(Less plant panic. More “ohhh, that makes sense”.)

Every year, the same houseplant “rules” do the rounds — usually delivered with absolute confidence by someone whose monstera is surviving purely out of spite.

So for 2026, we’re retiring the myths that make plant care feel harder than it needs to be, and replacing them with something we actually stand for.

The Plant Runner Method

Light → Water → Mix → Feed. In that order.

Here’s the difference in how we think: most plant advice treats symptoms (yellow leaf = do a thing). We focus on the system underneath — light levels, airflow, potting mix structure, root health, and soil life. Fix the system, and the “mystery problems” stop being mysterious.

Alright. Matches on. Myths off.

Myth #1: “Water once a week. Always.”

Why we’re retiring it: A calendar doesn’t know your light, your pot, your mix, your heater, or whether your home is basically a greenhouse or a fridge.

The Plant Runner Method says: Light first. Then water.

Do this instead (10 seconds):

1. Check the mix (finger 3–5cm down or a skewer)
2. Lift the pot (light = dry, heavy = still wet)

What changes your watering most:
Light + mix structure. If the mix is dense and stays wet for ages, “weekly watering” becomes “weekly root stress”.

Myth #2: “Droopy leaves = water it.”

Why we’re retiring it: Droop can mean dry… or it can mean roots are stressed because the mix is staying wet too long and the root zone can’t get enough oxygen. Same symptom. Opposite fix.

Do this instead (30-second check):

1. Check mix moisture.
2. Check pot weight.

Then pick the right move:

• Dry + droopy: water deeply, let it drain fully.
• Wet + droopy: don’t water — increase light, warmth, airflow… and if it’s staying wet for days, it’s time for a mix refresh.

Myth #3: “A drainage layer never helps. Don’t bother.”

Why we’re retiring it: The internet loves a universal rule, but drainage layers are more nuanced than that — and we’ve actually got data on it.

What our drainage-layer study found (the short version):

• For decades, the common warning was “a coarse layer makes pots wetter”.
• In the 2025 study, that rarely happened. In many setups, water content went down with a layer. 
  
• The most consistently effective option wasn’t gravel — it was a ~60mm layer of coarse sand, which outperformed gravel/scoria across the mixes tested.
• In very free-draining mixes, the effect was more variable (sometimes a small difference, sometimes not much). 

So what’s the takeaway?

• A drainage layer isn’t a magic fix — but it’s not automatically pointless either.
• If you want to use one, material + depth matter, and coarse sand (around 60mm) is the standout from the study. 
  
• Still: a drainage hole + the right mix structure do most of the heavy lifting.

Myth #4: “Misting increases humidity.”

Why we’re retiring it: Misting wets leaves briefly. Humidity is about the moisture in the air, not a quick spritz.

Do this instead:

• group plants together
• move humidity-lovers away from vents
• use a humidifier if you want real impact
• choose plants that suit your home (criminally underrated)

If you’re misting because leaves are dusty: cleaning wins.

Myth #5: “Fertilise every time you water.”

Why we’re retiring it: Constant feeding can build up salts in the potting mix and stress roots — especially in lower light or slower growth periods.

The Plant Runner Method says: Feed to match growth.

Simple rhythm:

• Active growth: feed every 2 weeks (at label rate)
• Slow growth: ease off
• Low light: fix light before you push fertiliser

Myth #6: “A yellow leaf means it needs fertiliser.”

Why we’re retiring it: Yellowing can mean: low light, too-wet mix, underwatering, root stress, natural ageing, pests, or nutrition. Fertiliser is only one option — and often not the first.

Troubleshoot in this order (fast wins first):

1. Light: has it changed recently? Is it bright enough?
2. Mix + moisture: staying wet too long? drying too fast?
3. Roots: crowded, circling, mushy, smelly, bone dry?
4. Pests: check undersides + new growth
5. Feed: only after the above

Myth #7: “Tap water is always bad.”

Why we’re retiring it: Most indoor plants cope fine with tap water. The bigger issue is usually watering habits + mix, and (in some homes) mineral build-up over time — especially if your water is hard/alkaline.

Do this instead:

• if you see crusty build-up, flush the pot occasionally
• refresh tired mix when it stops behaving
• if you’ve got hard/alkaline water and sensitive plants, filtered water can help — but it’s not a universal rule

Myth #8: “Low light plants don’t need much light.”

