Why Are My Houseplants Dying?

Most houseplants are easy to maintain and require little maintenance. Hence the reason we use them as houseplants. However, there are some common mistakes made that can quickly kill houseplants. Here a few of the most common houseplant killers.

Over Watering

The most common problem that occurs in houseplants is over watering. All too often we want to encourage healthy growth and beauty and continue to pour in the water. However, over watering can cause an unsightly or even dead plant. Common traits in houseplants that have been over watered are yellowing of the leaves, brown tips, water logged plants, drooping leaves and of coarse, standing water or soggy soil. Remember that your plants are inside now and require less water due to more humid air, and less heat.

Low Light

Low light is another common plant killer. Be sure you are giving proper light requirements to your plants. Some may need to be near a window while others will do fine across the room with a few windows. If you have a plant that is dying and the light is very low then consider moving it to a brighter locating that receives more light.

Also, if you have a large and bushy plant, consider turning around ¼ of the way every few days. This will help to insure that all of the plant is getting the required sun.

A Pot Bound Plant

A pot bound plant is sure to be a dead plant very soon. When a plant becomes pot bound it means that their roots have grown so much that the pot no longer has room for any further growth. This can cause a plant to die with a in a few weeks. However, it can be fixed very easily. Simply repot the plant in to a large pot. You may want to loosen the roots up and spread them out when potting to give it the extra boost and much needed room. One of the most common plants to get root bound are Spider Plants. Spider plants become root bound very quickly if left in a small pot. Spider plant roots can and will break the pot especially if they are planted in small plastic pots.

Pour Drainage & Buildup

While you should avoid over watering you should also avoid under watering. And I don't mean 'not watering it often'. I mean only giving it enough water to saturate the soil. When watering your plant be sure to leach it often. Leaching is watering it enough that the water actually drains from the bottom of the plant.

When leaching you can place the plant in the sink, tub, on the porch or put something such as a bowl or plant pan under it to catch the excess water.

Leaching your plant will help to insure that it is definitely getting a full watering often and will also help to reduce salt and fluoride buildup. Salt and fluoride buildup can cause brown tips and even kill the plant.

Low Humidity

Low humidity can cause a problem for some plants, especially tropical plants. Since they are inside you will need to mist them with a water bottle often to insure leaf moisture and provide a humid environment.

Too Close to Heat Sources

Houseplants are great for beautifying any old furnace. However, it can quickly kill a beautiful houseplant. Placing a houseplant near a furnace, stove, heater, heater vent or other heat sources can injure your plant and even cause it to die. High heat sources will also affect the humidity.