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Nobody likes to see the plants in their house weaken and wilt until, unfortunately, one day they finally dry out completely. Even, sometimes, no matter how much we think about the subject, we cannot find the reason why this happens and we do not know what else to do.
Luckily, if you ask yourself "Why do the plants in my house dry out?"In this Green Ecologist article we are going to show you what are the possible causes of this problem, what to do when the plants dry out and how to prevent these situations so that more plants in your house do not spoil.
Lack or excess watering
There is a tendency to think that the lack of irrigation is one of the main reasons why house plants die, but the truth is that the excess of it is more common and, certainly, much more harmful for them.
Lack of irrigation in dry plants
When a plant needs more watering you can see how its leaves turn brown or yellowish, thin and brittle. If the drought is very severe, you can lose entire stems, but usually a immersion irrigation Plentiful will serve as a means of reviving dry plants, at least if this is the first time it occurs. Soak the dry pot for about 10 minutes in water, then taking it out to let it drain all the excess water through the drainage holes (for this method it is essential that you have them).
Here you can read more about the problem of yellow leaves on plants: why they come out and solutions.
Overwatering of dry plants
When the plant suffers from excessive watering, instead of being very dry and rigid, its leaves and stems tend to darken, showing the whole plant soft and weak, perhaps with the tips somewhat dry and brittle but the rest of the plant dark and soft. You can easily notice it in the substrate of the plant that, although the top layer may be dry, it will quickly show moisture under it. Use a finger or toothpick to poke it in carefully to see if the damp soil sticks.
Revive an overwatered plant it is much more difficult. You must remove it very carefully from its pot, trying to remove all the damp soil 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 locations in full sun 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 for you.
Typically, tropical plants prefer shady or semi-shady locations, since in their natural environment the tree dome is very dense and little light reaches where they grow. If you place them where they receive too intense light, their leaves will burn and could even dry out, no matter how much watering or temperature is appropriate. 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 ends up succumbing 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 be attentive to the state of your indoor plants, look for all the possible information at your fingertips about them and correct those needs without complying as soon as you detect them.
Bad temperature or environment
Some plants are really resistant to changes in temperature: many aromatic shrubs are able to withstand both frosts and temperatures of more than 30 ºC 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 they tend to need a fairly narrow range of temperatures in order to grow well. Normally, it will not be necessary to keep your home always at spring temperature, but it is very likely that a plant of these characteristics will not endure a cold winter on the balcony or a very hot summer exposed to the sun.
Again, the most important thing is that you find out about what care and temperature range it needs your plant and that you do everything possible to give it a suitable location in your home. Don't worry if you have to move her according to 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 do not have well measured the appearance 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 bushy and, if they are not exposed to drafts, are prone to suffer fungus, which weaken them and can dry them out. Take a good look at the state of its inner stems and try to prune them to clear them and promote ventilation, as well as put them in the most ventilated areas possible.
- Others, on the other hand, they do not tolerate drafts, which can do that lose too much moisture and even the flowers and leaves falling off. In these cases, find a more sheltered location, away from open windows or doors.
- The species more sensitive to dry environments, as 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 loses its leaves and seems dry, you should probably find a location further away from the radiator.
After knowing all these possible causes for which plants dry out in our home, we recommend you read about How to revive a plant.
If you want to read more articles similar to Why do the plants in my house dry out, we recommend that you enter our category of Cultivation and care of plants.
