Have you ever seen one of those viral plant hack videos where someone sprinkles banana peels in their soil or ices their orchid? If you’re wondering if they work, I hate to be the bearer of bad news because the answer is no. Sorry, plant friends.

In this episode, I will be separating fact from fiction with my dear friend, Derek Haynes aka The Chocolate Botanist. Derek is a plant biologist who’s not afraid to call out the myths, explain the real science behind plant care, and help us simplify things.

Let’s bust 5 of the biggest houseplant myths floating around online.

 

In this episode, we learn:

• [01:03] Meet Derek, the Chocolate Botanist
• [08:03] Fighting misinformation online
• [10:37] Does banana water work?
• [15:15] Simplify your plant care with Espoma Organic’s high quality products!
• [18:05] Which fertilizer is perfect for you?
• [20:53] Do coffee grounds work?
• [25:09] Do eggshells work?
• [28:36] Is it effective to water plants with ice cubes?

 

 

 

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1. Banana Water Fertilizer

This one is everywhere, and people actually DM me about it. You take banana peels, soak them in water, stick it in the sun, and then pour them on your plants. Tada, you now have homemade fertilizer, right?

Wrong.

Plants can’t use nutrients unless they’re broken down by microbes. So that banana peel water is not bioavailable.

Basically, soaking banana peels doesn’t magically turn them into fertilizer. You’re better off composting them or using a proper houseplant fertilizer that’s been formulated to work right now, not in a year.

And while they’re sitting in water, fungus gnats are waiting to seize the opportunity.

 

2. Coffee Grounds in the Soil

I used to believe this one, too. Well, coffee grounds have nitrogen. And nitrogen is good. So coffee grounds should work, right?

But after digging into the science, you’re really just feeding the soil’s microbial life. That’s a great thing outside, but indoors, that population isn’t very active. You’re not getting the benefits you think you are. You might even be introducing mold or fungi without knowing it.

Derek sanitizes his coffee grounds in an old pressure cooker before using them, but even he admits that’s overkill for most people. So, unless you’re composting properly, skip the coffee grounds.

 

3. Eggshells for Calcium

This one sounds resourceful and feels old-school.

Even if you crush them down into the finest powder, it will take up to a year at least for that calcium to be translated into a form that’s acceptable to the plants. That’s a long time to wait, especially if your houseplants don’t even need it in the first place.

Derek shared a more effective alternative: you can dissolve the eggshells in white vinegar (equal parts) to create a calcium salt solution. Dilute that with water and you’ve got something your plants can actually use.

But again, only if your plant is actually calcium-deficient, which, by the way, most houseplants are not.

 

4. Ice Cubes for Orchids

This one hurts my heart. There’s this idea that watering orchids with ice cubes is better because it “melts slowly” and prevents overwatering. But orchids are tropical plants, so they are used to warm, humid environments.

Ice is a shock to their system.

Derek suspects this myth was cooked up by “Big Orchid” to keep you buying new plants after the old ones die.

Instead, just water normally when it’s dry.

 

5. Stop Overcomplicating Everything

If there’s one thing I hope you take from this conversation, it’s that houseplant care doesn’t need to be complicated. You don’t need kitchen scraps, DIY fertilizers, or mystical watering schedules.

Get a good quality organic potting mix (I use Espoma Organic’s indoor mix), light your plant actually likes, and fertilize monthly with something designed for houseplants. That’s it.

I know we all want to be good plant parents. We want to do the right thing. But chasing viral hacks often leads to frustration and… dead plants.

 

 

Mentioned in our conversation:

• Growing Joy Ep. 283: From Wishlist to Whoops: 2025 Houseplant Trends, Plant Care Tips & Plant Fail Confessions From the Northwest Flower & Garden Show
• Growing Joy Ep. 116: Houseplant Identification Basics from Derek from The Crazy Botanist

 

 

Thank you to our episode sponsor:

Espoma Organic

As we welcome the season of growing and gardening, make sure you're using nontoxic products in the garden! Espoma Organic is dedicated to making safe indoor and outdoor gardening products for people, pets, and the planet. They have an amazing variety of high-quality, organic potting mixes, garden soil, fertilizers, and pest control products that are organic and eco-friendly. To top it all off, they have a huge sustainability commitment with a 100% solar-powered plant, zero waste manufacturing, and eco-friendly packaging.

Visit espoma.com to find your local Espoma dealer or check my Amazon storefront.

 

 

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