There’s no reason to feel like you don’t have a green thumb, because people with whatever kind of thumb can be great plant parents. Yes, even those who have a history of killing houseplants. In actuality, our plants are capable of communicating with us, so caring for them isn’t as troublesome as you might think. It’s necessary to keep an eye on your plants’ leafy growth and the soil to see if they are thriving or to revive them if they are struggling and what you discover will give you a better idea of what to do next.
Interested in knowing the signs that your indoor plant is unhappy? Read on to find out the signs and the measures you can take to resolve the situation!
Signs of Unhappy Houseplant
Fewer Flowers, Excessive Leaves
It is generally considered to be a sign of excessive nitrogen or poor lighting that your flowering houseplant has more leaves than flowers. Light and reduced nitrogen fertilizer are the best ways to prevent this from happening. Plan your fertilization schedule and follow it!
Brown and Crispy Foliage
The fall of brown leaves from plants is normal, just like leaves dropping. Nevertheless, the problem occurs when new foliage becomes affected, or more leaves turn brown. This indicates that your plant is unhappy. The reasons are:
The entire leaf which has turned brown indicates an underwatered condition and a dry or less humid environment. The soil must not be allowed to dry completely for a long period of time. So water the plant deeply under these circumstances. Moreover, you could add a humidifier or a pebble tray.
If the edges of the leaves turn brown, it indicates overfertilization, excessive pesticides, unbalanced soil, hot air, low temperatures, accumulated salt, or root decay. It can be fixed by fertilizing the plant once a month and placing the pot in a tray lined with pebbles. The excess salts from the plants should also be flushed out through drainage holes after watering them thoroughly.
Scorched Leaves
If you observe scorched and burnt foliage, the plant may have been overexposed to direct sunlight. Move the plants to indirect sunlight and remove affected foliage. It’s important not over-water and not over-fertilize the plant (it will worsen the burn). Water only when topsoil feels dry to the touch.
It is typical for indoor plants to require 14 hours of sunlight per day. You can find out the minimum amount of direct light, indirect light, or shade that a particular plant requires to thrive by doing an Internet search.
Wilting Plant and Smaller Leaves
In order to encourage healthy root development and prevent root rot, do not overwater the soil to avoid wilting plants and drooping leaves. If you notice the plant wilting, remove it from the pot and examine the roots. If you see rotten or infected roots, you should cut them off. Fresh potting mix in a pot with drainage holes should be used to repot the plant.
Spotted or Speckled Leaves
The problem is caused by a fungal infection. If you detect a similar issue, isolate the affected plant from other plants and create space between them to allow air circulation. During irrigation, make sure that no water is misted or splashed on foliage.
Leaf deformation & White Powdery Fungal Growth on Foliage
A powdery mildew infestation causes the above problems. To treat the issue, remove infected leaves and prevent plants from being too close to each other.
Brown to Black and Soft Roots
Roots and stems with black, mushy, or brown tips may suggest root rot. Remove this plant, trim the infected roots, and repot using fresh potting mix in a clean pot, applying a fungicide.
Falling Leaves
Dropping leaves is an indication that a plant is unhealthy. The mature leaves associated with houseplants are usually the ones that shed occasionally, usually near the stem. It’s possible that your plant is dropping leaves because:
- Sudden change in growing conditions and temperature
- A small pot or root-bound state
- Watering plant with cold water
- Lack of water
- Overwatering
Stunted Growth, Distortion, and Dieback
When plants are affected by botrytis blight, they suffer from distortion, stunted growth, and death. It is possible to manage this issue by isolating the diseased plants from surrounding plants to prevent its spread. Improve the air circulation by cutting away infected parts and increasing the air circulation.
Leaf’s Tip Turning Yellow and Brown
Your plant may have anthracnose in which case you can remove the affected leaves and avoid misting the foliage. You should also avoid splashing water to the foliage when watering the plant.
In particular, yellowing leaves may be caused by excessive watering, low humidity, poor soil drainage, low temperatures, or roots that are confined in a pot. You need to check your plant if the weather had suddenly changed, so that it wasn’t damaged by a draft, a heater, or because of an unexpected environmental change. You should make sure your pot has adequate drainage and that the roots aren’t bound.
Brown leaves, on the other hand, could be affected by excessive fertilizer or pesticides, dry soil, low temperatures, hot air, accumulating salts, or root rot. The recommended frequency of fertilization for indoor plants is only once every month, at most. Placing pots on pebble-lined trays filled with water will increase humidity. The pots should rest above the water, though you should not use the tray as a tray. The top of the soil should be thoroughly soaked once a month to clear excess salts out of the drainage hole.
Now, if your plant is healthy…
However, if your plant does not exhibit any of these signs, but you are still concerned that you aren’t making it work with your plant parent, then you needn’t worry. You know, these are major signs that your plant is flourishing, for your added peace of mind.
It looks like your plant is growing. Growing is the best sign you could ask for. Mast does have a hot tip for you, though: rotate your plants once every week. In the winter, your plants may not grow much, but nothing shouldn’t concern you, because they are going into their dormant phase. If your plant is not growing much, don’t worry about it, it’s perfectly normal.
Plant roots should be hardy. You should look for roots that are light in color and almost white, and they should seem sturdy. These two characteristics demonstrate a healthy plant.
It’s hard to find pests here. On a healthy houseplant, the leaves will not have any little critters hanging out on top of them or just underneath them.
When selecting blooms for your home, make sure you select plants that reflect and complement its personality. Find blooms that thrive in the conditions you provide.