Identifying Common Houseplant Problems

It’s easy to love houseplants—and all the many ways they can brighten and transform your space. Keeping them thriving, however, isn’t always as straightforward. When something is wrong with your plant, figuring out what it is—and how to fix it—can feel like solving a mystery. The key is to pay attention to the clues.

Identify what’s wrong with your houseplant

Do you ever bite your nails or clench your teeth? Plants have their own ways of dealing with stress and you can spot them. Are the leaves wilting, yellowing, or falling off? Turning crispy and brown at the edges? Or maybe they’re spotted, fuzzy, or full of holes. Learning to interpret these signals is the first step toward diagnosing your plant’s troubles and solving them.

What does a sick or stressed plant look like?

Houseplants wear their hearts—and their health—on their leaves. Identifying plant problems—and coming up with solutions—means paying close attention to their foliage. They may not give you the solution immediately, but issues with their leaves are a sure sign that you need to try something different.

Ways your houseplant lets you know something’s up:

My plant has brown leaves.

While this is a clear sign of a problem, crispy brown leaves could be caused by a few different factors, including mineral build-up (blame your tap water), salt build-up (possibly overfeeding), or air that’s too hot or dry.

• Try watering with tap water that you’ve let stand for 24 hours, or use rain or filtered water instead. 
• If brown tips are accompanied by a white crust on the soil, it’s likely salt build-up, so set your plant in a sink or tub where you can flush the excess salts out of the soil with lots of water. If that doesn’t work, repot your plant with fresh potting mix. To prevent salt build up in the future, always water thoroughly until moisture starts to seep out of the drainage hole.
• Make sure your plant isn’t too close to a vent, and, if humidity is really low in your house, spritz the leaves with water or use a humidifier.

My plant’s leaves are wilting and yellowing.

If your plant is in its senior years, this may just be a normal result of aging, but, for younger plants, lifeless leaves might be the result of root rot (issues with your soil), inconsistent watering, over-fertilizing, pot-bound roots, or pests.

• If yellowing is minimal, simply remove the leaf. 
• Be sure to water consistently.
• If you see brown or black roots, your plant likely has root rot. Dirty containers and soil that's wet for too long can create a breeding ground for root rot. This is when fungi infect your plant's roots and stems, ultimately causing its demise. If the damage is minimal, you can try cutting out infected parts and repotting, but in most cases, it's best to replace your plant. It’s okay—you can't win ’em all.
• If you suspect you’ve over-fed your plant, place it in a sink or tub and run water through it to flush out the extra fertilizer, then cut back on your feeding schedule.
• Consider moving your plant to a larger pot if it’s outgrown its current home.
• Use Miracle-Gro® Indoor Potting Mix, which doesn't contain compost or bark, making it less prone to gnats
• If you spot insects or mites on the leaves, either carefully pick them off or gently spray with Ortho® Insect, Mite & Disease 3-in-1 Ready to Use. Always follow all label directions.

My plant’s leaves are dropping.

Again, if your plant is only losing a leaf here or there, this could be an age thing. However, if there are more leaves on the floor than on your plant, you’re likely dealing with a moisture issue—watering too much, too little, or too inconsistently—or possibly a pest, like spider mites.

• Check your plant tag to make sure you’re giving your plant the right amount of water.
• Inspect the leaves for pests and, if you find them, either remove them or, for aphids, try an insecticidal soap, pyrethrin, or neem oil.

My plant’s leaves have spots.

Brown blotches with a yellow ring around them point to fungi; water-like splotches are likely bacteria; and tiny black spots may mean spider mites.

• Remove infected leaves.
• Move your plant so it has better air circulation.
• Be sure to water your plant at its base and keep water off the leaves.
• If your plant has a fungal issue, treat them with a fungicide labeled for indoor use, following label directions.
• If your plant has spider mites, try giving it a good spray in a sink or shower—making sure you get the undersides of the leaves—or use an insecticidal soap, following all label directions.

My plant’s leaves look like they’ve been bleached.

Too much sun can burn the leaves of some plants, leaving them looking washed-out or white.

• Move your plant to a shadier spot.

My plant’s leaves are covered in fuzz or powder.

Old leaves and spent flowers may develop gray mold, while younger leaves that aren’t getting enough air circulation can develop a powdery mildew that looks like a white coating.

• Start by moving your plant to a spot with better air circulation.
• You can also treat your plants with a fungicide approved for indoor plant use, always following label directions. 

Preventing houseplant problems by keeping your houseplants healthy

While many common houseplant problems can be fixed with the suggestions above, the goal, of course, is to avoid issues altogether. There’s a lot you can do—and it starts before you even bring your plant home. 

Choose the right plants for your living space

Part of picking the right plants for you is understanding whether your home is a good fit for them. How much and what type of sunlight do you get? What is the air like in your home—is it especially dry or do you have a fair amount of humidity? How warm or cold do you keep your home? How much space do you have for plants—enough for good air circulation through their leaves? Once you have a good sense of your home environment, look for plants that want what you have to offer. Check their tags or do a search for that plant type to see how much humidity or light it needs, for example. For more information on how to care for houseplants, check out our article here.

Commit to a routine

Once you choose a plant that will thrive in your home environment, find a great spot for it and check on it often—especially in the early days when you’re still learning about its needs. 

When it comes to watering, feeding, inspecting your plant’s leaves for pests, and repotting, make a habit out of it—whether that’s tying it to something else you already do at the same frequency or just adding it to your calendar so you get reminders. With watering, if your plant tag says it needs water every 2 weeks, for example, be sure to check it every 2 weeks first—don’t just water it blindly. You may find that the soil still feels moist, in which case, it may not need water yet, depending on the tag’s instructions. The same goes for all the other elements of caring for your plant. What’s important is to be consistent and pay attention to what your plant is showing you.

And now that you’re familiar with the signs to watch out for, make that part of your regular inspection. Do the leaves look healthy? Do you notice any change in the color, markings, or sturdiness of the leaves? If and when you notice something that doesn’t look right, make sure you’re following your routine maintenance and then try troubleshooting with the suggestions above.

By paying close attention to your plants and responding to their signals, you’ll not only solve common houseplant problems, but you’ll also create an environment where your plants will thrive.