What makes plant leaves turn brown

Flushing the soil with heavy doses of water forces salts out and restores normal balance around roots. Just sit the pot in the sink or tub, and water it until the soil is soaked and water runs through. Repeat the process several times to flush the soil thoroughly.

If landscape plants are exposed to over-fertilizing, road salts or heavy pet use, don't wait for tips to turn brown. Water plants heavily and repeatedly to flush out the soil and prevent tip burn. The heavy watering leaches away built-up salts. If plants start to show brown tips as soil thaws in spring, they may have been exposed over winter. Flush the soil through heavy watering right away. Avoid fertilizer burn by feeding plants with a non-burning fertilizer, such as Alaska , for gentle, health-boosting nutrients without harmful buildup.

Keep recovering plants on track. Once your plants are back on the path to good health, adjust your care — especially watering — to keep them headed in the right direction. Never water automatically, whether plants are potted or in the ground. Test the soil manually first, by feeling it at an index finger's depth. If it feels wet, wait a few days and check again. If soil feels dry, it's time to water. If you use tap water to water your indoor plants, let water sit overnight.

This reduces fluoride and other substances that can add to brown tips. Most plants stay healthiest when watered deeply and infrequently, in your home and your landscape.

Water houseplants so all the soil is moist, then let them dry slightly before watering again. If the humidity in your home is very low, a pebble-filled saucer at the plant's base can help keep tips and moisture in balance.

During active periods of growth, most outdoor plants need the equivalent of at least one inch of rainfall each week, including natural precipitation. When watering, this equals about 5 gallons of water per square yard. Most roots, even on large landscape trees, stay in the top 6 to 12 inches of soil.

One inch of water seeps down to that depth in most soils, keeping healthy roots supplied and leaf tips well-hydrated. Get rid of the evidence. With your care regimen on track and plants on their way to good health, you don't need brown tips to remind you of the past.

Landscape plants will take care of the problem as the seasons pass, but potted indoor plants can use a hand. Take a cue from professional interiorscapers — the folks who care for indoor plants in offices and malls — and put brown tips behind you.

Use sharp scissors to cut away the dead, brown areas. Just follow the leaf's natural shape. You'll still have a thin brown line along the cut, but the rest of the leaf will stay green and healthy as your plant moves ahead.

With a little investigation, appropriate corrections and proper ongoing care, your plants can trade brown-tipped leaves for strong, healthy ones. With the help of the Pennington family of plant care products, you and your plants can get back on the path of good plant health and natural beauty. Pennington is a registered trademark of Pennington Seed, Inc. Sources: 1.

Topics: Indoor Gardening, Gardening. Pennington Fertilizer Resources. How to Grow Flowers, Herbs and Vegetables Indoors During the winter months, as outdoor gardens and flower beds sit dormant, many gardeners truly miss tending to and nurturing their plants.

Some plants will turn brown and crispy when the surrounding humidity is low or the air in your green space is too dry. This is especially common for plants receiving a lot of direct sunlight or are placed near other sources of heat such as heating ducts or space heaters. If you notice the leaves turning brown and crispy and you suspect humidity may be the culprit, spritz your plant occasionally and move it away from any heat.

Plants with long leaves, such as Peacock Plants , Dracenas, and Spider Plants are especially susceptible to browning leaf tips. Once you understand what caused the browning tips in the first place, snip off the tips with scissors. If your plant receives too much fertilizer, you will notice browning around the sides and tips of its leaves.

In most cases the brown patterns will appear in a very distinct pattern, helping to give you clues about why the leaves are turning brown. In this case, the very tips of the leaves darken and dry out, appearing brown and papery.

They may crumble and fall off when touched. Brown leaf tips are one of the most common problems seen in indoor plants and are usually related to water or fertilizer problems. Ideally, water is taken into the roots from the soil and is moved upwards through the plant until it reaches the leaves, where it is then used in photosynthesis or lost due to transpiration or evaporation. This occurs in random spots across the leaves, sometimes forming in circles that appear to grow over time or undefined shapes.

If left untreated the patches or spots can fill the entire leaf surface. Brown patches or spots on the leaves are usually related to fungal disease or insect pests. Insects or diseases may attack a localized spot on the leaf, causing the tissue to die and turn brown.

At times the entire leaf will begin by morphing into a yellow color, and then turn brown and dry out, after which it may fall off the plant completely. It usually happens to lower leaves on the plant but may occur through the middle or at the top, depending on the cause.

Plant hormones within the cells trigger leaves to begin dying and turn brown. Improper care is the most common reason why indoor plant leaves turn brown and should be the first thing you investigate. With houseplants though, you have to give them the correct amount of water; both underwatering and overwatering cause major problems. The key to fixing watering problems, and preventing them in the future is to know exactly how much water your plants need and then follow an appropriate watering regime.

Some plants prefer their soil to be moist at all times, and others like the soil to dry out slightly before they are given more water. Use your index finger to check soil moisture levels, and only water once the soil has dried out an appropriate amount for the plant you are growing. Then water thoroughly until excess water drains out the bottom of the container. Read my article about how to tell when your indoor plants need water. This article provides some great tips to avoid overwatering and underwatering, making growing healthy, vibrant houseplants so much easier.