Field Notes
Field Notes
Plain-English plant care, written by people who have killed plenty of plants and learned the hard way.
Repotting: When to Do It, and When to Leave Well Enough Alone
New plant owners tend to repot too soon and too often, usually out of a well-meaning instinct that a bigger pot is a kindness. It usually…
Read it July 11, 2026Bright, Indirect Light — What That Phrase Actually Means
Every care label says it and almost none of them explain it: "bright, indirect light." It's the most useful and most confusing instruction in the houseplant…
Read it July 11, 2026The Case Against Decorative Pots Without Drainage
That beautiful ceramic pot with no drainage hole is responsible for more plant deaths than any pest or disease. It's worth saying plainly: a pot without…
Read it July 11, 2026Why Your New Plant Drops Leaves in the First Two Weeks
You bought a healthy plant, brought it home, and within days it started dropping leaves. Before you blame yourself: this is almost always acclimation, not death.…
Read it July 11, 2026How to Actually Water a Houseplant (It’s Not on a Schedule)
The single most common way people kill houseplants is watering them on a calendar — "every Sunday" — instead of watching the plant and the soil.…
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