Shoutout to the plant shop owner in Portland who told me to stop babying my fiddle leaf fig

Last week, I went to a small shop on Division Street because my fiddle leaf fig had three yellow leaves. The owner, Maria, said I was watering it too much and keeping it in a spot with no real sun. She told me to move it right in front of my south window and only water it every 12 days, even if the soil felt dry. I thought she was crazy, but the plant has perked up more in a week than it had in the last three months. Has anyone else had a plant expert give advice that went against everything you read online?

3 comments

3 Comments

elizabeth_gonzalez1mo ago

.lol" is honestly kind of the opposite of how I see it... ignoring a plant never made it thrive for me, it just made it sad and stretched out. I think the trick is paying close attention but actually listening to what the plant is telling you instead of some generic schedule, you know?

kevin_bailey2mo ago

Ever wonder if these plants just thrive on a little tough love? @ellis.ivan, your peace lily story fits that, like they get lazy if we're too nice. Maybe the best plant care is just ignoring them better.

ellis.ivan2mo ago

Totally thought my peace lily needed constant moisture. Turns out letting it dry out a bit between waterings stopped all the brown tips, lol. Sometimes the basic advice is wrong for your specific plant.

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