The weekly walk

After this you can run a ten-minute weekly check that catches trouble early.

Once a week, on a day you will remember, walk past every plant and actually look at each one for a moment. That is the whole practice. You are not doing anything to the plants most weeks — you are noticing. New growth, a drooping leaf, a colour change, a dry pot, something that was not there last week. Catching a change while it is small is the entire game.

What to check on each plant

Soil — do the finger check while you are there; water only the ones that are actually dry
Leaves — colour, spots, yellowing, crisping edges, anything different from last week
New growth — a growing tip or new leaf is the best sign a plant is happy
The pot — roots out the bottom, water pooling in a saucer or cover pot
The plant overall — leaning toward the light, drooping, generally off

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