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.

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

    Thanks a lot for the help and advice, it’s very appreciated.

    Might be my neurodivergence showing, but I’m always trying to turn hobbies into a science or set process. You’re right, I should be developing my feeling and intuition first and foremost, and the other more complex stuff only as support tools later.

    What is that book called? It’s actually the kind of stuff I was looking for as a beginner 😸 pretty pictures, explanations and clear directions

    (Btw, mine look like #s 1, 2, 5 and 8. Gonna work on that now)

    • Sebrof [he/him, comrade/them]@hexbear.netEnglish
      2·
      3 days ago

      Oh also, the book is Foliage House Plants from some year in the 70s

      And to be honest, sometimes the pictures for diagnosing problems are not as helpful as I wish. But just context clues can fill you in sometimes. Like a plant you know you haven’t watered in a month in a dry room isn’t going to be overwatered regardless of what any picture you see may suggest (unless it’s literally sitting in water, oops), or a plant in a dark corner won’t be suffering from sun scorch, etc.

      Unfortunately some of this just comes from experience and sometimes you may have to kill a few plants to learn. shrug-outta-hecks

    • Sebrof [he/him, comrade/them]@hexbear.netEnglish
      2·
      3 days ago

      In my original message that I lost I actually went in to how I get your approach on some level because I have a STEM background and like to measure things. And that’s why I like (less intense) indoor gardening because it lets me practice something differently than most of my other hobbies.

      It’s a hobby that is easy to make “zen”, or whatever other word you think fits here, and so that’s my approach. It’s sorta meditative in its own ways.

      But, I also wanted to mention that I appreciate that gardening is not like politics where different philosophies can feel personal, so if this style doesn’t vibe with you then it’s no sweat.

      If I knew how to collect data on my plants I would have done it ;) and I’ve definitely mapped out the light intensity for each square foot across my room before and taken data on when I water. But I never regularly kept it up.

      Regardless of the style, learning the basics with a snake plant is the easiest way to get started imo. Then once you can reliably have a control you can get all cybernetic with it. If you do please share because I do think it’d be cool to see!