Plant parents are often drawn to cacti due to their easy care requirements and striking appearances. However, if you notice some yellowing or browning on your Prickly Pear, it could be bad news for your beloved plant so you need to diagnose the problem fast to see how you can regain some healthy pad growth. The most common reason for browning on your Prickly Pear Cactus are: overwatering, sunburn, drafts and temperature shock and pest infestation.

Overwatering can cause brown leaves

It can be super easy to want to give your Prickly Pear Cactus all the care in the world. But too much love can actually be very harmful to your plant. Cacti in general can be pretty sensitive when it comes to overwatering which means it will quickly become soft, droopy and brown if given too much water. This will cause your Prickly Pear to become unstable and the pads will start to turn brown and mushy as they will not be able to get nutrients from the soil to maintain healthy growth. If you think that you may have overwatered your Prickly Pear Cactus and this is causing the brown leaves, it is best to replace the soil straight away rather than just sit and wait for it to dry up over time. Be careful when removing the soil from the roots as you don’t want to cause any further damage. Make sure to check the moisture in the soil before you water your Prickly Pear Cactus to avoid more brown leaves developing in future.. There are two really easy ways to make sure that it definitely needs water. First check the moisture at the top of the soil, if it is still damp then wait a few weeks before watering again. You can also lift up your Prickly Pear Cactus (whilst being cautious of the prickles of course) to check the weight of the plant before and after watering to gauge when the soil is dry. Bear in mind that your Prickly Pear Cactus really enjoys having dry soil and can go weeks/months without water depending on growing seasons so it is better to stay on the side of caution when watering.

Brown leaves can also be caused by sunburn

Cacti thrive in bright areas of the home/garden but can show symptoms of sunburn if moved from indoors to outdoors. This will show up as brown patches across the part of your Cactus that receives the most sunlight. This often occurs during the summer months where the sunlight is a lot stronger and out for longer periods of time. It may take some adjusting for your Prickly Pear to get used to the new light levels. Unfortunately, brown sunburn scars are permanent so you might want to think about re-locating your Prickly Pear to a slightly similar environment to what it was used to if it is struggling to adapt.

Brown patches can indicate temperature shock

Your Prickly Pear could be in an area where it is suffering from temperature shock. This often occurs if your Prickly Pear is too close to a heating/AC vent or a radiator. Whilst the overall temperature in your home might be ideal for cacti growth, be wary of drafty windows, doors and vents that might be affecting your Prickly Pear Cactus and causing brown leaves. Make sure to open your windows every now and then to make sure that the air in your room is circulating properly. This reduces the risk of hotspots forming in the room where your Prickly Pear is sitting. You can always pick up a digital thermometer to check for temperature fluctuations.

Pest infection can also cause brown leaves

A slightly less common reason why your Prickly Pear’s pads are turning brown is a pest infestation. It can happen that pests such as spider mites and scale insects take hold of your plant. If you find pests on your Prickly Pear Cactus we recommend giving the whole plant a shower. Make sure the shower isn’t on full pressure wash down the pads and the soil with room temperature water. You should also treat your Prickly Pear Cactus with an organic insecticide to fight the infestation and avoid more brown leaves from forming on your plant. Make sure to check over your other plants in the room to see if any other plants have pests. Keep your Prickly Pear (and other infected plants) a good distance away from any of your other houseplants as you don’t want the pests to spread. To have the best chance of reviving your Prickly Pear, you need to act quickly to diagnose the problem and fix whatever is causing the brown leaves. It might also be a good idea to propagate some of the healthy pads incase your Prickly Pear doesn’t make it. That way you can focus on creating the ideal environment for the baby Prickly Pears.

Loved for being a low-maintenance way to bring a tropical feel to your home, Ponytail Palms are great for all types of plant parents. However, just because they aren’t as sensitive as a lot of other plant types out there, this doesn’t mean they are immune to the usual problems.  There can be quite a few different reasons why your Ponytail Palm is dying so it’s best to go through each of them below and eliminate them one by one. We will also go through ways to diagnose the issue, treat it and how to adjust your care or environment to stop it from causing havoc with your Ponytail Palm in future.

