I agree with you! There are lots of things that work for some, but not for others. I personally love my moisture meter, I used to be a cronic overwater-er haha! But using a moisture meter has helped me SO much, but I've heard from so many others that its best not to use them. It does help to know your plants, like you mentioned, because for some plants that I water once every two weeks, I know that even if the moisture meter says they're dry, I will not water them cause they're fine without the water. So understanding your plants helps a ton too! 🤗
Agree. Love my moisture meters. I have purchased a defective moisture meter once. My plant collection was growing so I decided to get a moisture meter which came in a 2pk. One of those kept reading dry all the time. Fortunately I had the other m/m that came with it and it worked fine.
I use a moisture meter as well, and I also have a plant app that helps me journal their progress and gives me reminders for when to water and fertilize things. But I know my plants well enough that I can tell what they need, just looking at them, but the moisture meters to help just in case I do not pick up on their needs myself. Like this past week when I was sick, I really could not register their needs like normal at all😅
I think we need to keep in mind a moisture meter could be a valuable and even necessary tool for someone with a disability. Our sense of touch itself and our accurate perception of touch are privileges we often don’t think about having :)
I agree with all your tips Melissa. I would just add that if you are prepping for semi-hydro, like I do, then you can take them out of the soil immediately and clean the roots off before placing them in water. I place all new plants in a special rooting mixture with water until they grow water roots. Once they have a good amount of primary and secondary roots and the soil roots have rotted (7 removed), then I place them either in LECA or Pon 😃 So far so good...I haven't lost a plant doing that.....yet! 🤭🥰
Loved the tone of this video: even, direct, concise, acknowledging only your opinions. Looking around your studio, we can see your methods work well for you.
I have a moisture meter but never use it. I never trusted it. I use a wooden skewer to check my big plants but for most of my collection, I just go by the weight of my pot. Great video as always!
I agree with most of these points! I will say that I only grow with drainage however I’ve seen a lot of success with people who know how to use no-drainage well. It’s definitely possible to have great results with that method although I haven’t gone into that territory myself!
When I was newer to the hobby, I many people swear by moisture meters, so I ordered one online. It came to me with dents on the rod and I found inconsistencies when I tested it on some soil for moisture and acidity levels. At that moment I came to realize that maybe it wasn't a necessity after all and that I could just feel the soil or observe the plants for signs that they need water. I've since had it refunded and never had a moment since where I over/underwatered and thought "this wouldn't have happened to me if I had a moisture meter". It definitely comes with experience but at some point in your plant journey you'll just know when to water them. Instead of moisture meter, I recommend an app of some sort to remind you when to water. I do this but I don't water immediately when it says that it needs water after X amount of days, instead I use that as a reminder to check on the soil and the plants to assess if they do need water. As for the need for drainage holes, HARD DISAGREE (respectfully ofc lol I just wanted to act like a plant karen for a moment). In all seriousness though, as you said, it's really up to the person or not if they can make it work or not, but I wish putting plants in vessels with no drainage wasn't regarded as such a plant "sin", because it is possible (and even beneficial depending on your way of caring for a plant). I personally just thought it didn't make sense how people said it wouldn't work when we see it being done to a lesser extent with semi-hydroponics. I find that when done right, no drainage potting helps reduce your water and fertilizer usage, and it's also more ideal because it doesn't cause dirt to fall out because there is no drainage. I also disagree that no drainage results in a lack of aeration, I think that even drainage holes on normal pots don't really contribute to aeration unless it's an orchid pot type of situation. And for the salt buildup, I'm not negating that at all, but I've personally never seen anybody use no drainage for so long that it ends up with salt buildups that cause harm to the plant. But even if it did, I learned from unplantparenthood that the salts could be rinsed off using a hydrogen peroxide solution. Hell, I'm even growing my anthurium in no drainage and I think it benefits more from it than if I opted for a pot with drainage holes (because people emphasize that anthuriums really need aeration, but again, you can avoid root rot when done right with the right soil mix). Again, this is also just personal experience, and I'm not trying to say my way is THE way, but just saying, don't knock it till you try it (correctly).
