These Houseplants are NOT Easy to Grow! They Keep DYING!!

[@tinabeall22]

This is my favorite kind of content at the moment, I've been going mad with the amount of plants struggling this winter and it truly settles my soul just to see I'm not alone 😌

[@TheLecaQueen]

You are far from alone!

[@OMM-kl1zu]

I love these "keeping it real" videos. Not all plants grow well for whatever reason. The plants I transitioned from soil to Leca recently lost all their soil leaves and only now producing new shoots, after one month .Sometimes, a transition is too stressful for plants and they have to start over. As long as there are shoots, there is hope. My Calathea - Fasciata struggles, but my Orbifolia does well in both soil and Leca. Some are just better survivers.

[@KayBX]

Oh I definitely agree!! I have three Thai cons. One came from Leca when I got it so it’s still in Leca, two in soil. One thriving. The other dying so she is in water atm and she is thriving (new leaf coming) now. So Leca she will be going in soon.

[@TheLecaQueen]

we can't control everything!

[@KayBX]

@@TheLecaQueen definitely can’t lol

[@aplantprocess]

Yes to sharing the struggles. Velvety Anthuriums grew so well for me for half a year and then one by one, they started to decline. I didn’t transfer them to LECA. I’m not sure if I want to keep trying with them but also… I want to be able to grow all the plants I love 😭 My ego can only take so much.

[@TheLecaQueen]

I love that! My ego can only take so much! 🤣

[@mamalongsplants1559]

This make me feel better. I'm not the only one.❤

[@Wellbaby94]

Now I remember watching this sad follow up on the Maidenhair Fern that I asked about. I do have to say, though, that your failures would be considered successes by the rest of us.

[@annetonge9925]

Thank you for sharing. I watch a lot of plant videos and most people show case their beautiful plants and you never see the ones that aren’t doing well.

[@Yoliplanting]

My alocacias thrive in pon but I have not had luck in leca. Thank you for showing us your less than spectacular plants

[@annylindsay5358]

😂I love your solution to badly behaving plants! Thanks for all your wonderful tips and tricks. Love from Central Queensland.

[@TheLecaQueen]

You are so welcome!

[@msladyjune3285]

👍🏾Video. Struggled plants I sit outdoors partial shade for a week and let Mother Nature take care of it. Happy New Years. 🪴Happy Planting🌿

[@erikm8372]

All the maidenhair ferns that I’ve tried, and will continue to try, growing seem to fail largely because of my own doing! I admit It! 😂😬 I was reading somewhere that out of all fern species, maidenhairs (and fellow _Adiantum_ species) prefer slightly more alkaline, higher pH conditions than most ferns, and more bright indirect light, possibly with an hour of direct light. Here in California I see the best maidenhairs growing in the ground, outside, wind blowing my and sun filtering in through the trees. At times, the bright sun touches the leaves! Shock! 😱 Most ferns are different, and we usually associate them with shaded, forest floor areas. Heavy organic matter, leaf litter, low acidic pH, etc. I believe it’s because where maidenhairs are from versus other ferns. They’re basically from the foothills of the Andes mountains. Very alkaline, calcified soils there with windswept slopes and exposed areas. Atypical for ferns in general. The Andes (as most mountain ranges) used to be underwater, albeit millions of years ago. That means montane soils are more alkaline due to the ancient seawater, seashells, bones & fossils, etc. Lowland, tropical jungle areas generally have lower acidity and higher organic matter, possibly with less actual substrate and more epiphytic species. Think about it y’all! 😆 …ferns and houseplants are always manufactured and sold in heavy peat, and what inevitably happens…? ☠️ Unless you transfer it… But, luckily, if you have one struggling and you prune it back in time, soak it, it will grow back, as any fern will. But the timing for the recovery is more crucial for maidenhairs than most! I’ve had _Asplenium_ (birds nests), sword ferns, lemon button ferns, Cretan _Pteris_ ferns and more all nearly die, and I was able to cut the dead off and soak them. They all grew back. Maidenhairs are less likely to grow back if you wait too long. Reminds me, I have to go take care of this exact issue now!! 🤣

[@kristimcswain4439]

I always say “chop it back and start again”..If one does not receive good results after giving it everything ones got, the trash bin you go❤️

[@Wellbaby94]

I think a video featuring plants that you have transferred from leca to pon would be very interesting. Most of my plants are in leca, but when I purchased a couple of Lechuza pots they came with pon and I decided to give it a go. My experience so far has been mixed. It seems to hold a lot of moisture to the point of growing some surface mold. Perhaps you could share some experiences.

