🪴HOW TO & TIPS
I've spent years fielding questions from plant parents who are genuinely stressed about things that simply aren't true. Worried their plants are doomed because of something they read in a Facebook group or heard from their neighbor's cousin who "knows about plants."
So today, I'm setting the record straight on 3 of the most persistent (and damaging) houseplant myths I keep hearing. Consider this your permission to stop worrying about these things immediately.
MYTH #1: HOUSEPLANTS ATTRACT BUGS
Let's get this one out of the way first: Your plants aren't summoning bugs like some kind of leafy bug magnet.
Here's the truth: Houseplants don't attract bugs. Poor care practices do.
Those tiny black flies hovering around your plants? Fungus gnats. And they're not there because you own a Snake Plant but because your soil is staying too wet for too long.
Fungus gnats lay their eggs in moist soil. When that soil stays consistently damp (because you're watering on a schedule instead of checking if your plant actually needs it), you're basically running a fungus gnat nursery.
The fix is to let your soil dry out properly between waterings. Use a moisture meter if you need to.
Bottom line: Healthy plants in appropriate conditions don't have chronic pest problems. The bugs aren't the issue, overwatering usually is.
MYTH #2: ORCHIDS ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP ALIVE
This one drives me absolutely mad because orchids have this completely undeserved reputation as diva plants that die the moment you look at them wrong.
Meanwhile, in reality, Orchids are actually reasonably forgiving.
The main reason people kill orchids is overwatering. Orchids don't grow in soil in nature. They're epiphytes, growing on trees with their roots exposed to air. So when you pot them in regular potting soil and water them like a Monstera, they rot.
Here's all you need to know:
- Use bark-based orchid mix (not soil)
- Water when the roots turn silvery-gray (green = still moist)
- Give them bright, indirect light
- Stop panicking when they finish blooming (they're resting, not dying)
Once you understand that orchids just need less rather than more, they're actually one of the easiest plants to keep alive. I've had the same Phalaenopsis for years, and it reblooms regularly with minimal effort.
The "orchids are impossible" myth has officially been debunked.
MYTH #3: ALL PLANTS SHOULD BE WATERED ON THE SAME SCHEDULE
If I could ban one piece of plant advice from the internet, it would be this: "Water all your plants every [insert arbitrary time frame]."
Here's why that's terrible advice: Every plant has different needs.
Your cactus and your Calathea do not want the same watering frequency. Your Pothos in bright light dries out faster than the one in your bathroom. The plant in a terracotta pot needs water more often than the identical plant in glazed ceramic.
Instead, check each plant individually:
- Stick your finger in the soil
- Use a moisture meter
- Lift the pot (dry soil is lighter)
Some plants will need water weekly. Others might go two or three weeks. The environmental factors in your home (light, temperature, humidity, airflow) all affect how quickly soil dries out.
Stop following a rigid schedule and start paying attention to what your plants actually need.
💭 THE PATTERN HERE
Notice anything about these myths?
Most of them are rooted in fear. Fear that plants are too hard. Too risky. Too prone to problems.
But here's what I've learned after years of growing hundreds of plants: The biggest risk to your houseplants isn't bugs, or low light, or your cat.
It's believing these myths and never trying in the first place.
Houseplants aren't as fragile or complicated as the internet makes them seem. Your job isn't to create perfect conditions, it's to provide good enough conditions and pay attention to what they're telling you.
Let go of the myths. Trust yourself. Try things. Make mistakes. Learn.
That's how you actually get good at this.
🪴 YOUR TURN
What houseplant myth have you heard that drives you crazy? Reply and let me know, I might feature it in a future newsletter.
And if any of these myths have been holding you back from trying a particular plant or technique, consider this your official green light to go for it.