Why we’re retiring it: “Low light tolerant” often means “won’t die quickly while slowly giving up.”

Rule of thumb:

• If you can comfortably read a book there during the day, you’re usually in the right neighbourhood for many foliage plants.
• Then adjust your care: Lower light = slower growth = less water + less feeding.

Myth #9: “Repot every spring.”

Why we’re retiring it: Repotting is helpful when it’s needed. It’s not a seasonal tradition your plant demands.

Repot/refresh when:

• roots are circling hard or popping out
• the mix stays wet for ages (or repels water)
• growth stalls despite good light + a sensible feeding rhythm
• the plant is unstable/top-heavy

Myth #10: “Bigger pot = faster growth.”

Why we’re retiring it: Oversized pots hold more water than roots can use, which often leads to mix staying wet too long → root stress → sad plant.

Do this instead: Size up gradually. Plants like a pot that matches the root system, not your optimism.

Myth #11: “Plants clean the air in your home.”

Why we’re retiring it: Plants are amazing, but in real home conditions they don’t meaningfully “purify” air compared to ventilation/filtration.

The real benefit: They make your space feel alive — and you feel better living in it. That’s the point.

The Four Checks

If something feels “off”, run these before you do anything dramatic:

1. Light: Is it bright enough? Has placement changed?
2. Water: Is the mix actually dry, or just the top?
3. Mix + roots: Is the root zone breathing? Is the mix behaving?
4. Rhythm: Are you feeding to match growth?

That’s the Plant Runner Method in real life.

Quick Diagnostic Box

Symptom → Likely cause → First move

• Droopy + wet mix → roots low on oxygen → more light/airflow, pause watering, consider a mix refresh
• Droopy + dry mix → thirst → deep water + full drain
• Yellowing + slow growth → low light / mix staying wet → increase light, reassess watering + structure
• Crispy edges → inconsistency / build-up / placement stress → steady rhythm, flush occasionally, check vents/sun
• No growth for ages → light too low → move closer to light before changing anything else
• Speckling/sticky/new growth distortion → likely pests → isolate + inspect before you treat

The Plant Runner Range, by Plant Part

Here’s the quiet logic underneath our range: we build around the four parts that drive almost everything you see (and stress about) in houseplants.

SOIL (the environment): structure, drainage, moisture behaviour, and soil life — because if the soil’s off, everything’s off.

ROOTS (the engine room): establishment, resilience, recovery — because roots decide how well a plant can drink and feed.

PLANT (stem + growth) (the build phase): balanced nutrition and momentum — because growth is the plant’s “report card”.

FOLIAGE (the solar panels): clean, functional leaves — because leaves power the whole system through light capture.

Diagnose with the Plant Runner Method (Light → Water → Mix → Feed). Then choose your lane by plant part.

The Chooser Box

(If you don’t want to overthink it, start here.)

SOIL — when watering feels weird

Choose this lane if:

• the mix stays wet for days
• water runs down the sides and out the bottom
• it smells musty, looks compacted, or feels “dead”
• you’re constantly guessing when to water

Start with: mix structure + soil life support (fresh media + microbial help) so water behaves predictably again.

ROOTS — when a plant is stuck or sulking

Choose this lane if:

• it’s not growing despite “doing everything right”
• it droops while the mix is still wet
• it’s recently been repotted, shipped, stressed, or rescued
• it drinks weirdly (either dries instantly or stays wet forever)

Start with: root health + recovery support (and check the root zone is actually breathing).

PLANT (stem + growth) — when you want real momentum

Choose this lane if:

• light is decent, leaves look okay… but nothing is happening
• new growth is small, pale, or slow
• you want stronger stems and bigger, more consistent growth

Start with: balanced feeding that matches the type of plant you’ve got, on a steady rhythm (every 2 weeks in active growth).

FOLIAGE — when leaves look dull, dusty, or “off”

Choose this lane if:

• leaves are dusty, dull, or not taking in light properly
• you’re seeing patchy marks that are more “surface” than “system”
• you want the fastest visible improvement

Start with: leaf care — clean leaves capture more light, and better light fixes so many other issues downstream.

The real takeaway (no guilt edition)

You don’t need more rules. You need a repeatable order:

Light → Water → Mix → Feed.
Then pick your lane: Soil / Roots / Plant / Foliage.

That’s it. That’s the system.