Plants & Gardening Cheat Sheet

← LCCPLANTS & GARDENING

Plant Type	Frequency	How to Water	Signs of Overwatering
Succulents / Cactus	Every 10–14 days (summer), 3–4 weeks (winter)	Soak thoroughly, then let dry completely	Mushy, translucent leaves; root rot
Tropical foliage (Pothos, Philodendron)	Every 5–7 days	Water when top 2cm soil is dry	Yellow leaves, soggy soil, mould
Herbs (Tulsi, Mint, Basil)	Every 2–3 days	Keep moist but not waterlogged; good drainage	Pale leaves, root smell, wilting despite wet soil
Flowering plants (Rose, Gerbera)	Every 3–4 days	Water at base, avoid wetting flowers/leaves	Brown leaf tips, drooping despite wet soil
Monstera / ZZ Plant	Every 7–10 days	Water when top inch is dry	Yellow lower leaves, soft stems
Snake Plant / Aloe	Every 10–14 days	Infrequent, deep watering	Soft mushy base, odour from soil

★GOLDEN RULE — Check soil moisture before watering. Stick your finger 2cm into soil: water only if dry. More plants die from overwatering than underwatering.

Light Level	Definition	Good Plants
Full sun	6+ hours direct sunlight	Roses, Marigold, Tomato, Herbs, Sunflower
Partial sun	3–6 hours direct or bright indirect	Hibiscus, Jasmine, Adenium, Bougainvillea
Bright indirect	Near window, no direct rays	Pothos, Monstera, Peace Lily, Philodendron
Low light	Away from windows	Snake Plant, ZZ Plant, Cast Iron Plant, Lucky Bamboo

General schedule

Feed every 2–4 weeks in growing season (March–October), stop or reduce Nov–Feb

NPK ratio guide

Leafy plants: high N (e.g. 20-10-10). Flowering: balanced or high P/K (10-30-20). Succulents: very dilute

Organic options

Compost tea, seaweed liquid, banana peel water (phosphorus), eggshell powder (calcium)

Slow-release granules

Mix into soil at planting. Works for 3–4 months. Good for pots that are hard to feed regularly

Signs of deficiency

N: yellowing old leaves. P: purple tint on underside. K: brown leaf margins. Fe: yellow between green veins

★Always fertilize on wet soil (water first). Fertilizing dry soil burns roots.

Symptom	Likely Cause	Fix
Yellow leaves (lower)	Normal aging OR overwatering	Remove yellow leaves. Check soil moisture — reduce watering if wet
Brown leaf tips	Low humidity OR fluoride in water	Mist leaves, use filtered water, move away from AC vent
Drooping (wilting)	Underwatering (dry soil) OR root rot (wet soil)	Check soil: dry = water now; wet = let dry out, check roots
White crust on soil/pot	Mineral salt buildup from water or fertilizer	Flush thoroughly with water, reduce fertilizer
Tiny white/grey bugs on soil	Fungus gnats (larvae)	Allow soil to dry out. Use sticky traps, hydrogen peroxide drench
Sticky residue + tiny insects	Aphids or mealybugs	Neem oil spray (5ml/litre water). Isolate plant first
White powder on leaves	Powdery mildew (fungal)	Remove affected leaves. Spray dilute neem oil or baking soda solution

Output

View

Filters

Language