how to prevent houseplant leaves from turning brown
Have you ever bought a beautiful houseplant, placed it in the perfect sunny spot, and watered it frequently, only to have its leaves suddenly wither and brown?
It can certainly be a disheartening experience to take care of a plant like a pet and watch the leaves shrivel up in response.
However, before you grab at the hairs on your head in utter frustration, you should know that all plant lovers have been there before. We all resonate with the constant what-ifs and mutual feelings of despair, questioning whether we did something disastrously wrong. Because of that solidarity alone, we’ve helped compile a few tips to aid you in your personal quest of finding an answer.
Keep on reading to finally get to the bottom of your brown houseplant leaf dilemma.
Do You Know Your Houseplant?
We’re not talking about the name and its look alone. Anyone can visit a garden and pick up a pretty-looking houseplant without truly knowing anything about it. That can produce unintended effects like brown leaves, even if you had your best intentions in mind.
Think about it from a pet’s perspective. If you’re not familiar with the needs of your dog and giving it the affection and care that it requires, that neglect can lead to illness. After all, they have specific needs depending on their breed and individuality.
You don’t want to deny that to your houseplants as well! As living creatures themselves, each plant has its own flair and personality that needs to be tended to. Before you buy your next home companion, be sure to do some personal research on its needs and requirements so that you can provide for it to your best ability. Here are some great questions to ask as you navigate your search:
- Does this plant prefer a certain type of soil?
- How much sunlight exposure does it like?
- How often should I water this plant?
- Does my plant prefer fertilizer?
- Is my plant so attractive that it brings over the unwelcome company of pests and parasites? What can I do to eliminate them?
- Would this plant thrive in a humid and moist environment?
The Root Cause of Brown Leaves
Before we get into the cause of brown leaves, you should know that they’re a common part of the growth process. After all, the lower leaves might always turn brown and fall off to make room for new ones to emerge! You should only become concerned when too many leaves turn brown at once, either throughout the entire plant or in the upper half. If so, you can consider the following causes and see if one of them might be responsible for your plant’s troubles.
- Little Light – Pay attention to where your brown leaves are in relation to where your plant is located. If the unhealthy leaves seem to be isolated from where the sunlight is hitting the plant, then the cause is most likely due to low light exposure.
- Too Hot – Just like how a lot of heat will curl your hair, that same warmth combined with low moisture will cause your leaves to curl, get all crinkly, and fall off. To prevent this, be sure to add enough water and plenty of airflow to give your plants that nice breeze.
- Little Water – One of the most common causes of brown leaves is low levels of water. If you notice your leaves beginning to wilt and then turn brown, you might want to give your plants a little extra liquid for your leaves to thrive.
- Not Enough Humidity – Do you have a plant with a lot of brown-tipped leaves? If so, those little tips are crying out for more humidity! Chances are, you might have a tropical plant on your hands that would love some more misting on your behalf to flourish. Soon, those brown tips will disappear in no time!
