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submitted 1 day ago* (last edited 18 hours ago) by Lussy@hexbear.net to c/chapotraphouse@hexbear.net

BibleThump Dr. Hexbear what do I do? Please save her, I just got her. I don’t know how to take care of children. I’m keeping her outdoors (in New England), where babies should be kept

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[-] context@hexbear.net 45 points 1 day ago

looks like maybe you need a...

big-cool bigger pot

sicko-jammin

[-] lurker_supreme@hexbear.net 26 points 1 day ago
[-] Lussy@hexbear.net 16 points 1 day ago

Why do you think it needs new soil? What kind of soil do you recommend?

[-] lurker_supreme@hexbear.net 20 points 1 day ago

The leaves are turning yellow and it's in a tiny plastic pot. I think the soil might be depleted. I'm no gardener though. I think any potted plant mix would be fine

[-] krolden@lemmy.ml 10 points 22 hours ago

https://www.aurorainnovations.com/green-fields

There may be a grow store in your area that sells it. Totally worth it.

Mix in some compost if you have it

[-] NephewAlphaBravo@hexbear.net 8 points 23 hours ago* (last edited 23 hours ago)

get a bag of your basic potting soil and a bag of perlite from the garden store or whatever, mix up 3 parts soil with 1 part perlite

plants breathe through their roots, adding some perlite (a sort of light fluffy stone like pumice, it looks there's already some bits of it on top of your current pot) keeps the soil from getting too hard packed or retaining enough water to drown the plant

[-] Omegamint@hexbear.net 8 points 23 hours ago

Be really careful about what kinda soil you wanna pop one of these into. A hydro store will have some fancy stuff but otherwise I'd recommend popping one into some Mel's mix (essentially 1/3 compost blend of preferably 4+ composts and I'd suggest using chicken manure as the base/primary here, 1/3 peat or coco coir, 1/3 perlite). Whatever you do make sure the soil you buy is labeled for containers and probably stay away from miracle gro unless there's a fancy option they have now.

[-] Lussy@hexbear.net 4 points 23 hours ago* (last edited 23 hours ago)

What about repotting it in the yard? How does that change things?

[-] Omegamint@hexbear.net 7 points 21 hours ago

I would at the very least till in some composts. If your soil is lacking in organic material it's gonna be a hard life for the MJ. Chicken manure for compost and pelleted chicken manure for dry fertilizer down the line are probably the strongest cheapest options if youre ok with animal product.

You'll need to really be careful about overwatering when dealing with plants in the ground. On the upside you can typically water less. You should get a feel for how fast the top layer is drying out, maybe the safest thing to do is to underwater and try to see how long it takes for the leaves to drop and then water them. This timing will change depending on the size of the plant and the weather. Overwatering will clog the roots and give them root rot, which will kill them without any way of stopping it once started.

Get it in the ground asap if you want flowers!

[-] WafflesTasteGood@hexbear.net 7 points 22 hours ago

You don't know if your yard dirt has what the plant needs, so you'll probably still want to add some kind of soil mix to wherever you plant it. Try to pick a spot with similar sunlight to whatever its been getting and pull weeds around the base every so often and that should work fine.

[-] Lussy@hexbear.net 14 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

How much bigger?

And listen I know what you’re insinuating and I don’t like it. She just looks like that, no relation. Her mom liked to party. Move on.

[-] context@hexbear.net 14 points 1 day ago

plants respire through their roots in addition to drawing nutrients from the soil. they need room to breathe, so if the pot is too small, the roots grow all squished together. the leaves at the bottom are turning yellow because of this, it's called senescence. i'd suggest something at least 5 times the diameter and height as what she's in now, with enough good soil to fill it.

[-] Lussy@hexbear.net 5 points 23 hours ago

What about growing on the ground?

[-] context@hexbear.net 12 points 23 hours ago

that's the biggest pot there is.

i'm sure there's all sorts of considerations about where's best to put it, but she'll probably appreciate the room to stretch if you find a nice looking spot and dig a little hole. i'm guessing once you take her out of that little plastic pot, you'll see her roots are pressed up against the walls looking for a way out.

[-] Assian_Candor@hexbear.net 8 points 23 hours ago* (last edited 23 hours ago)

As big as you can get, especially outside cannabis can grow to be 15 ft tall. No such thing as too big

Like 5 gallon bucket would be alright.

[-] Omegamint@hexbear.net 3 points 21 hours ago

There's almost no limit here, but I'd say 20gallons at the smallest. Seen people grow monsters in 60-80gallons.

[-] Infamousblt@hexbear.net 32 points 1 day ago

She needs a much bigger pot and fresh soil. She also needs some plant food once she's in that bigger pot. If it's hot and sunny where you are make sure to water her everyday until water comes out the bottom of the pot. If it's not hot and sunny then just water her when the dirt feels dry.

[-] LeeeroooyJeeenkiiins@hexbear.net 22 points 23 hours ago

That yellowing = it just needs nitrogen, literally just miracle gro bullshit fertilizer would be good. But yes that is a criminally small pot, this is the plant equivalent of having a gold fish in a cup

[-] krolden@lemmy.ml 14 points 22 hours ago* (last edited 22 hours ago)

Repot it immediately that is way too small

And get some good soil and compost.

[-] krolden@lemmy.ml 12 points 21 hours ago* (last edited 21 hours ago)

You can also pinch off those lower really yellow and smaller leaves. Some look already dead. Keeping them on there causes the plant to stress itself trying to keep it alive.

Definitely add some worm casings to whatever soil you use. It needs some nitrogen. a little bit of this goes a long way. Don't over do it

Its also probably rootbound so you'll have to carefully break up the roots when you're repotting it.

I'd dig a hole somewhere that gets a good amount of sun. Fill it with good soil mix, and plant it

Also get some Epsom salt and sprinkle it on before you water. It should help with the stem purpling.

[-] Hestia@hexbear.net 11 points 22 hours ago

I’m sorry but you need to bury them in the ground

[-] Spongebobsquarejuche@hexbear.net 9 points 22 hours ago

She actually looks fine. New pot. The lower leaves will yellow, you just pluck them off.

[-] VibeCoder@hexbear.net 7 points 23 hours ago

I’m really shitty at keeping plants alive and pretty much neglect them all to death. But my uneducated guess is… bigger pot for the pot that shit looks comically tiny

[-] AntiOutsideAktion@hexbear.net 3 points 21 hours ago

pirate-jammin play classical music for her

this post was submitted on 12 Jul 2025
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