Houseplant Problems
Living plants are used in all types of indoor environments. Although most indoor environments are satisfactory for maintaining the health of plants for relatively long periods, problems do occasionally occur. Most of the problems are not due to infectious diseases (i.e., caused by fungi, bacteria, etc.) but result instead from imbalances in the environment or from care practices that give rise to plant stress. The ability to recognize symptoms, determine the causes of stress, and promptly initiate corrective care techniques can result in healthy plants.
Determining the cause of indoor plant problems can sometimes require skilled laboratory diagnosis or site consultations. However, most problems are relatively simple to diagnose if one remembers that various stress-producing elements of an environment often affect the plant simultaneously. Detecting all imbalanced environmental elements is the key to proper diagnosis and initiation of corrective measures.
Many of the "symptoms" of indoor plant problems on are not specific. In other words, a certain symptom may be distinct and striking but it may result from any number of imbalanced environmental elements. Therefore, it is misleading to think that a distinct symptom should always have a specific cause.
The following diagnostic checklist is a guide to beginning an analysis and plan for corrections.
Symptom |
Possible Causes |
| Leaf tips brown or scorched |
a) Poor root health from overwatering, excessive soil dryness (especially between waterings), excessivefertilizer, or other soluble salts in the soil b) Specific nutrient toxicities (such as fluoride, copper,or boron) c) Low humidity d) Pesticide or mechanical injury |
| Leaf spots, blotches, blemishes, blisters, or scabby spots |
a) Intense light (sunburn) associated with a recentmove of the plant or excessive soil dryness and wilting
b) Chilling injury (below 50o F)
c) Chemical spray injury
d) Overwatering
e) Fungal or bacterial infections (rare unless plants have recently come from a field or greenhouse)
|
| Foliage yellow-green – older leaves |
a) Insufficient fertilizer, especially nitrogen
b) Poor root health due to pot-bound growth, compacted soil, or poor drainage
c) Insufficient light
|
| Foliage yellow-green – newer leaves |
a) Soil pH (acidity) imbalance
b) Minor nutrient imbalance
|
| Foliage yellow-green – general |
a) Too much light
b) Insufficient fertilization
c) High temperatures, especially when associated with dryness
d) Insect infestation or root rot disease
|
| Leaf drop |
a) Poor root health from overwatering, excessive dryness, excessive fertilizer or other soluble salts in the soil, compacted soil or potbound roots
b) Sudden change in light, temperature, or relative humidity
c) Root rot disease
|
| Foliage wilting or drooping |
a) Poor root health from overwatering, excessive dryness, excessive fertilizer or other soluble salts inthe soil, compacted soil, or a poorly drained container
b) A toxic chemical poured into soil
|
|
Roots brown in color, soft or rotted; roots with tissue that can easily be "slipped off" leaving behind stringy center tissues;
roots massed at top or bottom of pot. Associated with one or more of the symptoms noted above.
|
a) Poor root health from overwatering, excessive dryness, excessive fertilizer or other soluble salts in the soil, compacted soil, or a poorly drained container
b) A toxic chemical poured into soil
c) Underwatering
|
|
Yellowed leaves with tiny speckling; leaves later bronzed and drying; webbing noted near growing points.
|
Spider-mite infestation |
|
Leaves covered with a sticky substance; dark mold growingon leaves; tiny brown or white objects seen on leaves
or in crotches of branches; leaf drop or branch dieback;leaf or growing point distortion.
|
Scale or mealy bug infestation |
Useful Website
Care of Flowering Potted Plants (University of Missouri Extension)
http://extension.missouri.edu/explore/agguides/hort/g06511.htm
Adapted from Ohio State University Extension, 2000