[@carolstuff]

With the painted lady, before giving up, I’d chop it back to the larger leaves & try again. I don’t think it’s going to size up now after those tiny top leaves. Look fwd to your wonderful & informative vids in 2024. Happy New Year Nora!🥳🎈🎊

[@turogers13]

I watched the video on the maidenhair fern and followed your lead. Mine did the same and has since become part of the compost bin. 😇

[@TheLecaQueen]

Oh no. Try a mineral blend next time

[@deborahchetcuti4753]

I'm loving this Nora. It's so encouraging to me and I'm getting more understanding about bits and bobs.

[@alfredarogers5197]

Happy New Year! I would chop it back. Go for it!

[@rafalz9275]

Hi:) your Painted Lady - it should not be solid green plant , does it have adequate amount of light? Doesn’t look so 🤔

[@janeenl3721]

I also have a Calathea F.. believe it or not it doesn't need high amounts of humidity.. it does like a grow light but not directly on the leaves... it's a seasonal grower for me too. Definitely goes dormant in the winter.. also likes to be dryer.

[@dieghitos85]

Hi Nora, thanks for keeping me company while I am at home sick and with fever 🤒 For the Philodendron painted lady, I had the same experience with another philo and the problem was in roots system... Maiden hair fern: I had the same problem, this fern has very very thin leaves and they get dry so quick. Try with nebulizer, it has to be constantly in humidity. Also, I noticed that the leca on the top is not wet, have I seen well? Anyway, thanks for your contents, I keep watching your videos because I like the way you explain and I love your plants! Happy new year from Rome! 😀😀😀

[@irairod5160]

Hope you feel better soon! I'm home recovering from dental surgery, so I am, like you, trying to perk up my spirits by watching plant content!

[@TheLecaQueen]

Hello! I hope you are feeling better! The Painted Lady has now been chopped and I hope it does better.

[@TheLecaQueen]

@@irairod5160 get well soon!

[@Itsmeyoualreadykno]

Oohh so relatable! My pink princessess will not listen and they are so pititful and ugly 😂😂 i really wish that YT would allow pictures in comments because we could all have another good chuckle 😂

[@dollycaldwell4938]

Calathea & alocasias will be the death of me.....thank you for sharing this video with us...makes us feel so "normal" not everything works out. Even your fails.....look better than some of my best. LOL...happy new year

[@torquess454]

My maidenhair looks sad too, having trouble getting her care/humidity right, the ONLY calathea I have is the rattlesnake. It’s doing well but I won’t try any others anymore. I’m grateful to know that we all go though it , that it’s not just me! ❤ I stay away from calathea, syngoniums, pepperomia, begonia, anthuriums, ferns, for the most part I’d chop back that painted lady, see if you can restart her

[@BernicePineau]

Love your vids. very inspirational. I have same problems with many of the same plants. no coincidence. Some of them should be left in the jungle.

[@babs1076]

The bright yellow and browning on the fasciata seems like maybe too much nutrients, maybe only every other watering give it your nutrient solution?

[@erikm8372]

About the watermelon _Peperomia argyreus_ … I feel like they have the smallest actual root system of any plant! All Peperomia do! The roots are like, a few HAIRS, at best, and they really seem to become overwhelmed and rot in too-large of a pot. But how big is too big? The issue is that the pot may seem excessively small to the grower, but for Pep’s, that’s not the case. They truly like root competition and constriction. In South America, Peperomia grow either as epiphytes or as terrestrial weeds on the side of the road. Just like milkweeds or dandelions show up in the cracks and crevices of pavement, that’s what Peps do in South America. I’ve seen it! Plus, the bigger the pot, the longer the time to dry out. The best Peperomia I have are in abnormally small pots for LONG periods of time. And I still don’t see the roots poking through the bottom. They’re sooo tiny.

[@kristiemowry3267]

Very interesting. I am glad I read your comment. I will definately apply this to the ones I have. Thanks.

