My Plants, My Rules
No Latin Names. No Perfect Humidity. Just Fixes.
Featured Articles
Section titled “Featured Articles”Brown tips on houseplant leaves? Learn the 4 main causes—low humidity, tap water chemicals, fertilizer burn, and inconsistent watering—plus how to fix and prevent them.
Why is your plant dropping leaves? Diagnose 5 common causes—transplant shock, cold drafts, light changes, underwatering, or acclimation stress—and learn how to stop the leaf drop.
Brown spots on your cactus? Learn to tell harmless corking (natural aging) from dangerous rot. Plus how to fix squishy spots, shrinking stems, and scale infestations.
How to identify root rot in houseplants: mushy brown roots, yellowing leaves, and foul smell. Step-by-step guide to saving your plant with proper trimming and repotting.
Saving a rotting snake plant: cut away mushy parts, treating the healthy sections, proper drying time, repotting in dry soil, and preventing future rot.
Yellow leaves on your houseplant? Diagnose the cause—overwatering, underwatering, nutrient deficiency, or natural aging—and learn exactly how to fix each problem.
Explore All 13 Categories
Section titled “Explore All 13 Categories”Cacti, succulents, and other forgiving, low-water favorites.
Monstera, Pothos, and the classic large-leafed jungle plants.
Specific care to help your orchids and violets rebloom indoors.
Guides for the drama queens: Calatheas, sensitive ferns, and high-maintenance plants.
Triage guide: Diagnose yellow leaves, droopy stems, and brown spots fast.
The absolute simplest plants and care routines for true beginners.
Master the essentials: watering, fertilizer, and basic soil science.
Understand light exposure and how to use supplemental grow lights.
Identify, quarantine, and eliminate spider mites, thrips, and more.
Specific solutions for common issues like fertilizer burn and drainage problems.
Hands-on activities: propagation, terrariums, and custom soil mixes.
Advanced guides for rare, high-value plants like variegated aroids.
Pet-safe plants, travel watering, and integrating plants into your home design.
Hi, I’m Elena.
Section titled “Hi, I’m Elena.”I am a graphic designer, not a botanist. My apartment is messy, my lighting is questionable, and I have killed more ferns than I care to admit.
My Plants, My Rules is my rebellion against “perfect” plant Instagram. Here, we deal with reality:
- Sometimes we forget to water.
- Sometimes the cat knocks over a pot.
- Sometimes a plant just hates you.
These guides are the notes I wrote for myself at 2 AM while panic-Googling. I hope they help you too.