My house plants get brown and the leaves fall off. Any suggestions?

Question

I have tried using only bottled water and I even feed the plants with miracle grow. They still get brown edges and than fall off. These plants are supposed to be easy to care for I even talk to my plants and watch them grow new leaves. What should I do to get beautiful growing healthy plants? Also which ones like cactus and protos how often do I water them? Do I wait till they dry out? Please help.

Answer 1

Nurturing your plants the way you do and watching what appears to be degeneration can be painful.  But it's good you talk to them... They really love that, or rather the "vibe" of your voice.  They also respond well to music, particularly classical, though mine have been known to respond favorably to reggae.

But browning leaves and their susequent fall could be due to a number of things, such as too much lighting (or lack thereof)... or too much watering.  If you're watering a lot, try backing off to see how the plant responds.  And if the symptoms continue, water it, but not too much.  You need to discover the happy medium for any given plant. One plant may prefer lots of attention and watering, and another may wish to dry out a bit.  There's lots of information online to help you identify your plant and its basic needs.

Also, try rotating your plants.  Different plants respond to different spots in the house. They're like pets... living things that have their own personalities and preferences regarding personal spots. When you find a spot that the plant likes, you'll know it because it'll perk up and the leaves will stop browning -- provided that you've discovered its watering and lighting preferences.  

And be careful not to feed the plants with too much miracle grow or the opposite will happen.  It's powerful stuff that can be too much for the plant to process.  Feed the plants just a few drops like every 4 months or so.

I don't know much about protos, but a cactus is very low maintenance... it doesn't need much watering at all.  Depending on the size of the plant, just give it about a glass of water every other month or so.  They have lots to teach us in that their nourishment comes from within.

Answer 2

Are you over watering them or over fertilizing?

I water all my plants based on each plants need. But allot of plants prefer to dry out a little. Over watering is the cause of many plant problems.

Water them no more than once a week, If a plant is dry or wilting in one weeks time it may need to be repotted.

Fertilizer will cause the leaves to brown on the edges too. You should not fertilize a plant more than once a month.

Some plants no more than twice a year.

Cactus I would only water when the top of the soil is dry. When in doubt about watering, be conservative. More errors are made on the side of over-watering than under-watering. Remember that injury from lack of water develops gradually, and is easy to correct. On the other hand, damage from over watering occurs rapidly and is usually irreversible. Cacti and other succulents grown in pots are more likely to need regular irrigation than those planted in the ground. During hot, dry weather watering will be needed on a weekly or twice-weekly basis. The soil should be allowed to dry between watering, even in well drained soil mixes.

Protos or do you mean Pothos?

If you mean Pothos (Devils Ivy) they get by with a once a week watering.

http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/houseplants...

Here is a site that will help get more familiar with your plants.

http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/houseplants...

Answer 3

Sounds like you're killing them with kindness, or you have one or more wee beasties. They are tough to see if you don't know what to look for. My bet would be over watering, black or white flies, fungus gnats and mites. Over watering is more likely to harm your plants than under watering. Give me more info and I can give you more of an idea.  RScott

Answer 4

Is this plant pot bound?

Answer 5

I don't know what you are calling Proto plants. But expect that you may be referring to some type of succulent. Cactus does better if it gets a chance to dry out in between watering's a bit. I have a giant aloe plant that just keeps getting bigger. Over watering any plant will cause root rot.

I have a lot of house plants. I have been told by others that some house plants thrive on water from the fish tank. The oil in the water conditions the ends of the leaves.

Misting your plant with a spray bottle every few days helps keep moisture in. It depends on what type of plant. For some over misting, you may get mildew spots. You can buy a bottle of leaf shine at most flower shops. It is a natural oil used to spray on plants to help hold the moisture in the leaves. I bought a giant spray bottle for about $6.00.