Browse by topic
Nov 10, 2026 · 6 min read
Dust on Every Leaf: Wiping Plants in the Dry Season
The harmattan arrives, and so does a grey film on every monstera. What I wipe, what I spray and what I leave.
Nov 3, 2026 · 5 min read
Watering at Six in the Morning, Not at Noon
Why the balcony gets its water before the sun reaches the railings, and how much each pot gets.
Oct 27, 2026 · 4 min read
Eleven Jars on the Kitchen Sill
Pothos, tradescantia and a stubborn philodendron, rooting in old jam jars, and which jar is winning.
Oct 20, 2026 · 8 min read
Moving the Fern Into Clay Before the Dry Season
Clay breathes, and a fern needs that when the air turns dry. The repot, step by step, with the mess left in.
Oct 13, 2026 · 5 min read
A Warm Lamp Over the Shelf on Dusty Evenings
One bulb, one shelf and the plants that do better with an hour more light after the power comes back.
Oct 6, 2026 · 7 min read
How I Tell a Thirsty Leaf from a Wet One
Droopy can mean too little or too much. The three signs I check before I pick up the watering can.
Sep 29, 2026 · 4 min read
Pothos Cuttings From the Balcony Jungle
Where to cut, how many nodes to keep and why the cuttings sit in the shade for a week.
Sep 22, 2026 · 6 min read
The Potting Mix I Blend From Three Bags
Bark, sand and compost from the market, in the ratio that stops pots staying soggy in the rains.
Sep 15, 2026 · 5 min read
Moving the Ferns Away From the Dusty Window
A metre back from the glass and a damp cloth every Sunday: how the ferns got through last season.
Sep 8, 2026 · 6 min read
Rainwater in Buckets and What Tap Water Does
Why my plants prefer the bucket by the door, and the white crust that tap water leaves on clay.
Sep 1, 2026 · 5 min read
Waiting for the First New Leaf After Propagating
Six weeks, one unfurling leaf and what to do, and not do, while you wait.
Aug 25, 2026 · 9 min read
When a Root-Bound Snake Plant Splits the Pot
The crack in the plastic, the tangle underneath and how to divide it into three.
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Balcony Notes
One short letter every Tuesday: a plant idea from my balcony, what worked and what did not.