T"J

Terrence "TJ" Johnson

TJ stumbled into plant parenthood when a coworker gave him a neglected pothos. That single plant sparked an obsession that led him to quit his corporate marketing job and start a plant care service for busy professionals in Chicago. TJ maintains over 150 plants for residential clients and runs monthly plant swap meetups at local coffee shops. He's self-taught through YouTube, plant forums, and plenty of expensive mistakes (RIP to his variegated monstera). TJ specializes in troubleshooting common houseplant problems and is known for his blunt, no-BS advice: "Your plant isn't dying because Mercury is in retrograde—you're overwatering it." He's particularly skilled with finicky tropical plants like fiddle leaf figs and calatheas.

12 articles

Joined October 2025

Articles by Terrence "TJ" Johnson

Plant Care

Container Tomato Diseases: Preventing and Treating Septoria and Early Blight

Learn to identify and treat the most common tomato leaf diseases in containers, including septoria leaf spot and early blight prevention strategies.

Plant Care

Monstera Aerial Roots: What to Do With Them

Those thick, brown rope-like roots growing from your monstera stem aren't a problem—they're actually helping your plant climb and absorb moisture from the air.

Plant Care

Monstera Leaves Curling: Diagnosis and Solutions

Curling monstera leaves signal stress from humidity, watering, or environmental issues. Quick diagnosis and targeted fixes restore healthy growth.

Plant Care

Pothos Leaves Drooping: Quick Diagnostic Guide

Drooping pothos leaves usually signal thirst, but overwatering causes similar symptoms. Learn the quick diagnostic tests to save your plant.

Plant Care

Pothos Leaves Curling: 5 Common Causes and Solutions

Curling pothos leaves signal stress from underwatering, low humidity, heat, pests, or root problems—here's how to diagnose and fix each cause.

Plant Care

Pothos Pests: Mealybugs, Spider Mites, and Scale Treatment

Pothos pests like mealybugs and spider mites are rare but treatable. Learn to identify, isolate, and eliminate these common houseplant invaders.

Plant Care

Pothos Brown Spots and Tips: What They Mean and How to Fix

Brown spots and crispy tips on pothos leaves signal overwatering, underwatering, or water quality issues—here's how to diagnose and fix each cause.

Plant Care

Monstera Root Rot: Emergency Rescue Guide

Save your dying monstera from root rot with this emergency rescue protocol. Step-by-step root inspection, trimming, and recovery timeline.

Plant Care

Monstera Pests: Identification and Treatment Guide

Common monstera pests include spider mites, mealybugs, scale, and thrips. Early identification and targeted treatment prevent serious damage to your plant.

Plant Care

Brown Spots on Monstera Leaves: Complete Troubleshooting

Brown spots on your monstera mean trouble—here's how to diagnose the exact cause and fix it before you lose more leaves.

Plant Care

Monstera Leaves Turning Yellow: Causes and Fixes

Yellow monstera leaves signal overwatering, underwatering, or nutrient issues—identify the cause fast and save your plant with proven fixes.

Plant Care

Fiddle Leaf Fig Pests: Identification & Treatment

Fiddle leaf fig bugs ruining your plant? Get expert pest identification and proven treatment protocols to eliminate spider mites, scale, mealybugs, and thrips fast.