No one likes to see how the plants in their house become weak and wither until, unfortunately, one day they end up completely dry. Even, sometimes, no matter how many times we give the subject, we cannot find the reason for this to happen and we do not know what else to do.
Luckily, if you’re wondering “Why are the plants withering in my house?“, in this EcologíaVerde article we are going to teach you what the possible causes of this problem are, what to do when the plants dry up and how to prevent these situations so that no more plants are spoiled in your house.
Lack or excess of watering
People tend to think that lack of watering is one of the main reasons why houseplants die, but the truth is that excess watering is more common and, certainly, much more harmful to them.
Lack of irrigation in dry plants
When a plant needs more watering you will see how its leaves turn brown or yellowish, fine and brittle. If the drought is very severe, it can lose entire stems, but, in general, a immersion irrigation abundant will serve as a means to revive dry plants, at least if it is the first time it occurs. Submerge the dry pot for about 10 minutes in water, then take it out to let it eliminate all the excess water through the drainage holes (for this method it is essential that it has them).
Here you can read more about the problem of yellow leaves in plants: why they appear and solutions.
Excess watering in dry plants
When the plant suffers from excessive irrigation, instead of being very dry and rigid, its leaves and stems tend to darken, showing the entire plant soft and weak, perhaps with the tips somewhat dry and brittle but the rest of the plant dark and soft. You will be able to easily notice it in the plant’s substrate, which, although the upper layer may be dry, will immediately show moisture under it. Use a finger or a toothpick to gently poke it in and see if any damp soil sticks to it.
Revive an overwatered plant it is much more difficult. You must remove it very carefully from its pot, trying to remove as much moist soil as possible from its roots while trying not to damage them. Then, with pruning shears or a very sharp knife, always well sterilized, cut the diseased or rotten parts, both stems and roots, and place the plant in a new container with dry and rich substrate. Perlite and vermiculite will be great allies to prevent it from happening again, in addition to reducing risks.
bad location
Some plants require full sun locations to thrive, while others do not tolerate it at all. It is very important to know the characteristics and needs of each plant species to find a suitable location.
Normally, tropical plants prefer shady or partial shade locations, since in their natural environment the tree canopy is very dense and little light reaches where they grow. If you place them where they receive too much light, their leaves will burn and could dry out, even if the watering or temperature is adequate. In the same way, a desert cactus will hardly grow well in the shade or in a dark interior, and it is a matter of time before the plant succumbs to stress or lack of energy. In both cases you can see parts that dry or change color and texture.
In these cases, the only thing you can do is pay attention to the state of your indoor plants, search for as much information as possible about them and correct those unfulfilled needs as soon as you detect them.
Bad temperature or environment
Some plants are really resistant to changes in temperature: many aromatic shrubs are capable of withstanding both frost and temperatures of more than 30ºC in summer. However, others are much more delicate.
Again, plants from tropical or subtropical climates come from environments where the temperature fluctuates much less and tend to need a fairly narrow range of temperatures to grow well. Normally, it will not be necessary to keep your home at spring temperature, but it is very likely that a plant with these characteristics will not withstand a cold winter on the balcony or a very hot summer exposed to the sun.
Once again, the most important thing is that inform yourself about what care and temperature range you need your plant and that you do your best to give it a suitable location in your home. Don’t worry if you have to move her depending on the time of year, she will appreciate the effort.
Heat sources or drafts
Finally, if you ask yourself “why are my plants dying?”, perhaps it is because you have not properly measured the aspect of heat sources and air currents, because depending on the species you may need these or, on the contrary, do not tolerate them. These are some cases:
- Some plants are very leafy and, if they are not exposed to draftsare prone to suffer fungus, which weaken them and can dry them out. Take a good look at the state of their inner stems and try to prune them to clear them and promote ventilation, as well as place them in areas that are as well ventilated as possible.
- Others, instead, do not tolerate draftswhich can make lose too much moisture and even that the flowers and leaves fall off. In these cases, find a more sheltered location, away from open windows or doors.
- The species more sensitive to dry environmentsas usual, they also do not tolerate being near heat sourcessuch as radiators or air conditioners. If you see that your plant has enough water but is losing its leaves and seems dry, you should probably find a location further away from the radiator.
After knowing all these possible causes why plants dry out in our home, we recommend you read about How to revive a plant.
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