Overall Plant
Growth issues
1Growth stunted
Cause: Too much fertilizer
Solution: If the fertilizer is visible, scoop it out from soil. Water thoroughly and allow it to drain out the bottom. Repeat this at least five times to remove fertilizer the plant's root system.
2No growth at all
Cause: Too little light
Solution: Move plant to a brighter spot or introduce artificial lighting. Foliage house plants require bright light but not direct sunlight and can adapt to semi-shade. Variegated leave plants will need more light than all-green plants. Full sunlight is required for cacti and succulents.
3Slow growth; little resistance to pests and diseases
Cause: Too little fertilizer
Solution: All plants need an adequate supply of major nutrients like nitrogen, phosphate and potash for healthy growth which is usually available in the soil. But over time, the soil's natural resources get used up. Top up the soil nutrient with fertilizer
4Spindly growth in good light
Cause: Wrong temperature, too warm.
Solution: Move to a cooler place
5Spindly growth with abnormally long spaces between leaves
Cause: Too little light
Solution: Move plant to a brighter spot or introduce artificial lighting. Foliage house plants require bright light but not direct sunlight and can adapt to semi-shade. Variegated leave plants will need more light than all-green plants. Full sunlight is required for cacti and succulents.
Weak plant
1Slow growth; little resistance to pests and diseases
Cause: Too little fertilizer
Solution: All plants need an adequate supply of major nutrients like nitrogen, phosphate and potash for healthy growth which is usually available in the soil. But over time, the soil's natural resources get used up. Top up the soil nutrient with fertilizer
2Stems weak
Cause: Too little fertilizer
Solution: All plants need an adequate supply of major nutrients like nitrogen, phosphate and potash for healthy growth which is usually available in the soil. But over time, the soil's natural resources get used up. Top up the soil nutrient with fertilizer
White crust present
1White crust on surface of compost and clay pot
Cause: Too much fertilizer
Solution: If the fertilizer is visible, scoop it out from soil. Water thoroughly and allow it to drain out the bottom. Repeat this at least five times to remove fertilizer the plant's root system.
Flowers
Flowers colour issue
1Flowers absent or small and poorly coloured.
Cause: Too little fertilizer
Solution: All plants need an adequate supply of major nutrients like nitrogen, phosphate and potash for healthy growth which is usually available in the soil. But over time, the soil's natural resources get used up. Top up the soil nutrient with fertilizer that is high with potash.
2Flowers fall or quickly fade
Cause: Too little water
Solution: Increase watering.
Flowers fall
1Buds and flowers shrivel and fall
Cause: Too little humidity
Solution: Spray some water over the leaves when the sun is low (preferably in the morning).
2Flowers fall or quickly fade
Cause: Too little water
Solution: Increase watering.
Flowers mouldy
1Flowers mouldy
Cause: Too much water
Solution: Reduce watering. Roots need air as well as water. Keep the soil moist but not saturated.
Flowers short-lived
1Buds and flowers shrivel and fall
Cause: Too little humidity
Solution: Spray some water over the leaves when the sun is low (preferably in the morning).
2Flowers fall or quickly fade
Cause: Too little water
Solution: Increase watering.
3Flowers short-lived
Cause: Wrong temperature, too warm.
Solution: Move to a cooler place
Poor bloom
1Blooms poor or absent
Cause: Too little light
Solution: Move plant to a brighter spot or introduce artificial lighting. Flowering plants generally need some direct sunlight.
2Flowers absent or small and poorly coloured.
Cause: Too little fertilizer
Solution: All plants need an adequate supply of major nutrients like nitrogen, phosphate and potash for healthy growth which is usually available in the soil. But over time, the soil's natural resources get used up. Top up the soil nutrient with fertilizer that is high with potash.
Leaves
Browning leaves
1Brown or grey scorch patches
Cause: Too much light
Solution: Move plant away from light source. Foliage house plants require bright light but not direct sunlight and can adapt to semi-shade.
2Crips brown spots on leaves; scorched edges
Cause: Too much fertilizer
Solution: If the fertilizer is visible, scoop it out from soil. Water thoroughly and allow it to drain out the bottom. Repeat this at least five times to remove fertilizer the plant's root system.
3Leaf curl, followed by browning and leaf fall
Cause: Wrong temperature, too cold.
Solution: Move to a warmer place
4Leaves curled, yellow and wilted. Leaf tips brown.
Cause: Too much water
Solution: Reduce watering. Roots need air as well as water. Keep the soil moist but not saturated.
5Lower leaves curled, yellow and wilted. Leaf edges brown and dry
Cause: Too little water
Solution: Increase watering.
6Lower leaves wilt; edges turn brown, bottom leaves fall
Cause: Wrong temperature, too warm.
Solution: Move to a cooler place
7Leaf tips brown and shrivelled
Cause: Too little humidity
Solution: Spray some water over the leaves when the sun is low (preferably in the morning).
