Why Is My Houseplant Turning Brown

It can be a joy to grow houseplants, but it can be difficult to keep them looking fresh and healthy all the time. One of the most frequent queries, whether from novice or seasoned gardeners, is “why do indoor plant leaves turn brown?” Fortunately, figuring out why this is happening and taking action to lessen and prevent it are not difficult.

Why do the leaves of house plants deteriorate? Your indoor plants’ leaves becoming brown could be caused by a variety of factors, including inadequate watering, feeding, or transplant shock; environmental factors like lighting, heat, drafts, or humidity; insect or disease problems; or natural factors like acclimation or aging.

It’s crucial to identify precisely where on the plant the issue is occurring in order to comprehend the main factors listed below and why your plant’s leaves are becoming brown. After that, you can attempt to fix the issue.

What do a plant’s brown leaves indicate?

Typically, underwatering, sunburn, or overwatering are the causes of browning leaves.

The soil possibly grew too dry for an extended period of time between waterings if the leaf tips are turning brown and hard. The plant may lose leaves as a result of this. This does not necessarily imply that you are regularly underwatering because the browning may have only occurred once. Although the brown leaf tips won’t turn green again, you can trim the brown margins to restore the plant’s healthy appearance. Go here to learn more.

It may also be a symptom of overwatering if you see brown patches all over the leaves. You’ll typically notice some yellowing of the leaves as well when the plant is overwatered. Go here to learn more.

If you see brown stains in the middle of the leaves, it may be because the leaves are receiving too much direct sunshine. Some plants are readily burned by direct sunlight and are sensitive to it. If this is the case, try shifting your plant to a spot where it won’t be exposed to the sun’s glare.

– If you move your plants from indoors to outdoors in the summer without acclimating them to direct sunshine, this is usually what happens.

Should I prune my plant’s brown tips?

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We’ve experienced our fair share of brown, decaying leaves as we’ve learned how to properly care for various home plants over the years. We weren’t sure at first whether to take them out or leave them. Here is what we’ve discovered works the best.

Do you need to remove the dead leaves? Yes. Your indoor plants should have brown and withering leaves removed as quickly as possible, but only if they are more than 50% damaged. By removing these leaves, the plant looks better and the healthy foliage that is left can receive more nutrients.

Even though it might appear straightforward, there’s more to it than merely cutting those leaves off. To keep your plant healthy, you must assess how much of the leaf is dying and then carefully remove the damaged areas.

How frequently ought indoor plants to be watered?

Although watering houseplants may seem like a straightforward operation, many people either overwater them or neglect them until they get parched. Generally speaking, the potting soil for indoor plants should be kept damp but not soggy. In the spring and summer, they typically need watering once or twice a week; in the fall and winter, they require less watering. However, depending on the type of houseplant, this is not always the case.

  • Only give orchids a small bit of water once a week to water them.
  • Succulents and cacti need relatively little water. When the potting mix has dried out, only water.
  • Water citrus plants more frequently and consistently than you would other houseplants.

The Westland Watering Indicator makes it easier to know when to water. This watering stick is very simple to use and may be used all year round. Just insert the stick into the pot of compost. The indicator will then turn red to let you know when the plant needs extra water. When no additional water is required, the indicator will turn blue. Within two hours of watering the plant, the indicator’s color should shift from red to blue.

Another crucial factor is the type of water used on indoor plants. This is due to the fact that many plants are sensitive to the salts and chemicals found in tap water. So it is advisable to use rainwater to water your plants.

Feeding

To promote lush, robust growth, indoor plants must be fed while they are developing. Only while a houseplant is actively developing, not when it is dormant, should it be fed.

During the growing season (spring and summer), the majority of indoor plants need typically be fed every other watering, or around every 10 to 14 days. In the fall and winter, feed indoor plants after every fourth watering because they will need fewer nutrients.

