Keep Your Houseplants Healthy
Below are the most common houseplant problems and suggested treatments.
In some cases where disease or insect infestation is severe, plants may
need to be isolated, or even destroyed, especially in the case of bacteria
or viruses that might endanger your other houseplants. It's best to keep
constant watch on your plants to try to catch early infestation or disease.
(And, they do better with constant attention. :)) If you get a houseplant
as a gift from a friend, put it in an isolated spot for a while and make
sure it doesn't carry any disease before you incorporate it into your household
greenery. |
| PROBLEM |
DESCRIPTION/SYMPTOM |
SUGGESTED TREATMENT |
| BROWN LEAVES |
Leaves develop brown tips and margins. Plant
growth may be checked. May be caused by buildup of mold or salt, dry soil,
or low humidity. |
Leach salt from soil by running water through pot.
Increase humidity by placing pebbles or marbles and water in a tray under
the plant. |
 |
| YELLOW LEAVES |
Old leaves turn yellow, brown-spotted, dry or curl
and drop. Leaves yellow but remain firm. Caused by overwatering, poor drainage,
excessive light, or too much lime in soil or tapwater used to water plants. |
Limit light source and aerate soil (gently poke
small holes down into soil), water less frequently. Remove damaged parts
of plant. Use filtered water when watering and replant using acidic potting
mix. |
|
| LEAVES DROPPING |
Yellow and dropping leaves and buds at various
levels on plants. Can be caused by either over or under watering, shock
due to sudden change of light or temperature, mealy bugs, spider mites or
scale insects. |
Change your watering procedure. Remove plant from
drafts, and provide better lighting. If this doesn't work, see Formulas
for Insects in the Garden for remedies for insect damage. |
|
| LEAF SPOTTING |
Leaves have water-soaked spots with yellow margins.
Entire leaf wilts and stem rots. Possibly caused by bacteria leaf spot,
cirus, edema or dropsy. |
Improve light conditions, reduce humidity. Do not
overwater. Pick off and destroy infected leaves. |
|
| LEGGY GROWTH |
Small leaves and elongated stems. Plant grows lopsided.
Caused by incorrect light, humidity too low, temperature too high. |
Move plant to a better light source. Increase humidity
(place marbles or pebbles in water in a tray underneath the plant) and the
temperature. |
| |
| STUNTED OR WEAK GROWTH |
Leaves are light green or yellow, crinkled, mottled,
deformed or undersized. Can be caused by underwatering, poor drainage, excess
warmth and/or light, lack of fertilizer, and low humidity. |
Move plant to a cooler, less lighted location.
Fertilize, and increase humidity. Aerate existing soil or replant using
more porous soil. |
 |
| ROTTING |
Leaves or stems turn mushy brown or black. Plant
wilts, dies or rots. May be caused by soil borne bacteria or fungus disease. |
Remove infected parts of plant. Treat soil with
fungicide and/or systemic pesticide, avoid overwatering. |
| |
| WILTING |
Plant produces small leaves and wilts often. Possible
causes: pot too small, air too hot or dry, over or underwatering, root rot. |
Check drainage and change watering schedule. If
soil is dry, add moisture and spray leaves frequently. Repot if necessary. |
|
INSECT GUIDE
For insect remedies you can make at home, visit Formulas
for Insects in the Garden. |
| APHIDS
Small brown, green yellow or red colored insects with pear shaped bodies.
Aphids cluster on buds, leaves and tips of shoots. They feed on plant
juices causing poor plant growth and distorted leaves.
FUNGUS GNATS
Adults are small, gray, fly-like insects. They're attracted to light and
tend to swarm around windows when inside. Immature larvae are whitish
maggots and tunnel into soil, destroying plant roots. Plants wilt, yellow
or develop mold on surface.
SPIDER MITES
Reddish-brown, greenish or yellow, barely visible oval bodies found on
the undersides of leaves. Mites suck plant juices, causing whitish or
yellowish speckled areas on tops of leaves. Heavy infestations produce
frail, silky webbing and can cause plant to die.
WHITEFLIES
Adults are white and have white wedgelike wings. They resemble bits of
ash when plant is moved. They feed by sucking juices from leaves. Infested
leaves may turn yellow, die or drop off and are covered with sticky substance.
MEALYBUGS
Small white, waxy insects with powdery appearance that cluster at undersides
of leaves and stem junctions. Foliage curls and yellows. Mealybugs suck
plant juices, stunting plant growth or killing plants. |