[@khemah1705]

Happy new year

[@andrearea213]

Thanks for sharing your struggles! It's so refreshing to see the reality of plant parenthood, rather than just a meticulously curated instagram page. For your calatheas and alocasias, I would try pon. These are two genuses I have found great success in pon with (i think it's less prone to easily drying out than LECA and smaller for those fine roots to latch onto), so don't give up on them. Funny enough, all of my calatheas are thriving in pon except my orbifolia (my problem child - I *wish* I could get mine like yours) and lancifolia, but I think the biggest issue with those two was overfertilization, and as I've backed off on fertilizing (just filling the reservoir with fertilizer once a month and regular water the rest of the time), they're looking better and better with tons of new, non-crispy growth. The rest of my calatheas (zebrina, white fusion, makoyana, ornata, concinna, and rufibarba) love pon and fertilizer every 2 weeks.

[@TheLecaQueen]

Pon is certainly the way to go I think. I would love to grow everything in leca but sometimes it is just not meant to be.

[@deborahchetcuti4753]

Hi Nora, I was thinking with the wicking.... I did some plants with wicking and I felt like it wouldn't be enough water so I doubled the wicks and on my problem Calathea Tristar I showed you I down sized it with 3 wicks because I thought the larger pot was too dry. We will see how that goes. 😂

[@greenie1652]

Love all your videos, they have been so helpful. I can’t figure out why alocasias are misbehaving for you as I find they are my easiest for leca- only thing I have noticed is that when I bought a super high powered grow light all my alocasias that had been limping along suddenly went crazy it’s growth - they will take as much light as you can throw at them, which you probably already know, but in case you didn’t, I hope it might help.

[@marygatdula2744]

My syngonium "Maria" is one I have struggled (and am still) with. I have a few different plants that live, but don't thrive. I'm constantly babying them and switching things up to try to find their "happy place". LOL, but MOST of my plants are really thriving. One of my Calatheas is even blooming! My first instinct upon seeing the Painted Lady was to cut off that smaller top and either plant it separately or put it in the same pot beside the bigger momma once it is rooted. See how it does.

[@angiem8434]

I have multiple syngoniums but my "Maria" also struggles..the rest thrive..glad to know I'm not alone.

[@marygatdula2744]

@@angiem8434 Me too! LOL

[@deborahchetcuti4753]

With yr VFLF, maybe some notching. Seems to work well. 🤔 Just a thought anywayz.

[@woowooone]

Thank you so much as usual. It's so nice to see real videos with success, struggle, and failures. They are all teaching moments

[@TheLecaQueen]

You are very welcome!

[@irairod5160]

I have all kinds of Calathea n PON or in PON-LECA, all growing successfully and doubling in size within a year, EXCEPT for Calathea Stella (a cousin of White Fusion). OH-EM-GEE, this plant drives me crazy. It gets lush and beautiful, and then it slowly loses all of its leaves and withers down to a crown with a handful of dried-up stalks. It comes back, eventually, but it spends half a year looking like trash. I appreciate you showing that even super-experts struggle with some of their babies. (Happy New Year, Dear Queen!)

[@kristiemowry3267]

Same here with the fusion. Mine won't grow even in a terrarium. Can not understand that plant, unless it is a PH thing, or temp.

[@elizabethkey6578]

I have been so glad I came across your channel I’m learning so much with leca from you cause I’m transitioning from soil to leca!! Thanx so much !!

[@lindseysgreencanvas]

Nora ❤ can we please please please 🙏 get an update on the Hoya Krimson Princess you put on the moss pole? I have a rather out of control Pubicalyx Splash to tame, and I want to know if a moss pole works with Hoya. 🙂

[@TheLecaQueen]

Hello, check out this video at about 00:38 kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZnSZaWN_hNmXgKMsi=UP_8yUmZmfJbxt67

[@malindarayallen]

I find that syngoniums with any sort ofpink on the leaves are more vulnerable than other syngoniums with it without variegation. I have yet to determine why, or if it's just me.🤷🏾‍♀️

[@jimmyjo1375]

What is your nutrient solution strenght for your calatheas? I moved all mine to leca…some look great one or two are struggling. I’m ready to move on from my white fusion.

[@kimgomez8099]

🎉Happy new year Queen! ❤ you and the wealth of knowledge. Here is to 100000 in 2024.

[@AhmadAsrafHashim]

Ur painted lady is funny 😅. For the calathea, have u tried diluting ur nutrition solution? Some calatheas (usually the smaller leaves ones) are hyper sensitive to excess additives in their water.

