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A guy at the Denver Botanic Gardens told me to stop watering my succulents so much

I was there last fall showing off my jade plant to a friend. This older volunteer overheard us and came over. He pointed at a leaf and said, 'See that slight yellowing? That's from love, not neglect.' He explained that in their dry climate, they only water certain succulents once every three weeks, even in pots. I cut my watering in half and the plant perked up in a month. Has anyone else gotten advice that totally flipped their plant care routine?
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4 Comments
nancyjones
Oh man, I had a similar wake-up call with a fern from my grandma that I was drowning for years. @jana881 is right that overwatering sneaks up on you because it feels like the right thing to do.
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jana881
jana8812mo agoMost Upvoted
A gardening blog said overwatering is the most common killer of houseplants... it really made me rethink things.
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king.eric
king.eric2mo ago
Seriously? It's just water.
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alicemurphy
It's the easiest mistake to make because it seems helpful. The roots need air as much as they need water, and drowning them cuts off their oxygen. A lot of potting soil holds moisture for days longer than you'd guess. You end up loving the plant to death with a watering can.
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