7 Most Common House Plants Problems, (And How to Solve Them)
I am an Interior Designer focusing on styling and decorating spaces with house plants. My mission is to help people creating better spaces with plants.
However, people often send me pictures of their ill plants asking me; “What’s wrong with my plant?”
I smile, look at their picture, and based on the personal experience with my plants, I provide them with an answer and some feedback on how to improve the health of their plants. If I don’t own that particular plant, or, if I am not familiar with it, I do some research before sending any feedback.
I love reading their success stories after a few weeks, when they send me back a message thanking me for the feedback!
So I thought it would be helpful if I wrote an article on the most common house plants problems I have experienced.
In general, there may be several reasons why a house plant is not doing well. However, the most common issues for the majority of house plants can be narrowed down to 7 problems, (provided that you don’t neglect your plants. Because that is reason #1 and I haven’t even listed it in this article!).
I am sure that if you are reading this article, neglect is not one of your plants problems!
Here below I listed the causes, rather than the consequences of the problems. Within each cause, you’ll find its consequent problems and potential solutions to fix it, (although I cannot guarantee success!).
Sometimes, a problem can have different causes, (i.e. leaves with brown, dry tips can be caused by poor drainage, lack of humidity or watering issues). This is why I chose to identify the causes, rather than the problems.
Your ill plant may be affected by a combination of problems, (i.e. your plant may be over watered, in a container without proper drainage and located in a spot without enough light), so you need to make sure you’ve addressed all the problems listed here below.
Every plant species has different requirements; some thrive in bright light with moderate amounts of water, some prefer medium light and high humidity, some need bright indirect light and a moist soil. It is important you know your plant needs before you start your troubleshooting process.
So, what are these 7 most common house plants problems?
Let’s take a look!
1. Over watering
Over watering plants is almost worse than under watering them!
This is really the number one cause of house plants death.
Most of the times people over water their plants because they assume that whatever problem the plant may have, is related to needing more water. Perhaps the plant needs more or less light, or simply better drainage, but instead, they give it more water, making whatever problem the plant may have, even worse.
Typical symptoms of over watered plants are;
- Roots rot, (waterlogged roots cannot absorb oxygen, causing the plant’s death.)
- Un-healthy, droopy growth.
- Leaf burn, (brown tips).
- Yellow Leaves.
- Soprophytic Fungus, (the lovely fluffy white mould on the top surface of the plant’s soil).
Potential Solutions;
Depending on the extent of your plant’s damage, the first thing you need to do when you suspect you’ve overwatered your plant, is to take it out of its pot.
If over watering is in-fact the cause of your plant’s illness, you’ll notice right away; a pool of smelly water at the bottom of your pot if the pot doesn’t have any draining holes, soggy soil falling off the roots, mouldy roots all cramped towards the top soil, roots and soil dripping water.
Cut off the mouldy, rotten, pieces of roots and cut the extensively damaged stems and leaves.
Once the roots ball is cleaned and relatively dried out, re-pot your plant into a clean pot with draining holes and new soil appropriate for the plant species you are caring for.
Place your plant in a spot with the amount of light recommended for that specific species. Do not expose your plant to direct sun-light. This plant is still recovering and doesn’t need further stress, such as scorching sun on its leaves, fertilizers or excessive watering.
If you want your plant in a decorative pot without draining holes, you have two options:
- Place your plant with its draining pot inside the decorative pot without draining holes and take the excess water out of the decorative pot every time you water your plant.
- Create and inside drainage layer in your decorative pot; Add a minimum of 1″ layer of draining rocks at the bottom of your pot. Add a minimum 1/2″ layer of activated charcoal on top of the draining rocks layer in order to prevent roots rot. Add soil and place your plant in!
Avoid over watering your plant by researching your plant species watering, lighting and humidity needs.
2. under watering
Under watering is mostly an issue for outdoor plants, then it is for indoor plants, unless your are neglecting your plants, of course!
Typical symptoms of under watered plants are;
- Slow growth.
- Wilting, crisp leaves.
- Dropping of leaves and flowers.
- Yellow and curled-up leaves that will eventually fall off.
