Overwatering kills more houseplants than neglect
More houseplants die from too much water than from too little. Grove's watering task is a check: does this plant need water today. The guidance lives in the task.
How do I tell overwatering from neglect?
Wet soil and soft yellow leaves usually mean too much water. Dry soil and crispy edges usually mean too little. Read the soil first, then the leaves. Grove names which one you are looking at, and why. The watering task is that check, with the guidance in the task.
| Overwatering | Too little water | |
|---|---|---|
| Soil | Wet, heavy, or never dries | Bone dry, pulling from the pot |
| Leaves | Yellow, soft, dropping | Crispy brown edges, droop that perks after a drink |
| Smell / pot | Sour or stale | Dusty, light |
| What to do | Stop, check drainage, let it dry | Water thoroughly, then wait until it needs it |
What does Grove's watering task actually ask you to do?
A lot of plant apps put "water" on a schedule and call it a day. Grove's task is a check: does this plant need water today. The guidance is in the task. Lift the pot. Look at the soil. Look at the leaves. Then water, or wait.
Schedules are a starting point. Your plant is the last word. Grove is there so the whole household can learn that plant the same way you do, including when to hold off.
Does Grove still remind me?
Yes. You still get today's list, by house, room, and plant, including whose turn it is. When the honest call is wait, the task says wait, and the why sits right there.