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By: Carl M. Ambrose, Jr.  May 11, 2023

Who among us who garden indoors hasn’t posed this question? “Why are my houseplants Dying?” As lovely as they are, both for your health and your decor, it can often seem that houseplants just want to die—especially if you’re relatively new to indoor gardening. Even worse, many times gardeners are baffled as to why their cherished plant dies.

The good news is that plants don’t actually just disappear for no apparent cause. In fact, depending on the species, houseplants are quite predictable, and the vast majority of plant deaths are brought on by a handful of common causes. Here are the main causes of houseplant death. Of course there are more, but these are the most common.

Too Much Water
Although it might appear impossible, it is possible to “drown” your houseplant, over-watering is a common mistake people make. Very few plants, even many of the tropical plants we enjoy inside, can withstand daily watering indoors in a pot. It’s often a good idea to wait until the top inch of soil is dry. Additionally, keep an eye out for drooping or withering leaves as these are indicators that your plant is thirsty. Generally speaking, you should wait to water plants until they require water.

Lack of Drainage
Over-watering’s first cousin is this problem, lack of adequate drainage. It’s difficult to distinguish between watering and drainage because they are so closely related, but it is undeniable that many plants die as a result of poor draining. Root-bound plants or plain old potting soil are examples of poorly draining pots that can readily hold water even if the air is dryer higher up in the pot, than at the bottom. As a result, the roots are left submerged in water, which provides the ideal environment for root rot. Similar to this, many individuals will water their plants until the tray is full, but they won’t dump it, leaving the plant effectively submerged in a pond. Root rot is also invited by this. Generally speaking, you can water more regularly and with greater freedom to make mistakes with watering the better your drainage is.

Not Re-potting
It happens all too frequently for a plant owner to have a plant for a year or two, during which time it thrives and looks fantastic, only to be surprised and perplexed when the plant suddenly starts to deteriorate. This is frequently brought on by a plant that is root-bound and no longer getting enough nutrition from the soil because there isn’t much of it left. Not all plants require re-potting annually, but you should keep an eye out for plants with entrapped roots.

You Used Old Potting Soil
Additionally connected to not re-potting is this. Peat is the main component of most potting soils, which decomposes over time and becomes more acidic. Even if nothing else changes (such as how often you water the plant), the plant will steadily starve as the peat decomposes because it becomes more difficult for water and oxygen to fully permeate the root zone. When the plant need it, re-potting is the best course of action. Take cuttings if your plant is too old.

Lack of Water
Since negligence is primarily to blame, it is safe to assume that those who allow their plants to dry up are merely careless.

Issues with Fertilizer
Keep in mind that concerns with light and fertilizer are conspicuously absent from this list. The fact is that many plants can be quite adaptable if the watering and drainage are done correctly. A plant with a strong root zone can frequently withstand temperature changes, insufficient lighting, and even low light levels. In this respect, plants are similar to houses in that they require a solid foundation to flourish. However, your plants will flourish if you can give them the right quantity of light and use fertilizer wisely.

Last but not least, if you do discover that you’re killing a lot of plants, it could be time to start investing in harder to kill houseplants and go gradually to the more difficult ones.