An additional tip: Instead of buying a light meter, you could also install an App on your phone :) there are many free ones. Mine is called "lux light meter". I read about 1400 lux are needed minimum. So I'm currently standing on my South facing window metering no more than 600 lux and pitying my plants and myself because it's been very cloudy for weeks! While in the summer I had over 20.000 lux at the same spot 😅 I can't wait for spring and better light 🌱☀️
I agree and not on the meter 😅 I totally think it is hard to know with a chunky mixt. However, it save 2 of my bigger plants from root rot. I checked the moisture for 3 weeks it won't budge from the moist level and like the 6 or 7... Zo I think ot depends on the mix
I like to use my moisture meter because I have long finger nails and even when they are shorter I don’t like dirt under my fingernails. I just end up washing my hands a lot. So I’m going to keep using my moisture meter.
I have the same history with my moisture meter as you do with yours. I stopped relying on mine soon after purchasing the darn thing. Personal judgement based on experience and common sense is the way to go. I think my meter is now on the Island of Misfit Plant Tools. Excellent video and thanks for that.
I like my Airontek meter very much - I still use it. It helped me a lot in the beginning (also cold soil can feel like moist soil, so this taught me the difference). However, apart from the meter I use other signs of plants (not)needing watering - but I find Airontek a helpful additional tool, and for some overwatering beginners it can be a plant-life saver.
Lol.. I alwaysss repot as soon as I get a new plant and I never have any problems. I just hate the soil they come in. I’ll spray them down with insecticidal soap, repot and quarantine for two weeks! They always do well! I also try to buy healthy plants as well!
Melissa you’re great. Thank you for all the tips. Can you possibly make a video specifically about lighting and feeding vs fertilizing and how often? I know that there are many factors but any advice is greatly appreciated on my part. Thank you 🙏🏼 keep up the great work!
There is only rare cases where I don't at least check the roots(not necessarily repot entirely)on new plants. I've lost too many by not doing so. Also sellers need to know condition immediately after you've received if you've purchased and had them shipped, if there's a problem. Big box store plant I almost always repot because the soil is often terrible,pest ridden and/or there's a peat plug suffocating roots.
Thank you Melissa, I really love your videos. I'm a new plant parent and you both teach and inspire! I hope you do really well on TH-cam as you have a lot to offer!
Awesome, I learned more about fertilizer. I’m pretty new to houseplants. I have to stop myself from immediately repotting a new plant. Eek, sometimes I can’t help myself. Also, you’re eyebrows are amazing!
Thank you! 🥹 If the plant is in bad shape I'll definitely repot it and not saying you can't repot right away. Waiting a week can be a little less stressful on it :)
That was a wonderful video, very succinct and full of great advice. I am largely in agreement with each of those points. Still learning how to limp along with some plants that I’d previously planted in the wrong containers. Finding the right soil mix was a big struggle in the beginning. Thank you for your recommendations
Think I listen to most of these but am new to fertilizing and am so unsure on using it in the winter. I am in Canada, we have long and cold winters. Should I fertilize all year? Just in spring/summer? Would LOVE your take on this part!
My dilemma….new uv resistant tinted replacement windows…especially the southern picture window and the eastern ones. I have no idea what colors of light gets in, and how close to place the plants. They are Anderson, and I can’t find any info on that. A good experiment I suppose, but I know I am not the only one.
Thanks for the video. I agree with everything in your video but I think you left out some information on not fertilizing during the winter months? If someone is new to plants, they may not know this. Thanks again 🙂
Hi, thank you! I fertilize year round. It really depends on where you live and your particular growing environment. My plants grow in winter. It really was more geared to fertilizing vs not fertilizing at all :)
Hi Melissa, came across your channel recently and have found it to be really helpful as a fairly new plant owner! Did you purchase the light meter from Amazon? If so, could you paste the link, please?
