c/botany-lovers

My neighbor swore coffee grounds would fix my clay soil, now my tomatoes look like they're on feeding tubes

He told me to just dump them on top and let worms do the work, but after 3 months my clay is still rock hard and the only thing thriving is the mold on top of the grounds, has anyone else had coffee grounds backfire on them in garden beds?

2 comments

evahenderson•1d ago

I finally gave organic soil amendments a real shot

I always thought buying fancy compost tea was just a gimmick to drain my wallet, but after trying a batch from a local nursery in Portland last spring, my tomatoes tripled in size. Has anyone else seen that big a difference from switching their soil game up?

2 comments

the_terry•4d ago

I used to hate on terrariums until I built one myself last spring

For years I thought terrariums were just dusty glass boxes people forgot about. Then my neighbor handed me a 10-gallon tank and said just try it. I threw in some moss from my yard, a fern I bought for $4, and a random isopod I found under a log. Now I check that little ecosystem every morning and it's wild how the humidity cycles on its own. Anyone else get hooked on closed terrariums after swearing them off?

2 comments

jakeb81•5d ago

Ran into an old botanist at the park who knew every single weed by name

I was pulling crabgrass by the swings and this guy walks up and tells me it's actually digitaria and points out three leaves I missed. He spent 20 minutes showing me how to tell edible lamb's quarters from the toxic lookalikes. Has anyone else met a random plant expert who just changed how you see the ground under your feet?

2 comments

aaron_perry•5d ago

Stumbled into a greenhouse at a garden show in Portland and it rewired my whole approach to plant care

I was just wandering around the convention floor when I saw this guy watering his display with rainwater he'd collected, and it hit me that tap water might be why my ferns always look sad. Has anyone else switched to rainwater or filtered water and noticed a big difference?

2 comments

nelson.vera•5d ago

PSA: Seed starting mix vs regular potting soil for seedlings is no contest

I tried starting my tomatoes in regular potting soil last spring and they all got leggy and damped off within 2 weeks. Switched to a proper seed starting mix for my peppers this year and they are way stockier with thicker stems after just 10 days. The difference is the finer texture and lack of big bark chunks that hold too much water. Has anyone else had better luck with one mix over another for specific plants?

2 comments

karenb97•6d ago

Overheard someone say that cacti need zero water in winter. I almost lost my whole collection.

I was at a local garden center in Tucson last Saturday and heard a guy tell his friend that you can just ignore cacti all winter, no water at all. I had to jump in and explain that while they need way less water, mine in the garage still get a light drink every 6 weeks or they shrivel up like prunes. Has anyone else had to correct a well-meaning stranger about cactus care before?

c/botany-lovers

My neighbor swore coffee grounds would fix my clay soil, now my tomatoes look like they're on feeding tubes

I finally gave organic soil amendments a real shot

I used to hate on terrariums until I built one myself last spring

Ran into an old botanist at the park who knew every single weed by name

Stumbled into a greenhouse at a garden show in Portland and it rewired my whole approach to plant care

PSA: Seed starting mix vs regular potting soil for seedlings is no contest

Overheard someone say that cacti need zero water in winter. I almost lost my whole collection.

Best day in my garden all year was last Tuesday

Lost a whole row of succulents after a freak frost last week

My aloe vera finally had a baby pup after 3 years of waiting

Had a master gardener tell me my rose pruning was all wrong

Appreciation post: The volunteer tomato plant that showed up in my garden last spring

That comment about 'just grow it in a pot' at the garden center made me snap

My $35 moisture meter was a complete waste of money

I finally learned why my orchids kept dying after a greenhouse worker told me the truth

Met a guy at the nursery who changed how I water my houseplants

Hot take: community gardens are overrated for actual plant learning

Found a neat trick for watering ferns during a week-long trip

Showerthought: Did you know bananas are technically berries but strawberries aren't?

I finally killed my spider plant after 12 years of healthy growth

That plant swap in Portland where I lost 3 rare cuttings to thrips

My grandpa swore by peeing on his compost pile every morning for better decomposition

Wasted $80 on a fancy soil tester that was totally wrong

Caught my neighbor watering her garden at midnight last night. Changed everything.

My neighbor keeps calling his monstera a 'split leaf philodendron' and it drives me nuts