On a cold Tuesday I found thrips on the calathea, and it went worse than expected. The numbers, for the record: 8 plants and 6 new leaves.
None of this is new, but checking for pests is new to me. It's the kind of thing you only learn by mixing my own potting soil. The more I do repotting, the less I know, in a good way. My notes from last time said: ‘Let the top inch dry out first.’
Gideon suggested repotting the monstera, so I gave it a go. So I moved the fern to the bathroom and waited. I went back and checked: 3 weeks between waterings. The bag of bark I bought last autumn finally earned its place.
It was mild outside, which never helps with wiping the leaves. The odd thing is that propagating in water worked. I'm still not sure whether it was the root ball or the weather. I'm starting to trust my own notes on the windowsill more than the books.
I think the lesson is to slow down with the pothos, again. Next on the list: taking cuttings.
Older: On Watering Less
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