- Extremely hard, cracked and dry top soil.
Potential solutions;
The first thing you need to do to save your plant, (provided that is not too late), is to remove the plant from the pot to make sure the soil is in-fact bone dry!
If that’s the case, put your plant back into its pot, (making sure it has proper drainage) and water it thoroughly.
I recommend you place your plant in a sink as you may need to let it soak for a while.
If your plant is really dry, you’ll notice that the entire block of soil and roots ball will float up as soon as you pour water into its container, (that’s a sign the soil is really dry and it needs time to absorb the water). Make sure you either let the water cumulated in the saucer absorb for a few hours or, place your plant in a water filled sink with enough water to cover the bottom 2′ of the pot for a few hours as well.
Avoid under watering your plant by researching your plant species watering, lighting and humidity needs.
3. poor drainage
Poor drainage is as bad as over watering your plants.
It basically has the same symptoms as over watering plants; the water gets stuck in the pot and waterlogs the roots, causing rot.
Typical symptoms of poor drainage are;
- Roots rot, (waterlogged roots cannot absorb oxygen, causing the plant’s death.)
- Un-healthy, droopy growth.
- Leaf burn, (brown tips).
- Yellow Leaves.
- Soprophytic Fungus, (the lovely fluffy white mould on the top surface of the plant’s soil).
Potential Solutions;
Like in the case of over watered plants, the first thing you need to do when you have a pot without draining holes, is to take it out of its pot.
If your plant is suffering the symptoms of poor drainage, you will notice; a pool of fowl water at the bottom of your pot, soggy soil falling off the roots, mouldy roots all cramped towards the top soil, roots and soil dripping water.
Cut off the mouldy, rotten, pieces of roots and cut the extensively damaged stems and leaves.
Once the roots ball is cleaned and relatively dried out, re-pot your plant into a clean pot with draining holes and new soil appropriate for the plant species you are caring for. However, if you really love the decorative pot without draining holes you’ve been using for your plant, make sure you provide enough drainage to your plant by following the two options listed here below.
Place your plant in a spot with the amount of light recommended for that specific species. Do not expose your plant to direct sun-light. This plant is still recovering and doesn’t need further stress, such as scorching sun on its leaves, fertilizers or excessive watering.
If you still want your plant in the same decorative pot without draining holes, here are your options:
- Place your plant with its draining pot inside the decorative pot without draining holes and take the excess water out of the decorative pot every time you water your plant.
- Create and inside drainage layer in your decorative pot; Add a minimum of 1″ layer of draining rocks at the bottom of your pot. Add a minimum 1/2″ layer of activated charcoal on top of the draining rocks layer in order to prevent roots rot. Add soil and place your plant in!
Hey Plant Loving Woman!
Are you a middle age mom?
Do you constantly feel overwhelmed and anxious?
Do you believe in the healing power of nature?
To reveal your #1 Personal Houseplant that best
helps you reduce your anxiety.
4. lack of humidity
Lack of humidity is a major problem, especially for tropical plants and ferns in homes with forced air heating systems during the winter season.
Abundant watering is not always the solution as it may lead to other over watering problems.
Typical lack of humidity symptoms are;
- Curled leaves.
- Dry leaves tips.
- Dropping of leaves and flowers.
- Wilting leaves.
- Shrivelling flowers.
Potential solutions;
There are a few options to increase the humidity levels for your plants. However, there are only two effective ways to help your plants with humidity, in my opinion.
- Using pebble trays filled with water under your pots. In order for this method to be effective, your plant must be inside a pot with drainage holes. Simply place a layer of draining rocks at the bottom of your saucer and add enough water to fill the bottom 3/4 of your draining rocks layer. Make sure your pot is not in direct contact with water, otherwise you’ll risk to provide too much water to the roots and rot them! If too much water drains into the pebble tray after watering your plant, make sure you remove the excess.
- Misting your leaves periodically. Depending on the plant species needs and the humidity levels within your home, you may choose to mist the plant’s foliage.
I rarely mist my plants as I don’t like spraying water on my walls and floors. I have been successful with pebble trays so I am sticking to it!
