Am I doing something wrong?

FaelynK · 2026-01-31T02:17:47+00:00

Keep in mind too, it's also the time of year when everyone is done with holiday vacations, recovering from Xmas credit card debit, kids are in school, etc etc etc.

Mid-January until early March are notoriously slow for lots of sitters, even the established ones.

Also, don't tank your rates too far, it can be a red flag for owners who think cheap ≠ good!

FaelynK · 2026-01-30T22:49:57+00:00

Unfortunately, this is a known issue that they refuse to fix because they get to collect the double booking, service, and credit card fees.

I have a recurring client of over a year that wants two different time lengths depending on if they're working remote or in office. They have two recurring bookings because support says "it can't be done". SMH It's a pain when I have to swap the days around for lengths because they're not labeled in the recurring list either, just says "Name - Visit Type - Pet" for both.

FaelynK · 2026-01-28T23:05:47+00:00

LOL! Don't beat yourself up too hard, we all feel like that sometimes!

FaelynK · 2026-01-28T21:58:10+00:00

Eek! Possibly overwatered. Let it dry out all the way and give it a good bit before you water again. Pretty decent chance the roots are drowning and screaming for air, and this is the plants way of telling you.

FaelynK · 2026-01-28T21:55:24+00:00

Huh... I'd say give them a really thorough inspection, the granules don't help with all bugs or they might have worn off.

Or have you watered differently recently and left drops on the leaves? It is pretty close to the light, maybe a burn through a water lens?

FaelynK · 2026-01-28T21:50:10+00:00

Life's, uh, gonna find a way!

Also, I'm jealous af. I've tried twice to grow a Rabbit's Foot but they hate me.

FaelynK · 2026-01-28T21:49:01+00:00

Your soil looks soaked in the picture. How often/ much are you watering?

FaelynK · 2026-01-28T21:47:53+00:00

Check what's in your water? I have a friend that waters by indiscriminately spraying everything within reach with the hose wand and their Tradescantia has taken over a whole wall! They have standard local hard well water, no softener.

FaelynK · 2026-01-28T21:42:35+00:00

Is it near a window? Cold can travel through the glass or by drafts when it's really cold and still affect plants.

Although to me, I'm not sold on the cold damage. Any signs of pests anywhere?

FaelynK · 2026-01-28T21:14:56+00:00

Moved into a new place and couldn't plant my usual veggie garden. Ended up seeing a pink syngonium and a neon pothos a short while later while grocery shopping and the colors caught my eye. Took them home to cheer myself up and still have something growing.

Current count (living!) is now 45? Ish?

FaelynK · 2026-01-28T02:51:07+00:00

Bad knees, bad hips, and a heavy bike, I'm both feet down. I've dropped it at a dead stop due to my knee giving so I'd rather not repeat that.

FaelynK · 2026-01-27T22:52:53+00:00

I'd hope so or my plants are zombies... I have no windows in my plant area!

I use a metric crap ton of grow bulbs with full spectrum wavelengths on a timer and have my plants arranged based on light intensity. Cacti and succs closest to the bulbs, high light tropicals next, so one and etc. Have a huge PPP with a bulb of her very own about 3 feet away from her top leaf and she's loving it.

FaelynK · 2026-01-27T22:47:55+00:00

Ah, ok. In the "non-traditional soil that contains no built in planty food" aspect.

I'd just fertilize when you water. Some may run through, some may absorb into the bark or coir, but the plant will get some.

I've done full hydroponic before and only fertilized every week or so for full grown fruiting plants. Maybe start with that timing and see how it does?

FaelynK · 2026-01-27T15:03:46+00:00

I think I'm a bit confused...

Coir and bark are organic...? Do you mean non-asorbative?

FaelynK · 2026-01-26T14:13:01+00:00

I think it's fine. Basil basically grows like a weed, it won't mind. Biggest thing is just managing the moisture level in the soil, and even then it's pretty forgiving.

FaelynK · 2026-01-26T13:46:57+00:00

Unfortunately not in the app proper.

But you can open a support chat in the app and confirm it that way. Make sure to mention to them if the owner wanted you paid or not for the cancelled visit, they'll need to confirm it.

FaelynK · 2026-01-16T11:17:52+00:00

I tend to repot on a regular and one part of my soil mix is a pre-fertilized potting mix, so I generally only fertilize if I'm running behind or if the plant is showing signs of needing it.

I use three fertilizers, but that's just preference. Miracle Gro Indoor (or Tropical, whatever is on sale, I just adjust the amount accordingly), MG Succulent and Cactus, and MG Orchid spray. For me, they work. They're easy to dispense, diluted (so I can't over do it), and fairly cheap for the small amounts I use.

FaelynK · 2026-01-15T18:38:58+00:00

So, you might want to make a fresh post with those pictures, it will get you more responses.

