answer
Why are my Monstera's leaves turning yellow?
A common situation: a Monstera that has been doing well starts yellowing on its lower leaves over a couple of weeks. It is watered once a week, sits a few feet from a bright window...
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1 answer
Can a Snake Plant get too much light?
A Snake Plant moved from a dim hallway to a west-facing windowsill with a few hours of direct afternoon sun starts to look pale and washed out, and one leaf develops a light brown,...
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1 answer
How often should you water a Pothos in winter?
A Pothos watered every few days in summer grew well. Now that it is winter, the soil stays wet much longer, even with the heating on. Should the watering schedule change, and how d...
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1 answer
What soil mix suits a Calathea?
Calatheas are often said to need soil that holds moisture but also drains well, which sounds contradictory. What kind of mix works, and can it be made at home from perlite, peat, c...
Plant Care Club 6 months ago 1 answer, -
1 answer
Why is a Fiddle Leaf Fig dropping leaves after a move?
A healthy Fiddle Leaf Fig starts dropping leaves soon after being moved to a new home. The light is similar and the watering routine has not changed, and the leaves that fall are g...
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1 answer
What causes brown tips on a Spider Plant?
Many leaves on an otherwise healthy Spider Plant have brown, crispy tips. The plant is growing well and producing babies. It is watered with tap water when the soil feels dry and s...
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1 answer
Can you propagate a Monstera in water?
Monstera cuttings rooting in clear vases are a familiar sight. But water roots are said to be weaker than soil roots, and cuttings can struggle after being moved to soil. Is water...
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1 answer
What kind of grow light works for a shelf with no natural light?
A four-tier bookshelf against an interior wall, far from any window, gets no natural light. What kind of grow light keeps plants healthy there, without the purple glow that looks o...
Plant Care Club 6 months ago 1 answer, -
1 answer
How do you get rid of fungus gnats?
Fungus gnats, the tiny flies that rise from the soil when a pot is disturbed, often spread from one plant to a whole collection. Letting the soil dry out more and putting up yellow...
Plant Care Club 6 months ago 1 answer, -
1 answer
Is it normal for a Peace Lily to droop every few days?
A Peace Lily droops dramatically every few days, with the leaves going completely limp, and then perks back up within hours of watering. Otherwise it looks healthy, with dark green...
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1 answer
When should you repot a ZZ Plant?
A ZZ Plant has been in its original plastic nursery pot for several years. The pot is now warping and bulging, and the rhizomes show at the soil surface, though new shoots still ap...
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1 answer
Why are Aloe Vera leaves turning brown and mushy?
An Aloe Vera that did well on a kitchen windowsill now has several outer leaves turning brown and soft, starting at the base near the soil. The inner leaves still look fine. It is...
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1 answer
Pothos vs Philodendron: how can you tell them apart?
Trailing plants with green, heart-shaped leaves are often sold as "Philodendron" when they are actually Pothos, or the other way round. How do you tell them apart, and does it matt...
Plant Care Club 6 months ago 1 answer, -
1 answer
Do pebble trays actually increase humidity?
Pebble trays (a tray of pebbles and water under a pot) are recommended everywhere for humidity-loving plants. But a hygrometer often shows no difference with or without them. What...
Plant Care Club 6 months ago 1 answer, -
1 answer
What is the white fuzz on top of houseplant soil?
A thin, white, fuzzy layer appears on top of the soil in a couple of pots, often after windows have stayed closed for weeks in cold weather. The plants themselves look fine. Is it...
Plant Care Club 6 months ago 1 answer,