Leaves colour issues
1Leaves have 'washed-out' appearance
Cause: Too much light
Solution: Move plant away from light source. Foliage house plants require bright light but not direct sunlight and can adapt to semi-shade.
2Leaves pale; 'washed out' appearence. Yellow spotting my be present.
Cause: Too little fertilizer
Solution: All plants need an adequate supply of major nutrients like nitrogen, phosphate and potash for healthy growth which is usually available in the soil. But over time, the soil's natural resources get used up. Top up the soil nutrient with fertilizer
3Variegated leaves turn all-green
Cause: Too little light
Solution: Move plant to a brighter spot or introduce artificial lighting. Foliage house plants require bright light but not direct sunlight and can adapt to semi-shade. Variegated leave plants will need more light than all-green plants. Full sunlight is required for cacti and succulents.
Leaves curl
1Leaf curl, followed by browning and leaf fall
Cause: Wrong temperature, too cold.
Solution: Move to a warmer place
2Lower leaves curled, yellow and wilted. Leaf edges brown and dry
Cause: Too little water
Solution: Increase watering.
3Leaves curled, yellow and wilted. Leaf tips brown.
Cause: Too much water
Solution: Reduce watering. Roots need air as well as water. Keep the soil moist but not saturated.
Leaves dry up
1Lower leaves curled, yellow and wilted. Leaf edges brown and dry
Cause: Too little water
Solution: Increase watering.
2Lower leaves turn yellow, then dry up and fall
Cause: Too little light
Solution: Move plant to a brighter spot or introduce artificial lighting. Foliage house plants require bright light but not direct sunlight and can adapt to semi-shade. Variegated leave plants will need more light than all-green plants. Full sunlight is required for cacti and succulents.
Leaves fall
1Both young and old leaves fall at the same time.
Cause: Too much water
Solution: Reduce watering. Roots need air as well as water. Keep the soil moist but not saturated.
2Leaf curl, followed by browning and leaf fall
Cause: Wrong temperature, too cold.
Solution: Move to a warmer place
3Leaf fall after rapid yellowing
Cause: Sudden change in temperature.
Solution: Maintain a fairly constant and moderate temperature
4Leaves fall if plant variety is very sensitive to dry air
Cause: Too little humidity
Solution: Spray some water over the leaves when the sun is low (preferably in the morning). Try grouping plants together as the air trapped between them will have relative higher humidity.
5Lower leaves turn yellow, then dry up and fall
Cause: Too little light
Solution: Move plant to a brighter spot or introduce artificial lighting. Foliage house plants require bright light but not direct sunlight and can adapt to semi-shade. Variegated leave plants will need more light than all-green plants. Full sunlight is required for cacti and succulents.
6Lower leaves wilt; edges turn brown, bottom leaves fall
Cause: Wrong temperature, too warm.
Solution: Move to a cooler place
7Oldest leaves fall first
Cause: Too little water
Solution: Increase watering.
8Stem weak; early dropping of lower leaves.
Cause: Too little fertilizer
Solution: All plants need an adequate supply of major nutrients like nitrogen, phosphate and potash for healthy growth which is usually available in the soil. But over time, the soil's natural resources get used up. Top up the soil nutrient with fertilizer
Leaves growth issues
1Growth stunted
Cause: Too much fertilizer
Solution: If the fertilizer is visible, scoop it out from soil. Water thoroughly and allow it to drain out the bottom. Repeat this at least five times to remove fertilizer the plant's root system.
2Leaves limp and wilted; little or no growth
Cause: Too little water
Solution: Increase watering.
3Leaves smaller and more pale than normal
Cause: Too little light
Solution: Move plant to a brighter spot or introduce artificial lighting. Foliage house plants require bright light but not direct sunlight and can adapt to semi-shade. Variegated leave plants will need more light than all-green plants. Full sunlight is required for cacti and succulents.
4Slow growth; little resistance to pests and diseases
Cause: Too little fertilizer
Solution: All plants need an adequate supply of major nutrients like nitrogen, phosphate and potash for healthy growth which is usually available in the soil. But over time, the soil's natural resources get used up. Top up the soil nutrient with fertilizer
5Spindly growth with abnormally long spaces between leaves
Cause: Too little light
Solution: Move plant to a brighter spot or introduce artificial lighting. Foliage house plants require bright light but not direct sunlight and can adapt to semi-shade. Variegated leave plants will need more light than all-green plants. Full sunlight is required for cacti and succulents.
6Stem weak; early dropping of lower leaves.
Cause: Too little fertilizer
Solution: All plants need an adequate supply of major nutrients like nitrogen, phosphate and potash for healthy growth which is usually available in the soil. But over time, the soil's natural resources get used up. Top up the soil nutrient with fertilizer
Leaves
Leaves limp
1Leaves limp; soft, rotten areas. Poor growth.
