--- title: "I'm terrible with philodendrons and yet I keep getting them... These…" description: "I'm terrible with philodendrons and yet I keep getting them... These were single leaves when I got them, rooted well in water and I'd like to pot them as…" url: "https://getplanta.com/community/6WjlL_2rTSS00GnYx8UA_g/xhUa6Zlebbkw33f0b2AqwR" community: "Philodendron Parents" author: "Sese" published: "2025-08-14T08:37:45.675775Z" language: "en" image: "https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/HeihjDfrGUJVrbUU8CZRLMW14l1KSKhtqYHLHC4cgeI/_PKVhc64ROOGepYqrm18HA.webp?size=large" --- [Community](https://getplanta.com/community.md) / [Philodendron Parents](https://getplanta.com/community/6WjlL_2rTSS00GnYx8UA_g.md) # I'm terrible with philodendrons and yet I keep getting them... These… _Posted by Sese on 2025-08-14_ I'm terrible with philodendrons and yet I keep getting them... These were single leaves when I got them, rooted well in water and I'd like to pot them as they're getting bigger.. the issue is that I'm scared of not getting the setting right. The Painted Lady one goes a little further in history though because I attempted to pot it once, got it wrong and barely got it back by rooting it in water again. My ither philodendrons have died in soil and I could only save them by chopping them up and rooting them again. I don't want to mess it up again 😅🙈 I used a soil mix that I make myself: soil, pumice/vermiculite, coco chips, perlite, horticultural charcoal. What am I doing wrong? HELP!! 🫣 ![Attachment 1 of 2](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/HeihjDfrGUJVrbUU8CZRLMW14l1KSKhtqYHLHC4cgeI/_PKVhc64ROOGepYqrm18HA.webp?size=large) ![Attachment 2 of 2](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/HeihjDfrGUJVrbUU8CZRLMW14l1KSKhtqYHLHC4cgeI/LTdRm4HOSw6v7YX1QTrepQ.webp?size=large) ## 12 comments ### Tracy Lee commented on 2025-08-14 What happens when you pot them up? Most likely you are just overwatering. I went through the same thing when I started my philo love affair 😉 They love moisture but don’t want to sit in water. #### Sese replied on 2025-08-14 This is what the Painted Lady looked like when I decided to uproot her and put into water. I'm not sure what's wrong with it. The leaves curl up sideways like in the photo, so it looks like it's dehydrated instead but then maybe I'm not getting the signs.. 🤔 ![Attachment 1 of 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/HeihjDfrGUJVrbUU8CZRLMW14l1KSKhtqYHLHC4cgeI/jRflbrJgTvGS_VlLtJ03EQ.webp?size=large) ### Tracy Lee commented on 2025-08-14 How big are the roots? Make sure you’re not putting her in a pot that’s too big and has drainage holes. When you water make sure you do so until water comes out of the holes. It may just be that she needs to acclimate to soil. I have had a couple philos that threw a fit when first put in soil but they bounced back. If nothing else I would recommend giving up on soil and planting her in sphagnum moss. I have had to do that with my fuzzy petiole philo. ### Sese commented on 2025-08-14 This time the roots have grown quite large, but I'm going to try and pot into a similar size pot. I guess I'll have to just try again using these methods and see what happens! 🫣 Thank you! ### Amie206 commented on 2025-08-14 What are your ratios for your soil mix and how often are you fertilizing? #### Sese replied on 2025-08-14 I'm measuring in equal scoops: 5x soil, 2x perlite, 2x vermiculite, 2x coco chips, 1 coal. Let me know if I should change anything! And feritlising according to Planta's suggestion. This particular one was planted about a month before the photo was taken so it would have been fertilised once I think 🤔 #### Amie206 replied on 2025-08-14 I would replace the vermiculite with orchid bark (medium size). That plus the coco chips (which also come in a variety of sizes) will make your soil chunkier and provide more aeration around the roots. I also use bigger perlite than what I’d consider “standard”. As a chronic over waterer, this has saved my plants from me 😂. Sometimes you have to play around with how much soil. Last year my mix was too chunky (I thought) so this year I used more soil. My monsteras need to be redone because it’s not quite chunky enough. #### Sese replied on 2025-08-15 Oh right! I considered coco chips to be on par with orchid bark, so I didn't use it. I'll see what happens when I add it into the mix. Would you say in these parts soil is a bit too much? #### Amie206 replied on 2025-08-15 Yes too much soil not enough chunk 😊 ### Magz commented on 2025-08-14 Be sure the light is bright enough, too. You got this! Keep us updated! 🪴 ### Charlie Bean commented on 2025-08-15 In addition to the excellent advices given already, Invest in a moisture meter. I found one in Amazon for less than 10 bucks. I water my philos when the meter says dry or on the border of dry and moist. #### Sese replied on 2025-08-15 That's a great idea! I do have it and stopped using it but clearly I should do it far more, thank you! --- _Source: the Planta community (https://getplanta.com). 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