Debunking 5 Houseplant Care Myths

November 12, 2021

In the beginning when I started out on my houseplant journey, I listened to whatever anyone had to say about plant care. Absorbing all knowledge, I could keep my plants alive and healthy. But like anything, some information can get become a little misleading and misinformed.

But now I’ve found that not every plant care tip is super accurate. Some care tips from influencers became viral and a lot of us followed along. All these houseplant care myths are some that I have heard all over the plant community and that I have done myself.

Not all these are necessary bad for your plants, but also not great for them either. So, let’s start by debunking 5 houseplant care myths.

Myth: “Rocks/Pebbles Will Create Drainage”

This is probably the biggest and most talked about myths when it debunking houseplant care myths. Around the start of 2020 I noticed a buzz of people talking about how they were putting rocks or pebbles in the bottom of an non draining pot to “create drainage”.

Drainage is super important to your houseplant’s health. When you water your plants you most likely will have excess water that would typically drain through a drainage hole, but when your pot isn’t draining it causes the extra water to pile up onto those rocks or pebbles. After a while this will cause the old water, you’ve been collecting for months to reach the bottom layer of soil causing it to become soggy and lead to fungal issues, like root rot.

Not to mention that once you’re ready to re-pot that plant, it will most likely be a tangled mess of rocks and roots.

Fact:

While this can work as a very temporary fix, you should opt into getting a planter with a drainage hole. You can also buy some diamond drill bits that can cut through glass, ceramic etc. to create your own drainage holes.

Myth: “Water Your Plants On A Schedule/Once A Week”

Hi! This was me 100%.

Your houseplants watering is going to depend on many different factors like lighting, type of plant and even soil mixtures. When people talked about watering on a schedule, they were talking about watering every 7 days, strictly.

Watering on a schedule and not at least checking the moisture or just checking to make sure the plant actually needs watering can lead to root rot, fungus gnats and other fungal issues.

Fact:

It’s still a good practice to pick a day to check on your plants. For me Monday is my plant day and more times than not they need water every week. Check on your plant’s moisture, you can use your finger to check the soil, but a more foolproof way would be to use a moisture meter. If your plant doesn’t need water that week, keep an eye on it for the rest of the week and water when it needs it.

Myth: “If You Want Your Plant To Grow Bigger, Put It In A Big Pot”

Ok, while there’s truth to this, it’s not 100% accurate.

Think about how big plants would get outside with this logic. Houseplants are wired to grow at a certain pace, and even to a certain size. Plants that are kept in a smaller pot can become root bound and slow down the rate of growth but putting a tiny 3-inch potted plant in a 10-inch pot won’t make it grow any faster.

Fact:

There’s not really anything wrong with putting a small plant in a big pot, other than maybe aesthetics. A tiny plant would look a little silly in a huge pot. Generally, plants need to be repotted every year or so, and with re-potting you’ll need a bigger pot. Get a pot that’s 1-2 sizes bigger than what it was currently in is the best method.

Also, side note – a plant won’t die if it’s in a huge pot with lots of soil. Again, think of plants in the ground outside.

Myth: “Misting & Pebble Trays Increases Humidity”

Misting your plants with a water bottle will only increase the humidity for a few minutes, once that mist dries the humidity levels are back to where it started. For this to work, you’ll have to mist your plants all day – everyday. Constantly spraying your plants can cause fungal issues for leaves and stems.

Pebble trays will also increase humidity but only a few inches from the tray. The evaporation that comes off the tray will most likely dissipate before ever reaching the leaves, which is where the humidity needs to be.

Fact:

A lot of houseplants need a higher level of humidity, especially tropical plants. Humidifiers are the best way to do keep your plants happy and healthy. They range in sizes and cost to fit your lifestyles. Even a small cheaper one can still do a better job than misting or using a pebble tray. For more sensitive plants that require a lot of humidity try putting those plants in a terrarium.

Myth: “Low Light Plants Don’t Need Sun”

I used to think that low light meant a dark corner, which got me excited for the rooms and areas of my home that didn’t receive a lot of natural light. But any plant needs some level of lighting.

Low light can be defined as sunlight not ever reaching the plant, but still has some level of brightness. A houseplant can survive for a limited amount of time in a “no light” area, but it will cause the plant to display signs of unhappiness like stretching, loss of color and little to no growth. Which makes sense since light gives the plant energy.

And no, fertilizing isn’t the same as sunlight. This is a different type of “food” for the plant.

Fact:

If you have a low-light plant, make sure the plant is still seeing a little bit of daylight and not constantly in the dark. You can always get grow lights or even a grow bulb that can fit any lamp.

Not Your Grandmother’s Garden

Everyone’s care routines and techniques are going to be different for every plant parent. Some of these can work for some, but more often than not they don’t and are just myths and old practices. None of these are the worst thing you could do to your plants, but something you may want to consider breaking the habit out of.

Since I started debunking houseplant care myths, it has changed my plant care