All my plants die after they start growing and I don’t know why. I’ve tried controlling every factor that I can although without a thermometer, higrometer, pH measuring etc. I even have a shitty microscope that I try to analyse the sick parts, but I can’t find any reliable resources on how to actually interpret what I’m seeing. I want to know how to use this kind of data so that I can raise my plants right.

Where can I learn about this? I mean diagnosing problems, monitoring variables, finding solutions to each situation etc. google obviously sucks and gives nothing of substance

I will say that I recently got a new substrate, maybe the old one was the problem. But then there’s my mother-in-law, who raises beautiful lavenders and all that using the exact same soil I’m getting shitty results with. I’m literally not doing anything different to her, so maybe it’s the water? I really don’t know.

Edit: in fact, the lush lavender 🪻 she is currently flexing is a piece of the one my partner bought. Same plant, same soil.

Edit 2: also, the roots always look alright when I dig their cadavers to analyze. No parasites, insects, obvious fungi etc in any part of any plant so far.

  • plinky [he/him]@hexbear.netEnglish
    2·
    4 days ago

    ah also, how quickly water goes through the pot out? maybe your soil needs to be tilled (for a lack of a better term), and doesn’t retain liquid? or add some porous stones in it (do you check moistness say 1 day after watering, by sticking your finger 3-5 cm inside?)

    *or overretains liquid tbh, but then you’ll have to change soil itself or add sand, and that’s unlikely to be the culprit if it works for your in law)

    • TheSovietOnion [none/use name]@hexbear.netOPEnglish
      2·
      4 days ago

      do you check moistness say 1 day after watering, by sticking your finger 3-5 cm inside?

      Nope! Although when I do check, it’s mostly dry or just a bit moist. But again, I don’t check it often or regularly. I’ll have to start that now.

      Another comrade also replied here with some nice insight about the soil and water drainage, and that might be most of the problem. I’ll solve and monitor that for now and see how that goes. I’ll ask my MIL if she did something to the soil, like digging for getting it looser or something, because after you guys gave me these tips, I went and noticed how compact this soil is just under the surface, almost like a soft stone. Maybe they all die around the same stage of growth because the roots just can’t grow and get oxygen in that soil past a certain point? Then adding water makes it all worse

      • plinky [he/him]@hexbear.netEnglish
        2·
        4 days ago

        if things work out, later you don’t need to recheck it that frequently, the finger check is mainly seasonal/plants needs/pot size adjustment, to see that plant has water, so like you check in 2 days after watering and soil still moist, then you wait for next day, if it’s dry, then you learn you need to water every 3 days, if it’s not - then you learn to water even rarer or use less water. (all pending that plant looks healthy of course, small palm trees don’t like moist soil for example, and start to lose firmness in leafs, but more shadow loving plants love water)