Hot take: Not every brown spot on a leaf means you need to water it more

I see this all the time in houseplant groups and it drives me nuts. Someone posts a pic of a few brown tips and ten people immediately say 'needs more water.' Last month my snake plant got brown edges and I actually checked the roots first. Turned out I was overwatering and the roots were starting to rot. Took me cutting back to once every three weeks to fix it. Has anyone else noticed people jumping to watering advice way too fast?

2 comments

2 Comments

stone.evan3d ago

Saw a YouTube video from a plant shop owner who said most brown tips are actually from tap water chemicals or inconsistent watering. They recommended checking soil moisture with a finger before adding any water. Made me realize how often we jump to conclusions without checking the actual problem first.

the_rowan3d ago

@stone.evan hit on something I read from a plant scientist once that changed how I look at brown spots. They said tap water chemicals like chlorine and fluoride build up in the soil and cause tip burn way more often than people think. I started collecting rainwater for my calathea last year and the difference was NIGHT and day. Now I tell everyone to check their water source BEFORE they change their watering schedule.

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