9 Reasons your Indoor Plant is Dying (and How to Save Them)
Is your Happy Plant looking more like a Sad Plant? Or have you renamed your Fiddle Leaf Fig the Fiddle Leaf Twig?
Here's a secret: we've ALL been there.
It can be frustrating when you don't know how to diagnose your depressed houseplant, so here's a round up of the common causes of dying indoor plants along with tips on how to identify them and get your indoor plant thriving again.
1. Drainage
Did you know over-watering is the biggest killer of indoor plants? Set your Frondship up for success by keeping your plant pal in their nursery pot and displaying in a cover pot instead of potting them straight into a ceramic pot.
This will allow you to water your indoor plant much more easily, and will allow them to drain completely before returning to their cover pot, which means no soggy roots causing an unhappy houseplant.
Signs of overwatering include:
- Soft, yellow, wilting leaves
- Brown leaf tips or spots
- Soft, squishy stems
- Bad smelling soil
- Soil that's always wet to the touch
- Soil that's attracting pests
2. Watering Cycle
When it comes to watering, all plants have different needs, so it's important to familiarise yourself with the way they like things and build your watering cycle around that.
If you've ruled out drainage as the issue, but your plant is still showing the signs of over-watering listed above, it could be that you're watering your plant frequently before they've had a chance to dry out.
Or are they dry as a bone, with leaves starting to curl and droop? Classic signs of under-watering.
Signs of under-watering include:
- Drooping or curling leaves
- Yellow or brown leaves
- Wilting
- Slow growth
- Hydrophobic soil, where the water pours straight through
- A plant that slides right out of the nursery pot
If either of these are the case, it sounds like you need to revisit your watering routine. If you’re unsure when to water your Frond, a moisture meter could be your secret weapon, giving you a much clearer picture of the moisture levels of you're plant's soil.
3. Pot Size
If your plant pal’s roots are growing through the drainage holes, their growth has stopped and old leaves are dropping, it could be a sign they’re ready for a pot size upgrade.
But too big of a pot can be problematic too, allowing the soil to stay wet for too long and potentially leading to root rot. If this is the case you're plant could start showing the same symptoms as an over-watered plant.
4. Potting Mix
Your plant’s potting mix is also super important to make sure their roots are getting enough oxygen (because no oxygen around the roots = root rot!)
If you’re re-potting your plant, opt for an indoor plant potting mix, or a cacti & succulent mix for the plants that like to dry out almost completely before watering.
5. Environment
Sudden temperature changes can also shock our plants, so make sure they’re away from the A/C in summer and draughty windows in winter.
The same is true for sudden light changes, so if you’re moving your plant to a brighter or darker spot, introduce them to new areas gradually.
6. Light Levels
Most indoor plants prefer to be out of direct sun rays as it can scorch their leaves. Signs of burnt leaves include brown crispy burn spots and bleaching of the leaves.
But if your plant is weak, with leggy leaves or tall skinny growth, it’s likely not getting enough light.
7. Nutrition
When was the last time you fed your plant? Since plants need more than just water to survive, a lack of nutrients may be causing a sad houseplant if you haven’t fertilised them for a while.
But don’t over-do it as some plant food can burn your plant if you use too much! Thankfully our We The Wild Plant Food is safe to use, even in excess!
8. Leaf Health
If your plant’s leaves are covered in dust, it’s going to stop them being able to photosynthesize as easily.
Pests can also be a problem so ensure you check your Frond’s leaves regularly. Look out for small brown scales, white cotton ball-like patches or any little bugs in general, and give a regular spray with We The Wild Protect for pest prevention and shiny leaves.
9. Seasonal Changes
As winter hits and the temperatures drop, our plant pals can become sensitive to the cold. Some may even go into dormancy and lose their leaves, like Alocasia or Caladium. But don’t worry, they’ll sprout again in Spring.
High summer temps can also cause the soil to dry out faster, leading to accidental under watering.