Hi!! How often do you fertilize with the slow release? Do you include it inside the mix as part of repotting or how exactly do you add it on your soil? I bought osmocote but I am clueless as to how to apply it, how much, or how often 🙈
I don't use osmocote out of preference but when I researched its application when I was deciding between slow release vs liquid, I remember that you can just distribute your osmocote evenly throughout the soil. For how much, I'd say 5-10 percent in relation to your soil is what I've seen others done. You can include it in the mix when you repot but I would suggest you make sure that the roots aren't in direct contact with the pellets just in case it causes root burn. And for how often, I heard 3-6 months, with a bit more certainty towards the latter
It last for 4-6 months but I'm going to use it every 4 months so 3x a year. I fertilized last in November so I'll add it again in March :) I sprinkle it around on top and sorta use my finger to mix it in that top layer. I use about a teaspoon for a 4 inch pot and 2-3 teaspoons for a 6-8 inch pot. I use a little more than the recommended amount but my plants have been fine with that.
@@plantsbymelissa thank you so much for the advice! I will definitely start my plants up in the spring as well to hopefully have them grow as beautiful as yours!!😍
It's a hybrid! It's a crystallinum x magnificum :) It's been with me for awhile, started as a tiny seedling 🥺 My current humidity is 50-60's most days in my plant room. Sometimes more depending on the weather!
@@plantsbymelissa 50-60% sounds really good. I struggle with low humidity in this flat during the winter months. Some days it's under 40%, even with two humidifiers running.
I switched to slow release in April and it lasts for about 4-6 months. I'm going to go on the 4 month side and use it 3x a year. I fertilized last around November and I'll add it to all my plants again in March just in time for spring :)
You're welcome! Nope, it hasn't seemed to affect them in any way. If anything I just get algae growth from the light but it's not harmful and I don't mind it really :)
So glad I stumbled upon this comment. I use clear orchid pots for my houseplants and I noticed green "stuff" around a few pots halfway down... I panicked at first but the plants are healthy. Now I know it's algae based upon this comment. Great to know it's nothing to stress about!
Melissa, smidge off topic but how do you like the plastic moss poles? I make my own and i really do prefer the look of the plastic ones. My only concern is even the ones with the solid back, when the plant gets bigger and taller wouldn’t it just kinda cave in on its self? Maybe stake it in the center? 😂
I started using the thiccly plastic ones about 4 months ago maybe and so far I like them. I haven't grown a tall plant on it yet but time will tell. I like the convenience of them and they stay moist a little longer in my space. Wire is definitely sturdy!
First let me say I am not phone savvy.. I didn't know I had a compass, soon as you said that tip I grabbed my phone. The compass was tucked away in my extras folder I had put it in, turned it on and it settled a disagreement I had been having with my significant other. I was right on our location.. Love your videos I learn so much. Thanks Mellisa 🪴
It's still possible but as long as water can drain it should be okay. I tend to use cache pots a lot so if I have any excess water I just make sure to dump it out so it doesn't sit in it :)
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I agree with you! There are lots of things that work for some, but not for others. I personally love my moisture meter, I used to be a cronic overwater-er haha! But using a moisture meter has helped me SO much, but I've heard from so many others that its best not to use them. It does help to know your plants, like you mentioned, because for some plants that I water once every two weeks, I know that even if the moisture meter says they're dry, I will not water them cause they're fine without the water. So understanding your plants helps a ton too! 🤗
I think you said that so well! If you have your routine with them and it works for you then definitely keep doing that :)
Agree. Love my moisture meters. I have purchased a defective moisture meter once. My plant collection was growing so I decided to get a moisture meter which came in a 2pk. One of those kept reading dry all the time. Fortunately I had the other m/m that came with it and it worked fine.
I use a moisture meter as well, and I also have a plant app that helps me journal their progress and gives me reminders for when to water and fertilize things. But I know my plants well enough that I can tell what they need, just looking at them, but the moisture meters to help just in case I do not pick up on their needs myself. Like this past week when I was sick, I really could not register their needs like normal at all😅
I think we need to keep in mind a moisture meter could be a valuable and even necessary tool for someone with a disability. Our sense of touch itself and our accurate perception of touch are privileges we often don’t think about having :)
I agree with all your tips Melissa. I would just add that if you are prepping for semi-hydro, like I do, then you can take them out of the soil immediately and clean the roots off before placing them in water. I place all new plants in a special rooting mixture with water until they grow water roots. Once they have a good amount of primary and secondary roots and the soil roots have rotted (7 removed), then I place them either in LECA or Pon 😃 So far so good...I haven't lost a plant doing that.....yet! 🤭🥰
Loved the tone of this video: even, direct, concise, acknowledging only your opinions. Looking around your studio, we can see your methods work well for you.
