Why do plant leaves turn brown and yellow?
It’s heart-breaking to look at a plant that you’ve invested time and energy into, only to see its leaves turn brown or yellow and fall off. This can happen on both indoor and outdoor plants. Take heart, my friend…all may not be lost.
There are a boat-load of things that may be causing the leaves on your plants to turn brown or yellow. And it may be knee-jerk to automatically think that watering is the solution. In truth, watering may be the cause to begin with!
So before you do anything, you’ll want to take a closer look at your plant(s) and determine where, exactly, the brown or yellowing began. Is it on the tips? The edges? Or is it spotted all over? It’s important to diagnose the cause before you can determine the right course of action to fix it. If you jump around and start guessing, you may do more harm than good.
Warning…Warning, Will Robinson!
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but…when it comes to yellowing or brown leaves, more often than not, it’s due to improper care. So if you’re not real familiar with how to care for your plant(s), read up on them first before you dive in. Knowing what your plant needs is kinda like being a parent to a small child. The child may not always be able to tell you what’s wrong with it. So be attentive to the signs it may be giving you.
Water:
Yellowing or browning of leaves is the first indicator that a plant is stressed. And most folks will automatically assume it’s because they didn’t water enough. As I mentioned earlier, overwatering may actually be the problem! I read about this so much and I really wish people would stop doing it. I’m talking about watering on a schedule. Plants don’t need to be watered according a strict regimen.
I kinda compare this with continuing to refill a wine glass for a guest who has obviously had enough! A plant can handle only so much water. And shame on you if you’re not checking first before watering. How do you check? Stick your finger in the dirt up to your first knuckle. If the soil is dry, then water. If the soil is moist, leave it alone for a day or two and check it again.
– Too much water –
Yellowing leaves is usually the first sign of over-watering. This can be bad because it generally leads to root rot. A good way to determine if root rot has developed in your house plant is to turn the plant out of its pot. Look closely at the roots. Are they white or very light brown? Are they dark brown and smelly? Or mushy-looking? Healthy roots are light-colored and have no bad odors. If your plant exhibits root rot, you can try to cut out the bad roots. But more than likely, the whole plant will have to be given a decent burial. And not in the compost pile.
If the plant in question is in the garden, you can dig around the drip line of the plant and see what the roots look like. Just be careful you don’t cause more damage while digging. It’s sad to pull up a plant that you were relying on to provide food. But it’s better to get rid of an unhealthy plant early so you can put another, healthier plant in its place and still enjoy its bounty.
– Not Enough Water –
Plants may not be getting enough water due to damaged roots. This can occur while weeding a little too deep. Or possibly when it was transplanted. Generally, a plant will show signs of wilting first, especially if there have been high temps. If the plant perks back up in the late afternoon or evening without watering, then you’ll know the issue isn’t lack of water.
Another possibility is that you’re not watering consistently. It’s important to water deeply at regular intervals…when the plants need it. When you water deeply, you’re ensuring that water is actually getting to the roots. Watering for five minutes here or ten minutes there is not going to cut it. And never leave a plant standing in a puddle. This is another sure-fire way of encouraging root rot. House plants can be placed in the bath tub to be watered and allowed to drain naturally.
Fertilizer:
Brown leaves can also be a sign of too much fertilizer. This will cause the leaves to have a scorched or burned look to them. Too much fertilizer can cause a build-up of salt in the soil. Too much salt wicks up all the moisture and makes the plant think it’s going through a drought. An artificial drought…but still damaging. You should always follow package directions when applying fertilizer to indoor and outdoor plants. You can learn all about fertilizer here. Also, you can learn about the different types of fertilizers, here.
If you get a little heavy-handed with the fertilizer, you can increase watering for a few weeks to try and flush out the soil. That means watering deeper…not necessarily more often. Again, you don’t want to drown the plants or leave them sitting in a puddle.
Temperature:
How hot or cold the plant gets will have a large bearing on how healthy it remains. Indoor plants that get too hot, either from being in direct sunlight or next to a heat source, will dry out quickly. On the other hand, if they’re right next to a cold window or drafty location, the affect can still be damaging.
Location:
Temperature and location go hand in hand when raising healthy plants. As previously mentioned, plants that don’t like direct sun should not be placed in a sunny window. Likewise, plants that need a certain amount of sunlight won’t do well in a shady area or a window that only gets indirect sunlight. Make your plants happy…give them what they need![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Humidity:
Surprisingly, humidity and watering are two different things. If your plants need humidity, a good way to supply it is to place the plants on a tray of pebbles. Add just enough water to cover the pebbles. It helps to group plants together to create their own micro-environment. Or place them in the bathroom where there is generally a lot of moisture to begin with. Steam from showers will do most plants a world of good.
Pot/Soil:
Soil plays a large part in how your plants grow. Clay soil can become compacted and prevent normal root growth in some plants. It can also keep plants from absorbing the required amount of water. On the other hand, sandy soil means the water may be draining away faster than the plant can absorb it. In either case, you may need to amend the soil and adjust watering to suit the plants requirements.
In the case of house plants, soil should be changed out every couple of years. This is a good opportunity to move up to a bigger pot since the plant may be needing the extra space anyway. Changing out the soil every couple of years also helps prevent salt buildup from fertilizers.
Old Age:
Humans are not the only things that grow old and die. Plants have hormones too. So if you see brown, yellow or dropped leaves on a plant you’ve had for years, it may be the normal age progression of that plant.
Other Causes of Brown or Yellow Leaves:
If your plants are displaying dark brown or black spots in addition to browning at the tips, this could be a fungus of some sort. Or tiny pests. If it’s a fungus, you may need to remove any damaged leaves to prevent the spread. Worse case scenario, you’ll have to get rid of the entire plant to prevent the spread of fungus or pests to other nearby plants.
Before you do, try applying an insecticidal soap. You can make your own with just a few drops of dish soap and a spray bottle of distilled water. Spray liberally on both sides of the leaves. This should help with pests and minor fungal issues.
Oh, about tap water…
If you are watering house plants from the tap, you need to let the water sit overnight before giving it to your houseplants. This allows time for the flouride and other minerals to settle to the bottom of your container. I like to keep a jug of distilled water handy, not just for watering houseplants, but for using in the coffee maker. It cuts down on scaly buildup. If you want to make your own distilled water, you can read more about it here.
If it bothers you to see your plants with brown-tipped leaves, you can certainly cut the brown tips off. It won’t hurt the plant. I suggest cutting at an angle to mimic the curve of the leaf. And make sure you wipe your scissor blades with alcohol before and after cutting. This will prevent the possible spread of disease from one plant to another.
Have you ever had to deal with spotty or brown-tipped leaves? What worked for you? Please, take a minute to leave a note in the comments below. I’d love to hear about it!
Until next time,
lisa
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Lots of good information here. Thanks for sharing.
Linda, thanks for commenting! I hope you’ll share the info with others who might need it as well.
Thanks for the great post. Last time I started from seeds I didn’t mark what I planted. Then when they grew I wasn’t sure what they were.
Hey Anne! You should check out my Seed Planting Tracker and let me know how it works for you.
This post was full of such good information! time to bring my houseplants inside and will definitely keep an eye on yellow leaves etc!
Hey Rose! Thanks for commenting. I’m glad you found the information useful!