Cause: Too much water
Solution: Reduce watering. Roots need air as well as water. Keep the soil moist but not saturated.
2Leaves limp and wilted; little or no growth
Cause: Too little water
Solution: Increase watering.
Leaves shrivelled
1Leaves of 'sun shy' varieties shrivelled and dead
Cause: Too much light
Solution: Move plant away from light source. Foliage house plants require bright light but not direct sunlight and can adapt to semi-shade.
2Leaf tips brown and shrivelled
Cause: Too little humidity
Solution: Spray some water over the leaves when the sun is low (preferably in the morning).
Leaves turn yellow
1Leaves curled, yellow and wilted. Leaf tips brown.
Cause: Too much water
Solution: Reduce watering. Roots need air as well as water. Keep the soil moist but not saturated.
2Leaf edges turn yellow; wilting may occur
Cause: Too little humidity
Solution: Spray some water over the leaves when the sun is low (preferably in the morning).
3Leaf fall after rapid yellowing
Cause: Sudden change in temperature.
Solution: Maintain a fairly constant and moderate temperature
4Leaves pale; 'washed out' appearence. Yellow spotting my be present.
Cause: Too little fertilizer
Solution: All plants need an adequate supply of major nutrients like nitrogen, phosphate and potash for healthy growth which is usually available in the soil. But over time, the soil's natural resources get used up. Top up the soil nutrient with fertilizer
5Lower leaves turn yellow, then dry up and fall
Cause: Too little light
Solution: Move plant to a brighter spot or introduce artificial lighting. Foliage house plants require bright light but not direct sunlight and can adapt to semi-shade. Variegated leave plants will need more light than all-green plants. Full sunlight is required for cacti and succulents.
6Lower leaves curled, yellow and wilted. Leaf edges brown and dry
Cause: Too little water
Solution: Increase watering.
Leaves wilt
1Leaves curled, yellow and wilted. Leaf tips brown.
Cause: Too much water
Solution: Reduce watering. Roots need air as well as water. Keep the soil moist but not saturated.
2Leaf edges turn yellow; wilting may occur
Cause: Too little humidity
Solution: Spray some water over the leaves when the sun is low (preferably in the morning).
3Leaves limp and wilted; little or no growth
Cause: Too little water
Solution: Increase watering.
4Leaves wilted
Cause: Too much fertilizer
Solution: If the fertilizer is visible, scoop it out from soil. Water thoroughly and allow it to drain out the bottom. Repeat this at least five times to remove fertilizer the plant's root system.
5Leaves wilt at midday
Cause: Too much light
Solution: Move plant away from light source. Foliage house plants require bright light but not direct sunlight and can adapt to semi-shade.
6Lower leaves wilt; edges turn brown, bottom leaves fall
Cause: Wrong temperature, too warm.
Solution: Move to a cooler place
7Lower leaves curled, yellow and wilted. Leaf edges brown and dry
Cause: Too little water
Solution: Increase watering.
Pale leaves
1Leaves have 'washed-out' appearance
Cause: Too much light
Solution: Move plant away from light source. Foliage house plants require bright light but not direct sunlight and can adapt to semi-shade.
2Leaves pale; 'washed out' appearence. Yellow spotting my be present.
Cause: Too little fertilizer
Solution: All plants need an adequate supply of major nutrients like nitrogen, phosphate and potash for healthy growth which is usually available in the soil. But over time, the soil's natural resources get used up. Top up the soil nutrient with fertilizer
3Leaves smaller and more pale than normal
Cause: Too little light
Solution: Move plant to a brighter spot or introduce artificial lighting. Foliage house plants require bright light but not direct sunlight and can adapt to semi-shade. Variegated leave plants will need more light than all-green plants. Full sunlight is required for cacti and succulents.
Patches on leaves
1Brown or grey scorch patches
Cause: Too much light
Solution: Move plant away from light source. Foliage house plants require bright light but not direct sunlight and can adapt to semi-shade.
2Crips brown spots on leaves; scorched edges
Cause: Too much fertilizer
Solution: If the fertilizer is visible, scoop it out from soil. Water thoroughly and allow it to drain out the bottom. Repeat this at least five times to remove fertilizer the plant's root system.
3Leaves pale; 'washed out' appearence. Yellow spotting my be present.
Cause: Too little fertilizer
Solution: All plants need an adequate supply of major nutrients like nitrogen, phosphate and potash for healthy growth which is usually available in the soil. But over time, the soil's natural resources get used up. Top up the soil nutrient with fertilizer
4Patches of grey mould on leaves
Cause: Too much humidity
Solution: Increase air ventilation. Remove from group if the plants are grouped together.
5Patches of rot on leaves or stems.
Cause: Too much humidity
Solution: Increase air ventilation. Remove from group if the plants are grouped together.