Pebble trays filled with water under my ferns.
Misting my Philodendron Monstera.
5. wrong location
Wrong location means three things:
- You’ve placed your plant in a spot that is too bright for its species needs.
- You’ve placed your plant in a spot that doesn’t have enough light for its species needs.
- You’ve placed your plant in a spot that has too many drafts, (and no plant likes that, no matter the species). Draft areas are those areas that are either too close to a door that exposes the plant to cold air in the winter; or spots near a source of heat and air conditioning, such as vents.
Avoid the third location at any cost for any plant. However, you need to do research specific to your plants species to determine if your plant thrives in bright, direct sunlight, bright indirect light or medium to low light.
I can tell you that the majority of house plants don’t thrive in bright, direct sunlight as it scorches their leaves. It’s best to avoid mid-day and afternoon Southern and Western exposure for any plants. Having said that, there are some plants that love the heat generated by the magnifying lens effect of the hot sun through the window pane, (I am thinking some species of succulents and cacti). Some plants may do well on South facing windows with a few hours of exposure in the morning, (that’s my Fiddle Leaf Fig, Strings of Pearls and other succulents).
Whether it’s East, West, North or South, avoid placing your plants on narrow window sills, where the leaves literally touch the window pane. It may be too cold or too hot for your plants!
A very scorched Oxalis under direct sunlight.
A Philodendron tucked in a dark corner. The leaves in the back corner of the plant receive little light.
6. Root bound and repotting
Some plants really enjoy to be root bound, others don’t! But even the plants that love to cramp their roots in a tight pot, will eventually need a larger pot!
Why some plants like to be root bound??
It turns out that plants have instincts too. When their roots are cramped inside a pot, the plant receives threatening signals that make them produce the next generation of plants. Peace Lilies and Spider Plants are the most common house plants that need to be root bound to produce the beautiful white flowers and off-shoot spiderettes they are known for.
Whether you have a plant that enjoys to be root bound or not, the most common root bound symptoms are similar to the under watering symptoms, (in some cases you can’t determine the repotting needs unless you remove the plant from its pot);
- Slow growth.
- Wilting, crisp leaves.
- Yellow and curled-up leaves that will eventually fall off.
- Roots that come out of the drainage holes.
- Roots that circle around the bottom of the pot.
If you have a plant that loves to be root bound like a Spider Plant, repotting will promote the plant growth but it will stop the production of spiderettes. The same goes for Peace Lilies; new leaves may grow but the beautiful specialized white leaves won’t be reproduced until the roots grow with the plant and become cramped inside the pot again.
However, even these plants need to be repotted every once in a while. The best way to re-pot these plants is to place them in a pot that is only one size bigger than its previous one. Too much soil around these plants roots will promote roots rot.
All other plants, can simply be re-potted in larger pots, provided that the appropriate soil for the plant species you are caring for is used.
This is my Peace Lily before I re-potted it.
7. water quality
The type of water you use to water your plants makes a huge difference!
I always prepare my tap water the night before watering day as I know our tap water is extremely hard.
Some tap water has high levels of chlorine or fluoride and some is affected by the use of a water softener.
The most common water quality symptoms are:
- Leaf burn, (brown tips).
- White crust on soil surface and around the pot rim.
Potential solution;
Collect enough water the night before you water to allow salts to settle at the bottom of your container and chlorine to evaporate.
Another advantage of collecting water hours before watering your plants is that the temperature adapts to the room temperature in which the plants live and it is not too cold from the tap.
These are the 7 most common problems for house plants. Before you start your troubleshooting process, I strongly encourage you to do some research on your plant species needs for light, water and humidity to start with.
If you have a plant but don’t know its name, hence you cannot research it, I recommend you use the Garden Answer app on your phone. You can simply upload a picture of your plant on the app to identify the species of plant you have. That way you can do your research and start troubleshooting!
Hey Plant Loving Woman!
Are you a middle age mom?
Do you constantly feel overwhelmed and anxious?
Do you believe in the healing power of nature?
To reveal your #1 Personal Houseplant that best
helps you reduce your anxiety.
Well done! Lots of great tips.