A Watering Mistake I Made in the Beginning of My Plant Journey – and What I Learned
Too much love in the form of water
When I first became a plant parent, I proudly brought home an aloe – and I knew absolutely nothing about what it needed. Like, zilch. I assumed it must be thirsty every three days, so I watered it… religiously. When its leaves started yellowing, I thought that meant more water. So I watered daily. My poor aloe was practically drowning, and I nearly loved it to death.
The turning point came when I discovered that most plants actually like their soil to dry out between waterings. Once I let my aloe breathe, it perked up again – and that lesson completely transformed my plant journey.
Testing the soil
The biggest game-changer? Learning to test the soil before watering. You don’t need fancy tools – your finger works perfectly – but knitting needles, chopsticks, or moisture meters can do the job too. If there’s damp residue when you pull it out, the soil is still wet, so wait before watering again. At first, I worried about poking the roots. But I’ve learned they’re tougher than we think – and a little poke won’t hurt. Once I stopped watering on a fixed “Saturday watering schedule” and instead created a rhythm of checking the soil weekly, everything clicked.
Pot size matters
This new rhythm taught me another lesson: not all pots dry at the same speed. My smaller pots needed frequent water, sometimes every few days for the smallest ones, while my larger pots could go weeks without a drink. It was such a simple but powerful shift: small pots = faster drying, big pots = slower drying.
Watering with the seasons
Testing the soil also revealed something magical – watering isn’t the same year-round. In summer, my plants generally usually want a drink every week or two. But in winter, the pace slows dramatically. Some of my plants only need water once a month! That seasonal rhythm feels special to me. Just like I naturally slow down and hibernate in winter, so do my plants. They’re resting, conserving energy, and teaching me the beauty of moving with the seasons.
Every plant mistake has been a stepping stone to learning, and I wouldn’t trade those lessons for anything. If you’ve ever over-loved your plants with water – trust me, you’re not alone.
With love (and just the right amount of water),
Tarryn x”
