Is My Plant Dead? How To Understand And Improve Plant Health

House plants bring comfort, vibrance and detail to your interior space.  

Well-maintained house plants may thrive year-round and contribute to improving air quality. It is important to give these plants the proper care they need for good health. Sometimes, houseplants might start to look dry and withered and their leaves may begin to fall off or just appear really limp. These are all signs of a sick houseplant and if not tendered to in time, could die soon. 

If your houseplants look sick or are dying, the following tips could help perk them up and improve overall health.

Tips To Ensure Healthier Thriving Plants:

Choose The Right Plants - if you want to nurture healthy houseplants, it is important to choose the right plants. Avoid blooming plants, like roses that require full sun exposure six hours each day. Even if you place them on the window ledge, they might not get enough sunlight. Good house plants should survive in an indoor environment with limited sunlight and these are the kind of plants you should get.  

Let The Sunlight In - place your house plants strategically so they can get direct sunlight when you open the curtains. If possible open the window, if you can’t, ensure a clear window to maximise exposure. Keep your houseplants clean, so they can get enough sun for proper photosynthesis. Use a clean, damp rag to remove dust from leaves. Also remember to remove any dead or brown leaves.

Avoid Overwatering / Underwatering - you may unintentionally overwater your houseplants if you don’t have a watering schedule. Remember, that water will sit inside the pot and waterlogged soil can cause root rot. Excessive humidity creates a perfect habitat for fungus and pest insects. Plant owners can become busy and forget to water their plants. If your houseplants are dehydrated they may appear to have curled yellow leaves, excessive leaf droppings, translucent leaves or slow growth.

Replace Soil Regularly - it can be a simple weekend project. You can get the fresh potting soil from garden centres or local sellers. Take all your houseplants outside and remove old soil and avoid damaging roots while doing this. Consider replacing the soil every six months.

Fertilise - your houseplants gradually absorb minerals and other nutrients from the soil. The soil can become depleted of nutrients and you will need to rejuvenate it. Fertilise once each month during the summer and less often during winter months if plants are dormant. Signs of poor nutrition include leaves that may appear yellowish-green in colour with an overall weak growth despite having watered them properly and exposed them to enough sunlight.

Contact Living Windows

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