How To Prevent Houseplant Leaves From Turning Brown Around The Edges
July 17, 2019
source: Yates / JIDILEAF.CO
I’ll be the first to admit that I absolutely do not have a green thumb. My outdoor gardens only survive thanks to my husband, and I’ve given up altogether with indoor plants. My houseplants’ leaves were constantly turning yellow and then brown around the edges, and I couldn’t figure out if I was watering them too much or not enough. If you’ve experienced similar issues with your houseplants, this is likely the explanation.
When houseplants begin to show yellow and brown leaves, it’s usually due to improper watering habits. You want to ensure your houseplant is in a pot with drainage holes. Water the plant until water runs freely out the holes. Shallow watering is one cause of those brown, fried-looking leaves.
Browning leaves on your houseplants can also indicate a lack of humidity in your home. It’s important to note that these plants originate in warm, moist, and humid environments like the jungle, and so the dry air in your home can be quite a shock to them. You can either run a humidifier in the area around your houseplants, or simply mist them with water every few days to imitate a humid environment.
If you’ve done all of these things and your houseplants are still showing brown leaves, you may either be over-fertilizing them or watering them with softened water. Plants don’t like softened water, so if your home has soft water or a water softener, it’s best to water your indoor plants with distilled water.
If you are dealing with especially browned leaves, you may have to trim back the entire leaf and wait for it to grow back. If there is just a small amount of browning around the edge, you can trim off the damaged section, following the natural curve of the leaf. Now that you know these simple yet important tips, hopefully your houseplants will stay free of brown leaves and continue to thrive for years to come!