I have a moisture meter but never use it. I never trusted it. I use a wooden skewer to check my big plants but for most of my collection, I just go by the weight of my pot. Great video as always!
Thank you! :) Skewer is helpful!!
I agree with most of these points! I will say that I only grow with drainage however I’ve seen a lot of success with people who know how to use no-drainage well. It’s definitely possible to have great results with that method although I haven’t gone into that territory myself!
When I was newer to the hobby, I many people swear by moisture meters, so I ordered one online. It came to me with dents on the rod and I found inconsistencies when I tested it on some soil for moisture and acidity levels. At that moment I came to realize that maybe it wasn't a necessity after all and that I could just feel the soil or observe the plants for signs that they need water. I've since had it refunded and never had a moment since where I over/underwatered and thought "this wouldn't have happened to me if I had a moisture meter". It definitely comes with experience but at some point in your plant journey you'll just know when to water them. Instead of moisture meter, I recommend an app of some sort to remind you when to water. I do this but I don't water immediately when it says that it needs water after X amount of days, instead I use that as a reminder to check on the soil and the plants to assess if they do need water.
As for the need for drainage holes, HARD DISAGREE (respectfully ofc lol I just wanted to act like a plant karen for a moment). In all seriousness though, as you said, it's really up to the person or not if they can make it work or not, but I wish putting plants in vessels with no drainage wasn't regarded as such a plant "sin", because it is possible (and even beneficial depending on your way of caring for a plant). I personally just thought it didn't make sense how people said it wouldn't work when we see it being done to a lesser extent with semi-hydroponics. I find that when done right, no drainage potting helps reduce your water and fertilizer usage, and it's also more ideal because it doesn't cause dirt to fall out because there is no drainage. I also disagree that no drainage results in a lack of aeration, I think that even drainage holes on normal pots don't really contribute to aeration unless it's an orchid pot type of situation. And for the salt buildup, I'm not negating that at all, but I've personally never seen anybody use no drainage for so long that it ends up with salt buildups that cause harm to the plant. But even if it did, I learned from unplantparenthood that the salts could be rinsed off using a hydrogen peroxide solution. Hell, I'm even growing my anthurium in no drainage and I think it benefits more from it than if I opted for a pot with drainage holes (because people emphasize that anthuriums really need aeration, but again, you can avoid root rot when done right with the right soil mix). Again, this is also just personal experience, and I'm not trying to say my way is THE way, but just saying, don't knock it till you try it (correctly).
An additional tip: Instead of buying a light meter, you could also install an App on your phone :) there are many free ones. Mine is called "lux light meter".
I read about 1400 lux are needed minimum.
So I'm currently standing on my South facing window metering no more than 600 lux and pitying my plants and myself because it's been very cloudy for weeks! While in the summer I had over 20.000 lux at the same spot 😅
I can't wait for spring and better light 🌱☀️
I have heard of that with the phone but haven't tried it out myself. I would be curious to compare it to my light meter now lol
I agree and not on the meter 😅
I totally think it is hard to know with a chunky mixt.
However, it save 2 of my bigger plants from root rot. I checked the moisture for 3 weeks it won't budge from the moist level and like the 6 or 7...
Zo I think ot depends on the mix
I like to use my moisture meter because I have long finger nails and even when they are shorter I don’t like dirt under my fingernails. I just end up washing my hands a lot. So I’m going to keep using my moisture meter.
Thank you. Very informative and helpful. Great video. I really appreciate it
I have the same history with my moisture meter as you do with yours. I stopped relying on mine soon after purchasing the darn thing. Personal judgement based on experience and common sense is the way to go. I think my meter is now on the Island of Misfit Plant Tools. Excellent video and thanks for that.
