I finally told my neighbor in Phoenix why his cactus advice was wrong

Skyler Nelson · 2026-03-24T07:15:07.041419+00:00

He kept telling everyone at our block party that you should water saguaros every week in the summer. I saw him giving this tip to a new couple who just moved here. I had to step in and explain that overwatering is the fastest way to kill a desert plant, and our local nursery, Desert Roots, says to soak them maybe once a month at most. Has anyone else had to correct some really bad plant care advice that was spreading around?

masonm856mo ago

Every week? In Phoenix?

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spencer_hayes716mo ago

Did he think it was a petunia?

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clairer796mo ago

Yeah, it's like people hear one thing and just run with it forever... I see it all the time with home stuff too, not just plants. Like @spencer_hayes71 said, treating a cactus like a petunia is a perfect example. Someone gets a little bit of info and then gives it out like it's a fact, and then it just spreads. Makes you wonder what else we're all getting wrong without even knowing it.

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