[@MyLocsMyPlants]

💚 I appreciate this lol😂

[@chrislynch1011]

Hi Nora, Happy New Year! I've lost count of how many maiden hair I've killed 🤦🏻 I actually feel guilty about wanting to try again, but I love them so much. Your calathea orbifolia deserves to be on the cover of a magazine! Stunning! Your varieagated peperomia is the first video of your that I saw, because I bought the same one. Mine died despite all my desperate to save it. This is when I started down the hydro path. I bought a second variegated peperomia because of how well my others did but I did modify the mix using chunky perlite around the roots. I hadn't thought of the dryness, my thoughts were possibly the weight of the medium? Any way, I haven't lost a single leaf and I've got new growth coming through, yay. Painted Lady? I think she needs a chop to remind her that you're the man 😅

[@TheLecaQueen]

chunky perlite is a great idea! Now why did I not think of that? The Painted lady has now been chopped! The top bit is propagating and it is down to only the big leaves. Fingers crossed!

[@chrislynch1011]

@@TheLecaQueen 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

[@margimorris7360]

I had a few beautiful MHF;s and they all got mites of some sort and died. I had them in a Leca and MAB Grow mix because the MAB Grow stays more wet. I have burnt all of them back and put them in a tree fern fibre mix and they are coming back

[@guywithaplant]

Loving the vibes of your videos 😊 I would love to your secret in keeping a lush and beautiful orbifolia. Please enlighten me. A new subscriber 😄

[@TheLecaQueen]

Thank you so much 💓. Find my orbifolia video here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/apqWeI1vgaiVpKc

[@guywithaplant]

@@TheLecaQueen thanks for the video, Queen! Very helpful and u hope to get one soon and possibly keep it in leca 🙂

[@kristiemowry3267]

Your painted lady looks like it could use more light. Mine is also on a moss pole; it is under a soltech light and it is sizing up. The leaves on your plant are much greener than mine. I have seen them in full sun and they have so many yellow spots that they look yellow. I would try increasing the light. If that doesn't do it, I think you just may have a dud.

[@gaddaitherage8204]

My alocasia micholitziana. It was a beauty-2 stems each with 4-5 leaves. But I wanted to grow it semi hydro because I’ve heard great things about SH + Alocasias. So I transferred it using your advice to put it in water first. As predicted the soil roots started sluffing off but new water roots coming in real well. The leaves reacted badly but it immediately shot out new leaves despite the latest leaves just barely hardened off. Then it started to go downhill. I think I left the water w decomposing soil roots in there for too long. The bacteria took hold. It just stank even after changing the water. Then even the new water roots began to sluff off. RIP

[@ronymayrony]

I know this is an older comment but ive tried four of them with the water method and all have rotted, theyre so dramatic and go from 0-100 so fast! Im still determined though lol. My other Alocasias convert well though.

[@moiraslater8526]

My maiden hair grows really well in moderate but no direct light.

[@janicejoyner3946]

My calathea just couldn’t get it together. Just when I thought it was ok it would go down hill real fast. I had to let it go

[@dora9368]

Plantsbymelissa is one of the moss pole queens 👑 on KZbin. If you want to check out her channel. She is also good at answering people's questions. I think she would consider chopping it though. I hope you can figure it all out. 😊

[@janicejoyner3946]

My white night is another one that don’t seem to like nothing.

[@crazybirds9673]

I have to learn, I've killed many plants with kindness. I've found some calatheas and maiden ferns can be temperamental. I'm slowly transferring my indoor plants over to leca.

[@lavanmiller4476]

Chop the top only and let it start growing from the top😅

[@MiscellaneousMichelle]

💚

[@GreenWitch1]

Sometimes the plants we purchase just don’t have the strongest DNA & sometimes the grower will use hormones in excess that keep the leaves small. It’s not always our fault as plant parents.

[@markitachatman5018]

My prince of orange is struggling

[@ritalewis5231]

They are Divas: do like to be touched, moved a lot, likes Morse not wet, likes constant humidity 💕😎

[@RKDivaDP]

Chop😮

[@iadnaji8536]

I have to say I noticed most of your plants that are failing do have wet feet it might sound cliche but maybe it is over watering

[@TheLecaQueen]

Who knows, maybe 🤔 😏

[@janicejoyner3946]

This year I will be replacing the plants that failed in 2023.