I just water all my plants when they're dry, (except like ferns), but I check my soil with a skewer like baking. It's worked really well so far!
I like my Airontek meter very much - I still use it. It helped me a lot in the beginning (also cold soil can feel like moist soil, so this taught me the difference). However, apart from the meter I use other signs of plants (not)needing watering - but I find Airontek a helpful additional tool, and for some overwatering beginners it can be a plant-life saver.
Lol.. I alwaysss repot as soon as I get a new plant and I never have any problems. I just hate the soil they come in. I’ll spray them down with insecticidal soap, repot and quarantine for two weeks! They always do well! I also try to buy healthy plants as well!
Melissa you’re great. Thank you for all the tips. Can you possibly make a video specifically about lighting and feeding vs fertilizing and how often? I know that there are many factors but any advice is greatly appreciated on my part. Thank you 🙏🏼 keep up the great work!
Thank you Melissa. Amazing that I had all those questions and you answered them.
I killed a lot of houseplants by overwatering them until I got a moisture meter. This has really helped me with my larger plants in deep pots.
There is only rare cases where I don't at least check the roots(not necessarily repot entirely)on new plants. I've lost too many by not doing so. Also sellers need to know condition immediately after you've received if you've purchased and had them shipped, if there's a problem. Big box store plant I almost always repot because the soil is often terrible,pest ridden and/or there's a peat plug suffocating roots.
Thank you Melissa, I really love your videos. I'm a new plant parent and you both teach and inspire! I hope you do really well on TH-cam as you have a lot to offer!
Thank you!! I appreciate that so much! 🥰
Was watching and listening until I got to 5:59 and got distracted by the sight. Really what a breathtaking view. 😍
aw thank you so much!!
Really like your videos. You are so calming and full of info and ideas!!
Thank you so much! I'm really glad you like them! 🥰
Awesome, I learned more about fertilizer. I’m pretty new to houseplants. I have to stop myself from immediately repotting a new plant. Eek, sometimes I can’t help myself.
Also, you’re eyebrows are amazing!
Thank you! 🥹 If the plant is in bad shape I'll definitely repot it and not saying you can't repot right away. Waiting a week can be a little less stressful on it :)
That was a wonderful video, very succinct and full of great advice. I am largely in agreement with each of those points. Still learning how to limp along with some plants that I’d previously planted in the wrong containers. Finding the right soil mix was a big struggle in the beginning. Thank you for your recommendations
Glad you enjoyed it! I appreciate it!
Think I listen to most of these but am new to fertilizing and am so unsure on using it in the winter. I am in Canada, we have long and cold winters. Should I fertilize all year? Just in spring/summer? Would LOVE your take on this part!
I think a lot of people fertilize still in winter as long as your plants seem like they're growing! You might need to cut back on the strength though!
@@plantsbymelissa Thank you for that!! I'll get on some fertilizer this weekend for some of my babies that are still pushing growth!
Best advice
My dilemma….new uv resistant tinted replacement windows…especially the southern picture window and the eastern ones. I have no idea what colors of light gets in, and how close to place the plants. They are Anderson, and I can’t find any info on that. A good experiment I suppose, but I know I am not the only one.
I have tinted windows throughout my home. In my experience, I do not get the bright light needed for my plants. I have to supplement with grow lights.
Very informative, thank you 😊
Thanks for watching!
Light is absolutely essential for plant growth, even "low light" plants can greatly benefit from having more light.
Thanks for the video. I agree with everything in your video but I think you left out some information on not fertilizing during the winter months? If someone is new to plants, they may not know this. Thanks again 🙂
Hi, thank you! I fertilize year round. It really depends on where you live and your particular growing environment. My plants grow in winter. It really was more geared to fertilizing vs not fertilizing at all :)
@@plantsbymelissa
Thanks for your reply,
I appreciate it. And I really do enjoy your videos. They’re calming and it’s a nice little break in the day 🙂
Hi Melissa, came across your channel recently and have found it to be really helpful as a fairly new plant owner! Did you purchase the light meter from Amazon? If so, could you paste the link, please?
