You're right. This is common. So back to the first question that i answered.. it sounds like a watering issue. Right?
Allow me to elaborate more on what determines the optimum moisture for plants.
I would break this down into a few parts:
1) The type of soil used
2) The type of plant used
3) The frequency of watering
4) The location of your plant
1) Soil is very important for plants. There are different types of soil media suited for different kinds of plants. A very contrasting example would be the media you see in cactuses, orchids and vegetables. Cactus is like sandy... orchids uses an entirely different looking media (peat moss/charcoal)... and vegetable soil looks... just black. Familiar right? In this case, we are looking at the properties of every media.
So why do different plants prefer different types of soil media? 关 Moisture 什么事? I mean ya what does it have to do with moisture?
Different types of soil media have unique properties that retain moisture and aeration. Which means, different types of soil has different ability to hold water and allow air to flow through. So as you guessed, cactuses do not like soil that retains too much water. They prefer to be in a soil condition that allows more water drainage.
You confirm thinking then i also see before got plants can survive without soil one leh. Yea that's an entirely different topic. If you want to ask about hydroponics (water based plants), leave a comment below! Or... I might just do it for fun. Fun fact: in Chinese it's called 水培 (shuĭ péi).
So understand? Still don't understand? The more the soil can keep moisture, the less you need to water. ok?
2) The type of plant can be divided into two simple category: Indoor/Outdoor. We define them as indoor plants because experts have already classified their characteristics to be able to tolerate less watering and less light. Indoor plants include your usual Spathiphyllum (Peace Lily) or Sanseviera (Snake Plant). And yes, vice versa, outdoor plants cannot tolerate less sun and less watering. Simple! Yes yes yes there's also semi-indoor and semi-outdoor plants and as you thought. Yes the tolerance level is kiap-ed in the middle. I mean, have fun experimenting!
3) As mentioned in my previous post, the method of watering is very crucial and our frequency of watering is one of the important factors. The more times you water, the longer the soil is going to remain wet. Just like your hair or a cloth, if you keep washing when it hasn't completely dried yet, it's going to remain wet.
When we overwater, the roots are unable to receive enough oxygen. Remember when I said plants require 5 essential elements to survive? Out of the five, only light is not taken up by the plant's roots.
4) Does your location have a lot of sunlight? Does your area have air-conditioner? Does it have extreme temperature differences in the day and night? Is it placed right beside a blowing fan? Your location determines your environmental factor, which directly affects the frequency of watering needed. More wind = dry faster. Hotter = evaporate faster. More rain = less watering needed. Common sense right? But not many thought of it that way.
Watch the video below as i elaborate more on these points! (Undone)
Meanwhile there's a video from BuzzFeed that you can watch for simple tips for your house plants!
The title is not really a question, but here's a reply: And you realised! It is not too late to pick a new plant and start understanding what is the ideal kind of soil and watering methods related it. Good luck with your next try!