Unpopular opinion: overwatering isn't the real killer, my pothos died from root rot in drainage-less soil
I repotted my golden pothos into a ceramic pot 4 months ago because it looked nice, and I skipped the drainage holes. Last Tuesday I noticed the leaves going yellow and limp, so I did the finger test and the soil was soaked 3 inches down. When I pulled the plant out, the roots were brown mush and smelled like a wet basement in Cleveland. I cut off the rot, dipped what was left in cinnamon, and stuck it in a terracotta pot with perlite mixed in. Has anyone else killed a plant by picking a pretty pot over a functional one?
Did you know those fancy ceramic pots without holes are basically a death trap for most houseplants? I learned that the hard way with a snake plant a couple years back, which is funny because everyone says those things are impossible to kill. I had it sitting in this glazed blue pot that matched my bookshelf perfectly, and I kept watering it on a schedule like an idiot without ever checking the soil. Took about three months before the whole thing just flopped over one day and when I yanked it out the bottom half was straight sludge. The smell was something else too, kind of like old socks and dirt mixed together. So no you are not alone, pretty pots have taken out more of my plants than pests or bad light ever did. Terracotta and a good mix is the way to go, lesson learned the gross way.