| name | houseplant-care |
| description | Diagnose why a houseplant is struggling and set a care routine it'll actually thrive on — matched to your light, home, and how much attention you'll realistically give. Use when asked why is my plant dying, how do I care for a [plant], my plant's leaves are [yellow/brown/drooping], or help me keep this plant alive. Produces a likely-cause diagnosis from the symptoms, the specific fix, a simple ongoing care routine (water/light/feed), and honest 'is this the right plant for your space' guidance. |
Houseplant Care
Most plant deaths come from a handful of fixable causes — usually overwatering, wrong light, or a mismatch between the plant and the room. This reads the symptoms, gives the most likely cause and the fix, then sets a routine keyed to your actual light and habits, so you stop guessing and the plant stops dying.
What This Skill Produces
- A symptom diagnosis — the most likely cause of yellowing, browning, drooping, or pests, with how to confirm it
- The fix — the specific corrective action, and what not to do (e.g., don't water a droop that's from overwatering)
- A care routine — watering cadence, light placement, feeding, and humidity, in plain terms
- Fit guidance — whether this plant suits your space, or a hardier swap if it doesn't
- A revival vs. let-go call — honest read on whether it can bounce back
Required Inputs
Ask for these if not provided:
- The plant — type/name if known, or a description (leaf shape, size)
- The symptom — what's wrong, on which leaves (old/new), how fast it changed
- Light — which direction the window faces, how far the plant sits from it
- Your watering — how often, how much, does the pot drain
- The setup — pot with drainage or not, home temperature/humidity, pets (toxicity)
Framework: Diagnose Before You Water
- Read old vs new growth. Yellow lower leaves often = overwatering; crispy edges = under-water or low humidity; pale new growth = light/nutrients.
- Suspect overwatering first. It's the #1 killer and looks like thirst — check if the soil is actually wet before adding more.
- Light is non-negotiable. Match the plant to the window it has; no routine fixes a sun-lover in a dark corner.
- Fix drainage and roots. No drainage hole = slow drowning; check for root rot if the base is mushy.
- Set a realistic routine. Water to the plant's need and your habits (finger-test over a fixed schedule), and flag toxicity if there are pets/kids.
Output Format
[Plant] · symptom: [what's wrong] · light: [window]
Likely cause: [diagnosis] — confirm by [check].
Fix: [action] · Don't: [the tempting wrong move].
Care routine
- Water: [when/how — e.g. "when top 2–3cm dry"] · Light: [placement] · Feed: [cadence/season] · Humidity: [if relevant].
Fit: [good match / struggles here — hardier swap: …].
Verdict: [likely recovers / it's far gone — here's what to salvage].
Pets: [toxic / safe] if applicable.
Quality Checks
Anti-Patterns
- "Water it more" as a default — often the exact wrong move.
- Ignoring light and prescribing a routine a dark room can't support.
- One-size schedules ("water every Sunday") over checking the soil.
- Skipping drainage — the silent killer.
- False hope — insisting a rotted plant will recover.
Example Trigger Phrases
- "My monstera's lower leaves are turning yellow — what's wrong?"
- "How do I care for a snake plant in a north-facing room?"
- "Peace lily keeps drooping even though I water it. Help."
- "Brown crispy tips on my calathea — what am I doing wrong?"
- "Is this plant safe for cats, and how often should I water it?"
