Monks Wisdom

Snipping random leaves can leave a parsley pot looking tired. Take mature outer stems and give the centre room to keep growing.

A limp basil plant may be thirsty, too wet or chilled by a window. Let the compost and room conditions tell you what to do next.

Aerial roots alone are not a repotting alarm. Check the orchid's medium, roots and pot before choosing a fresh home.

Finished flowers do not mean a finished orchid. Check its leaves and roots, then give it the right conditions for its next growth cycle.

Those long brown roots are part of how a Monstera climbs. Here's what to do with them without turning a healthy plant into a problem.

Autumn is not usually the first choice for routine repotting, but a plant with a real root or compost problem may need attention now.

Peace lilies can look dramatic when thirsty, but wet roots can also cause trouble. The compost tells you which way to go.

A drooping plant in wet compost needs a different response from a thirsty one. Here’s how to check before adding more water.

A brown tip is a clue, not a diagnosis. Check the whole plant and its growing conditions before making a change.

Your houseplant has not moved, but the light has changed. A small autumn move can help it through shorter UK days.

The right autumn watering schedule is not a number of days. Check your bonsai, its pot and the weather before reaching for the watering can.

Before moving a bonsai indoors for winter, find out what tree it is. A tropical tree and an outdoor tree need very different care.