Are your plants dying?

Your once green and lush house plant now sports yellowing, droopy leaves. Or worse, they’ve actually fallen off, leaving you with a sad, barren stalk. Maybe it has developed weird, black spots or roots appear to be coming out of the bottom of the pot… Alarm bells start ringing in your brain and the question pops out of nowhere: are your plants dying?

Unless you’re a pro gardener, it’s not always possible to tell whether your plants are sick, dying, or simply taking a rest from all the growing. Here’s when to worry and the signs you need to look out for.

Signs that your plant needs attention fast

If you spot any of the below on your plant, it’s time to investigate further and take action:

• Yellowing or browning on the leaves – this can be caused by nutrient deficiencies, particularly nitrogen, iron, or magnesium.
• Wilting or drooping leaves – typically due to underwatering or root damage. Gently remove the plant from the pot and inspect for signs of rotting. If there’s a weird smell, hold off the watering until it drains properly.
• Leaves falling off – often a sign of overwatering or extreme temperature stress, so it may need a new home.
• Roots visible on the surface of the soil or coming through drainage holes – a pot-bound plant needing a larger container.
• Brown or black spots – fungal infections or bacterial diseases, get some solutions from your garden centre.
• Flowers blooming and then falling off soon after – possible issues with watering (either too much or too little) or nutritional deficiencies.
• The presence of gnats – avoid overwatering as continuously moist soil attracts these pests.
• Visible fungus on the leaves or the soil surface – fungal growth due to high humidity or excessive watering.

Can a dying plant recover?

Plants can be quite resilient, so yes they can recover. However, this depends on how fast you correct the problem. If over or under watering is the issue, this can be solved pretty easily by adjusting the amount of water you’re giving your plant. Overwatering can potentially be fatal if you don’t remove the rot before it kills off all the roots.

In cases of infection, your best bet is to take your plant to a garden centre so that it can get properly diagnosed and an effective solution presented.