Using a liquid concentrate feed is a good approach to feed houseplants. These are a fantastic way to feed and water your plant simultaneously. They work best, though, when the mixture isn’t created too powerful or too weak. Given that it is filled with the necessary nutrients, Westland Houseplant Feed is a fantastic plant food for indoor plants. Additionally, it contains a simple measure doser that requires only a squeeze of the bottle to fill the dosing chamber. Any extra plant food will be removed by the doser, leaving you with a 5ml dose to mix with 1 liter of water. This indicates that the combination you use to feed your plants is the proper strength.

The list of specialized feeds for various types of indoor plants that include the precise ratio of nutrients required for their growth is provided below.

  • Feed for succulents and cacti offers nutrients that improve flowering.
  • Citrus feed: provides nutrients that promote fruit development and set.

Do dark leaves indicate an excess of water?

One of the major problems I notice with modern landscaping is overwatering the plants. These are some of the few indicators of overwatering plants. It is tempting to give plants more water when they don’t appear healthy, but this is frequently a mistake. An overwatering error is difficult to identify because it frequently seems like a water shortage.

The following six indicators can help you assess if you are overwatering your plants or not:

Your plant is wilting but it looks like it has plenty of water

For survival and growth, plant roots absorb both water and oxygen. Simply put, if you give your plants too much water, they will drown. In your garden, there is gap between the soil granules. It is filled with oxygen. Continuously soggy soil won’t have enough air spaces, which prevents plants from breathing by using their roots to absorb oxygen. When this happens, even while the soil is moist, your plants will wilt, giving the appearance that they are not getting enough water. Here is a fantastic video explaining the drawbacks of giving your plants too much water from our colleagues at Denver Water.

The tips of the leaves turn brown

The tip of the leaf is one of the first and quickest indications that you have overwatered your plants. Overwatering is evident if the leaf’s tip is turning brown. When your plant receives too much water, the leaves become limp and squishy, while when it receives too little water, the leaves feel dry and crispy to the touch.

Leaves turn brown and wilt

When plants receive either too little or too much water, their leaves wilt and turn brown. The greatest distinction is that too little water causes the leaves to feel crunchy in your palm. The leaves will feel floppy and mushy in your palm if there is too much water present.

EDMA

Water pressure starts to build in the leaf cells when a plant’s roots take up more water than they can utilise. Eventually, the cells will burst, killing them and causing blisters that resemble lesions. Where the blisters formerly were, tan, brown, or white warty growths start to appear after they erupt. On the top surfaces of the leaves, you will also notice indentations developing directly above the growths.

Leaf fall

Both scenarios of too much and too little water result in leaf fall. When buds don’t develop and both new and old leaves fall off before they should, there is definitely too much water in the soil.

How do you fix overwatering?

Examine your soil frequently. Never be hesitant to stick your finger a few inches into the ground to check the moisture level. Reduce your water use if the soil is wet and you meet some of the other requirements. Additionally, several shops offer reasonably priced moisture meters. To find out how much water is in the soil, simply bury them in the root ball. This is a straightforward, low-cost instrument that will eliminate a lot of the guesswork involved in watering your environment.

I sincerely hope that these suggestions will be useful, and I invite you to add a couple of your own to prevent overwatering your plants in the section below. Please consider subscribing to the blog and following me on Twitter at @H2OTrends if you liked this post.

What symptoms indicate overwatering?

To keep your plants healthy, watch out for these five signs of overwatering:

1. If a plant is overwatered, it will probably produce limp, droopy leaves that are yellow or brown rather than dry, crispy leaves (which are a sign of too little water). Wilting leaves and soggy ground typically indicate that root rot has taken hold and the roots are unable to absorb water.

2. You’ve probably overwatered if your plant is losing both old and new leaves at the same time. Bear in mind that the leaves that are falling off can be green, brown, or yellow.

3. You’ve overwatered the plant if the base of the stem starts to feel mushy or unsteady. Even a foul odor may start to come from the earth.