Your anthurium is perfect.
Thank you so much! I recently moved her out of my cabinet! They were so squished :(
Hi!! How often do you fertilize with the slow release? Do you include it inside the mix as part of repotting or how exactly do you add it on your soil? I bought osmocote but I am clueless as to how to apply it, how much, or how often 🙈
I don't use osmocote out of preference but when I researched its application when I was deciding between slow release vs liquid, I remember that you can just distribute your osmocote evenly throughout the soil. For how much, I'd say 5-10 percent in relation to your soil is what I've seen others done. You can include it in the mix when you repot but I would suggest you make sure that the roots aren't in direct contact with the pellets just in case it causes root burn. And for how often, I heard 3-6 months, with a bit more certainty towards the latter
It last for 4-6 months but I'm going to use it every 4 months so 3x a year. I fertilized last in November so I'll add it again in March :) I sprinkle it around on top and sorta use my finger to mix it in that top layer. I use about a teaspoon for a 4 inch pot and 2-3 teaspoons for a 6-8 inch pot. I use a little more than the recommended amount but my plants have been fine with that.
@@plantsbymelissa thank you so much for the advice! I will definitely start my plants up in the spring as well to hopefully have them grow as beautiful as yours!!😍
Is that a crystallinum on the left? It's gorgeous 😍 What's the humidity situation in your home?
It's a hybrid! It's a crystallinum x magnificum :) It's been with me for awhile, started as a tiny seedling 🥺 My current humidity is 50-60's most days in my plant room. Sometimes more depending on the weather!
@@plantsbymelissa 50-60% sounds really good. I struggle with low humidity in this flat during the winter months. Some days it's under 40%, even with two humidifiers running.
Do you fertilize through the winter? How often?
I switched to slow release in April and it lasts for about 4-6 months. I'm going to go on the 4 month side and use it 3x a year. I fertilized last around November and I'll add it to all my plants again in March just in time for spring :)
Thank you for the video! Are you concerned about roots being exposed to light in a clear plastic pot.
You're welcome! Nope, it hasn't seemed to affect them in any way. If anything I just get algae growth from the light but it's not harmful and I don't mind it really :)
So glad I stumbled upon this comment. I use clear orchid pots for my houseplants and I noticed green "stuff" around a few pots halfway down... I panicked at first but the plants are healthy. Now I know it's algae based upon this comment. Great to know it's nothing to stress about!
Melissa, smidge off topic but how do you like the plastic moss poles? I make my own and i really do prefer the look of the plastic ones. My only concern is even the ones with the solid back, when the plant gets bigger and taller wouldn’t it just kinda cave in on its self? Maybe stake it in the center? 😂
I started using the thiccly plastic ones about 4 months ago maybe and so far I like them. I haven't grown a tall plant on it yet but time will tell. I like the convenience of them and they stay moist a little longer in my space. Wire is definitely sturdy!
The emoji on the thumbnail.. so serious sir. So serious.
Those basic moisture meters are trash.
What about misting. I’d think of that as another no.
I'm not a fan of misting but as long as you have good airflow it should dry on the leaves and reduce any fungal or bacterial infection spreading :)
Sending love ❤❤❤❤❤
First let me say I am not phone savvy.. I didn't know I had a compass, soon as you said that tip I grabbed my phone. The compass was tucked away in my extras folder I had put it in, turned it on and it settled a disagreement I had been having with my significant other. I was right on our location.. Love your videos I learn so much. Thanks Mellisa 🪴
haha I love that! When I first found that out I was shocked and it helped me so much in learning which window directions were best!
Is it still possible to over water if they're in a chunky mix?
My water runs right threw when I water.
It's still possible but as long as water can drain it should be okay. I tend to use cache pots a lot so if I have any excess water I just make sure to dump it out so it doesn't sit in it :)
Can you use the Osmsote fertilizer in the winter month , or just wait
I'll just wait now and fertilize again in March :) I fertilized in Nov last for all my plants so it'll last till spring!
💚💚💚
What about a no drain hole semi hydro?
I know you need to do a flush every so often but I don't grow in semi hydro :)