These are the Reasons Your Houseplants Are Dying. You are going to find solutions for all kinds of plant problems from root rot to fungus and many more!
You always want your houseplants to bring a sense of vibrancy and lush color to your home. No one looks forward to seeing their houseplants drooping, yellowing, or to see leaves dying completely on their houseplants. That’s why you might like these 10 reasons your houseplants are dying.
Root Rot
The most common signs of root rot include slowly wilting plants and leaves that turn yellow and eventually fall off.
Root rot is actually caused by too much water. In essence the plant is drowning, so if you water your houseplants more than they can handle, it can result in root rot. Overwatering your houseplants will turn their roots into a mushy and brownish black mess due to the lack of oxygen from drowning.
If you’re not overwatering, then maybe the drainage is bad, non-existent, or clogged. Check to see if there are drainage holes in your container, and if you see them check to see if they are clogged. If your container has drainage holes and they are not clogged, it may need more holes, or larger ones.
You can still save a houseplant’s root from rotting by taking it out of the pot. Once the houseplant is out of the soil, wash the roots and cut out the rotten parts. Put the plant in the same pot with fresh soil after cleaning and disinfecting the container.
Starvation
Did you know that your houseplants can be hungry, too? Once you see their leaves turning yellow and yet not falling off, it could just be a sign that your houseplant needs more nutrients. Soil nutrients deplete over time due to watering so you’ll need to regularly feed your potted plants with fertilizer. It’s also a good idea to repot your houseplants with fresh soil once every 1-2 years.
Shock
Moving a plant to a different location in your house can cause shock due to the instant changes in light or temperature so you’ll need to be careful when deciding to change things around.
When you want to move a plants from outside to indoors during the winter, you can help the plant with the transition.
Do this by putting the plant in its new location for only a few hours, and then return it in its previous spot. Slowly increase the time in its new location until the transition is fully complete over a period of a week or two.
Fungus
Are you seeing brown patches on the leaves and stems of your houseplant? These can be signs of a fungal disease. Immediately isolate these plants so they won’t infect your other plants. Make sure you remove all the affected stems and leaves. You can also try treating the plant with a homemade anti-fungal solution.
Cramping
Do you notice water seeping out of the pot’s drainage holes as soon as you water your plant? This can be a sign that your houseplant has already outgrown its home. You may need to buy a larger pot and have it transplanted. Add some new and fresh soil to the plant and give the roots more room to breathe.
Spider Mites
If you see small webs covering the leaves of your houseplant, that’s a sign of spider mite infestation. These small arachnids feed on the leaves of your plants.
Isolate infected plants in an instant, cut out the affected leaves and put the plant in the sink. Wash it down so you can remove the mites.
Scale
Leaves wilting and turning yellow accompanied by little dome-shaped shells is more likely to be a sign of an infestation caused by scales. These small insects slowly suck the life out of your houseplants by consuming its sap and moisture. You can easily scrape these insects off by hand using gloves or by cutting off the infected parts.
Insufficient Light
If you see the leaves of your houseplants getting smaller and lighter in color, then it may not be getting enough light. Photosynthesis is required for every plant to thrive so if your houseplant isn’t getting enough light, it will experience a lack in growth. Help your plants get more light by putting them in a spot with more sun for a few days or weeks.
Powdery Mildew
Are you seeing what looks like powder on some of the leaves of your houseplants? It could be powdery mildew which is a known fungal disease that can eventually make your plants die.
Instantly remove the parts that are affected and have the plant transferred to a location with better air circulation.
Powdery Mildew is usually caused by the leaves being damp and not enough air exposure. Often keeping the plant pruned so that air can move through and keep the leaves dry is the best defense for this particular malice.
Whiteflies
The Whitefly is another pest that sucks the water out of your houseplants causing the leaves to fade in color and die.
A large infestation will definitely kill your plant and instantly infect the other plants nearby. You’ll have to remove these pests manually.
You can try pulling them off using a stick or you can also use a homemade insecticidal solution. Remember that these pests lay their eggs on the back side of the leaves.
There you have it, the reasons why many houseplants die. Keeping these in mind while caring for your houseplants will definitely give you a leg up on keeping them happy and healthy.
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