4. An overwatering-related bacterial infection appears as brown spots or margins around the leaves that are surrounded by a yellow halo.

5. If you have repeatedly overwatered your plants, fungus or mold may develop directly on top of the soil, similar to symptom number three. Fungus gnats are another typical indicator of overwatering.

What causes a plant to be overwatered?

  • Even if your plant need full sun, move it to a dark spot. Remove any dead or decaying leaves. These ought should be simple to identify.
  • Make sure your pot has adequate drainage, and if you can, add more space around the roots. This will allow oxygen to reach the root zone. Keep only the healthy roots and cut off any dead or dying ones.
  • Do not let the soil become overly dry; just water when the soil seems dry to the touch. You should also seize all fertilizer at this point till the plant is healthy again.
  • Treat with a fungicide.

The ability of your plant to recover from overwatering is never guaranteed. Within a week or so, you should start to notice results if your plant survives. You can now return your plant to its original spot and continue watering it as usual.

It’s critical to provide your plants with adequate drainage and regular watering from the beginning. Choosing plants that are less susceptible to difficulties from excessive watering may be the best course of action if, despite your best efforts, you tend to overwater plants.

How can you determine if a plant is being watered too much or too little?

Since the signs of underwatering and overwatering sometimes resemble one another, we’re here to explain what each sign might signify. Check your plant for the following indicators of water stress to determine which you are now experiencing.

Wilting: In order to distinguish between overwatering and underwatering, check the soil around the plant. Overwatering occurs when the soil is wet; underwatering occurs when the soil is dry.

Another symptom that can go either way is browning edges.

Determine which by touching the leaf that is beginning to brown; if it feels light and crispy, it has been submerged. It is overwatered if it seems limp and soft.

Yellowing foliage: Yellow leaves are a sign of overwatering and are typically accompanied by new growth dying off. However, lower leaves that are yellow and curled may also be a symptom of underwatering. To determine which one it might be, check the soil for dampness.

Bad smell coming from the earth: Bad odors from the soil may be a sign that the roots have been overwatered and are decomposing.

Do you need to mist your indoor plants?

Your Fittonia verschaffeltii’s leaves are brittle, brown, and not regenerating.

According to Hank Jenkins of the Plant Provocateur in Silver Lake, “Some plants flourish in dampness.

Their leaves will dry out if you don’t provide them with moisture. You must spray them if you want new growth and foliage.

According to “Reader’s Digest Success With House Plants,” many indoor plants are native to subtropical and tropical climates and require a relative humidity of at least 40%.

Jenkins says that Los Angeles is a coastal desert. “The humidity in this region is distinct from that in South America, Mexico, or Central America.

Therefore, if a philodendron, which prefers humidity, is planted in too-dry air or close to a heating or cooling vent, its leaves may shrivel and become brown.

Jenkins continues, “A lot of folks don’t realize the value of misting. ” One of the best things you can do for your houseplants is mist them. I suggest to my clients misting their indoor plants once or twice a week.

What is the ideal method for watering houseplants?

How to Water Indoor Plants Correctly

  • USE A WATER CANNON.
  • USE SOFT WATER NOT SOFT WATER.
  • DO water houseplants when necessary.
  • DON’T adhere to an irrigation schedule.
  • DO Thoroughly Soak the Soil.
  • Indoor plants SHOULD NOT BE LEFT IN WATER.

Do houseplants require sunlight?

  • Choose a plant whose lighting needs match those of your house or workplace.
  • A lack of natural sunshine can be compensated for by additional lighting.
  • To suit your needs and budget, artificial lighting is available in a wide variety of forms and sizes.

One of the most crucial elements for cultivating indoor plants is light. For photosynthesis, the process by which plants turn light, oxygen, and water into carbohydrates, all plants need light (energy).

This energy is necessary for plants to develop, bloom, and set seed. Without enough light, plants cannot produce carbohydrates, their energy stores run out, and they eventually die.