If the air is too dry, many indoor plants develop brown leaf tips. To keep your houseplants happy, keep them away from any source of forced air or heat like vents, heaters, or radiators. In the winter, when the air is driest, lightly mist houseplants daily. Open a nearby window when the weather is above 50˚F to let in more humid air. Also, keep light in mind. Most houseplants prefer bright, indirect light rather than direct sunlight which can burn the leaves. If your hand casts a bit of a shadow indoors, that’s considered bright indirect light. Make sure to choose a place to put your plants carefully. To avoid overwatering, stick your finger about an inch into the soil to feel if it’s moist. You can also use a moisture meter. If the soil has moisture, wait a few days before watering. As a rule of thumb, only water a plant when the soil is dry to the touch.
Signs Your Plant Isn’t Healthy
Plants can’t speak to you but they can certainly show you when they aren’t happy. If you know what your plant looks like when it’s healthy and happy, it will be very obvious when it looks pale, limp, or dull. Telltale signs to look for include:
Yellow leaves often indicate overwatering or poor drainage that’s keeping roots too wet. It may also mean your plant is getting too much sunlight or needs more nutrients.Wilting and brown spots can be a sign of overwatering and possibly root rot or other diseases.Stunted growth means the plant is rootbound and too large for its pot
How to Repot a Rootbound Houseplant
Once in a while, your houseplants need repotting as they outgrow their containers. To check, slide them out of the pot and look at the roots. If there’s a high root to soil ratio, and you see circling roots, your plant will benefit from repotting. Choose a new pot that is a little bit wider and deeper than the previous pot. Make sure the new container has a drainage hole at the bottom (it’s more challenging to avoid root rot without a way for extra water to drain out) or you may need to drill one. You can slightly cover the hole with a piece of broken pot or a pebble, as long as water can still get around that. Fill the new pot about 1/3 of the way full with fresh potting mix. Keep the soil surface at the same level it was in the old pot, adding extra mix around the plant’s roots until the new pot is filled in. A common mistake is to fill the pot all the way to the top, which makes watering more challenging. Instead, leave at least a half inch at the top unfilled. This space creates a reservoir to hold water until it can soak in. Water the plant well to settle it into the new pot. Wait a couple of weeks, then use a diluted fertilizer to add some nutrients.