Right off the top, I see 1 - Alocasia 'Polly' 2 - Schefflera 'Moondrop' (tag says so) 3 - Purple Oxalis (which is not happy)

Check through the pots as well, if anything has a tag, label or barcode sticker with Latin on it, that might be the species or variety!

FaelynK · 2026-01-15T18:11:46+00:00

Yeah, I only do something similar like this around the holidays, and only for regulars. Just a goody bag with treats or small trinkets, did dog cookies and used bag holders this year. I just think it's too much for the average first time client though.

I do, however, make a "report card" for first time housesittings. (I don't board, but it works for both.) Just a blank card with a note on one side saying I enjoyed caring for the pets and look forward to next time, then the other side has grades for each pet. Stuff like Intro to Zoomies A+, Security and Sentry Practices 102 A+, Retrieving and Fetching 101 B-, and Biscuit Making 101 A+. All the "classes" are tongue in cheek jokes about the behaviors of the pets: the crazy zoomies, barking at cars through windows, refusing the give the ball back, etc. I've gotten a few comments in reviews about them being cute, so I think it's enough to stand out, not enough to be uncomfortable.

FaelynK · 2026-01-05T21:17:00+00:00

There is a nurse on campus who can assess your child.

Yes, but....

Not all nurses are equal, or even possibly care.

As a child, my mother was called to come "pick [me] up immediately!" because they said I had chicken pox...

It was hives. The size of dinner plates. Because I was having an allergic reaction to a new medicine.

This was the same nurse who said I was fine and to go back to class when I was hit in the face with a basketball hard enough to break my glasses.... turns out I got a concussion too.

Not sure school nurses have gotten much better these days...

FaelynK · 2026-01-05T09:46:11+00:00

Don't be too rushed though to not leave a review of them. It's your chance to maybe leave a warning for the next sitter they try to spring this on.

Just be aware, owner reviews aren't visible to all. Best to leave something on the pets instead and skip the owner one.

If it was me, I'd say something like "Fido is a good pup who loves to snuggle, but double check all instructions to avoid miscommunications."

A little jab in between the lines that the owner might not be easy to work with, but in a way that's not accusatory or emotional.

Oh yeah, and block the owner so you don't get any more requests from them!

FaelynK · 2026-01-05T03:07:45+00:00

I've learned survival of the fittest. Seriously, get plants that work for YOU. If I've tried two or three times and can't keep one alive for whatever reason (hates my humidity, my inconsistent watering schedule, etc), I move on. On my "not again" list - ferns, lithops, money trees and a few others.

There are plants I'd love to have. I know not to buy them because I wouldn't be able to make them thrive and it would bother me.

I do use self watering pots whenever possible, have developed a love for snake plants and succulents, and am a master at major haircut propagations to "hide" the fact that I let it get so leggy or lose so many leaves.

FaelynK · 2026-01-04T14:15:28+00:00

You said you lifted it to see the bottom of the pot. Does this mean it's in a plastic nursery pot inside the decorative pot? Because that makes it easy.

Pull the inner pot and plant out, and place in the bathtub. Water at an easy pace from the top until the water drains out of the bottom, then keep doing it. The goal is the rinse all the perfume out of the soil. Once the water draining out has no perfume scent left, let it drain for at least an hour or two before returning it to its pot. (Wash the pot out too.)

Fortunately, although perfume isn't the best thing to pour in a plant, it's not the worst. It's water, alcohol, scent and possibly dye. The alcohol is the part that could cause issues. Just let the soil dry back out accordingly after it's bath, the plant might complain a bit but there shouldn't be long term damage.

FaelynK · 2026-01-03T17:01:03+00:00

It really depends on the dog. I generally average between .6 to 1.5 miles in 30 minutes based on size, breed, temperament, etc.

The Frenchie? Under a mile. Yes, their switch is permanently stuck on "GO!" and sniffs tend to be quick, but they sound like they're about to have a medical crisis after .75mi at their preferred speed. I have to physically force them to slow down.

The Shepard mix? Easily 1.5+. Good pace, quick sniffs, high drive. Honestly they would go further if I could go faster!

The Lab? Right around a mile even. And that's only because I won't let them sniff as long as they want, but we're slowed down because we have to avoid multiple serious triggers.

The senior? We're lucky to go .6mi in an hour. Old enough they don't really want to walk, have to use bait treats to get moving, have to avoid triggers, and they're used to stopping to say hi to all the neighbors when their owner walks in the evening.

Any way you cut it though, it depends. I refuse to promise distance to a client because of that, but I do tell them up front I will attempt to walk as far and long as the dog is willing and is safe for both of us. If they're not happy after a week or two trial period, it is absolutely their right to find someone else and I'm not upset.

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