How To Know If Your Houseplants Aren’t Feeling Well
October 14, 2020Plants aren’t as high maintenance as other house companions. Unlike dogs that whine and cats that meow at you until the ends of the earth, however, plants can’t vocalize if there’s something wrong. We’re left just left guessing if they’re getting enough water and sun or too much. And for beginners, it’s more complicated. Plants do speak to us, though. They have their way of drawing our attention. Knowing all these little signs would help you make sure you’re keeping your plants happy and helping them thrive.
Yellow Leaves
One of the most common mistakes new plant owners make is overwater their plants. They either water them every single day or guilt drown them after days of not watering the plants. That’s when the yellow leaves appear. These are often signs that your houseplant may be overwatered or having root rot.
Remedy: Remember, most houseplants don’t need that much water. Once-a-week watering is enough. To avoid overwatering them, stick to a consistent watering schedule. Before watering, stick your finger one to two inches down into the soil to test the soil moisture. This way, you’ll know if your plant needs water or if they’re still okay for a few days
Brown and Crispy Leaves
The opposite of yellow leaves is brown and crispy leaves. While it’s normal for plants to have some browning leaves now and then, too many of these means that they’re begging for water. If only the edges of their leaves are turning dry, it might mean that you’re putting on too much fertilizer.
Remedy: Water your plants a bit more often. Make sure not to overwater them, though. If you want to be more careful, try just spritzing your plants or switching on your humidifier.
Scorched Leaves
Much like us, our plants can also experience sunburn. It shows through their leaves’ brown and crispy edges. Tropical plants like the monstera suffer from this the most, even if they love the sun.
Remedy: Once you start noticing these, move your plant out of direct sunlight. Then, make sure that it is getting enough moisture. Check the soil and check your room’s humidity. The misting trick or humidifier trick can help with this. If those brown edges still don’t disappear, it might mean that you’re using too much fertilizer on your plants.
Drooping
Sometimes, your plants will just show that they’re feeling a little down by well, hanging their tops and looking sad. Their leaves might start looking extra dry, and they might lose that once bright, perky look they had.
Remedy: Fortunately, this one is pretty easy to fix. Often, this is just the plant’s way of saying that you’re not watering them enough. Giving them a little extra water and love will do the trick. Take note of the seasons and the temperature inside your home. And don’t remember to do the finger testing trick to avoid overwatering them.
Growing Leggy
Some plants naturally grow nice and tall. But if your plants that aren’t meant to grow like that start growing tall and spindly, there might be something wrong. Usually, these plants start to look uneven and may even flop over. This is because they’re desperate for nutrients causing them to reach up for more sun.
Remedy: Before your plant even starts flopping over, try giving them more sunlight. If that’s not enough, give them more fertilizer or change their soil to a richer variety if needed. It’s best to do this in the spring and fall season. When winter comes, though, cut back on the fertilizer.
Few or No Flowers
If the flowering plant you’ve been waiting for to bloom all this time never seems to bloom even after maturity fully, it’s time to give it a little checkup.
Remedy: If your plant has is bushy enough but has no flowers, it might have a nitrogen imbalance. Tone down on the nitrogen fertilizer and add it a lot less; once a month would do the trick for most plants. If your plant both has sparse foliage and flowers, sunlight might do the trick. It would also be best for your plants if you remove any faded or dried up blooms. This leaves more fresh blooms to grow.
