Problems with Plants

Plant growing slowly

  • Give plant food
  • Reduce watering
  • Re-pot in fresh soil or larger pot
  • Look for pest in leaves or soil
  • Check for damage to roots
  • Allow for normal seasonal behaviour - dormant period

Wilting leaves

  • Water the plant
  • Check the quality of the soil

Mottled leaves

  • Look for pests or virus infections

Brown leaf margins

  • Reduce watering
  • Move out of direct sunlight
  • Change the position of the plant
  • Reduce feeding
  • Regulate room humidity (indoor plants)

Flower heads dropping

  • Reduce watering
  • Change the position of the plant (turn indoor or potted plants)
  • Handle plant gently when moving it or brushing past when gardening

Leaves bruised or broken

  • Change the location of the plant (physical damage)
  • Avoid brushing past the plant (often cased by dogs and playing children)
  • Sunburn (indoor plants moved outdoors)

Leaves falling

  • Reduce watering
  • Look for pests
  • Change the type of feed used

Rotting in stems or leaves (soft/moist brown spots)

  • Reduce watering
  • Examine the leaves for botrytis
  • Remove dead flower heads

Leaf colour pale

  • Give plant food
  • Insufficient light - put the plant in better light
  • Change the position of the plant (turn indoor plants)

Small leaves/spindly growth

  • Give the plant food
  • Look for pests in leaves or soil (particularly red spider)

Yellow leaves

  • Reduce watering
  • Change the position (turn indoor plants)
  • Look for pests
  • Regulate humidity in the room (indoor plants)
  •  Allow for normal seasonal behaviour

Holes in leaves

  • Look for pests in leaves and soil (caterpillars, snails, beetles and earwigs)
  • Physical damage from hail