Overwatering can cause a Ponytail Palm to start drooping

One of the most common causes of drooping Ponytail Palm leaves is consistent overwatering. It can be pretty easy to do as problems within the potting mix are hidden for a long time before they start to show up on your plant. Alongside this, Ponytail Palms don’t need that much water so waterlogged soil can cause quite severe problems for your Ponytail Palm fairly quickly.  If drooping leaves are the only thing that seems to be wrong with your Ponytail Palm, then this is good news. Often this means you have caught the problem before it’s progressed very far and is often easier to fix. Other signs of overwatering include soft leaves, brown or yellow leaves and potting mix that smells damp so look out for these to help diagnose the issue as well.  The reason that overwatering is so harmful to your Ponytail Palm is that it causes waterlogged soil which then causes the root system to rot which starves your Ponytail Palm of oxygen and nutrients. It also means that the roots can’t physically support the rest of the plant anymore. The combination of these two factors is why consistent overwatering will often cause your Ponytail Palm to droop its leaves and stems. You want to be sure that overwatering is the cause of your drooping Ponytail Palm before you adjust your watering habits. The last thing you want to do is cut back water when that isn’t the issue. The first thing to do is to take your Ponytail Palm out of its pot and inspect the potting mix and root system. If the soil feels soggy and clumpy, then this means your plant has been overwatered. If the roots are soft and mushy it suggests that this issue has been going on for a while.

How to fix an overwatered Ponytail Palm

The first thing to do is replace the potting mix immediately if it’s still waterlogged. Don’t wait for the soil to dry out on its own as this risks causing even more damage to an already rotting root system and drooping plant.  At the same time as replacing the soil, trim off any soft and mushy roots/ leaves. If your Ponytail Palm is trying to keep rotting leaves and roots alive, it will be wasting valuable energy that could be used to stop drooping and produce new growth.

How to prevent overwatering (and more drooping leaves)

Now that you’ve fixed the issue for the time being and your Ponytail Palm should be on the road to recovery, let’s flip the attention to ensuring that the issue doesn’t happen again and cause your Ponytail Palm to start drooping in future.

1. Only water when the potting mix is dry. This ensures that there is enough time between waterings to avoid waterlogged soil and root rot. There are several ways to determine the soil moisture levels but the most reliable is using a a moisture meter.
   
   
2. Ensure good drainage. This means your plant won’t begin to droop or die if you accidentally overwater once or twice. Having good drainage holes in your pot, using a well-draining potting mix that includes perlite and switching to terracotta pots are all ways you can increase the drainage for your Ponytail Palm and avoid drooping leaves.
   
   
3. Downsize your pot if necessary. One major factor when it comes to overwatering is the pot size and soil-to-root system ratio. The more soil there is in the pot, the longer it takes for it to dry out which increases the risk of root issues. 
   
   
4. Adjust your watering schedule depending on the environment. We never recommend a rigid plant watering calendar as although it can be useful to help forgetful waterers, they aren’t good for our plants. This is because there are so many factors that impact how much water your Ponytail Palm needs, from maturity, sunlight levels, pot size, temperature and time of year. 
   
   

A drooping Ponytail Palm can also indicate underwatering

The strange (and often frustrating) thing about drooping leaves on an Ponytail Palm and many other houseplants is that as well as too much water, the issue can also be caused by a lack of water.  Whilst Ponytail Palms are actually a type of succulent (meaning they don’t need frequent watering), this doesn’t mean that they can go weeks and months without a single drop. This will start to cause issues such as drooping leaves and stems and brown leaf tips and edges and entire leaves.  However, before you start pouring buckets of water over your plant, you need to make sure that this is really the cause of the drooping leaves on your Ponytail Palm. As with overwatering, we recommend checking the moisture in the soil, either using the finger method to test how moist the potting mix is or by removing the plant from the pot. If the soil is dry and feels sandy, and the roots look a little crispy and shrivelled, then underwatering is likely the cause.

How to fix an underwatered Ponytail Palm

The first thing to do is give your Ponytail Palm a soak so that it can start to take in some moisture. You want to keep this brief, about 10 minutes or so in a bucket of water before letting it drip dry. The reason soaking is better than top watering, in this case, is that often when watering really dry soil, it flows right through and out the bottom of the pot which doesn’t help the issue at all. Then over the next week, you want to water a little bit once a day so that you avoid sudden changes in the environment. Moving forward, adjust your watering habits so that you are keeping an eye on when the potting mix is dry so you know when it’s time to water your Ponytail Palm. Using a moisture meter is a great way to avoid any more drooping leaves in future. As a guide, you want to either be watering more frequently than you did before, or giving your Palm more water each time you do. So those are the most common reasons why your Ponytail Palm is dying. Watering and soil moisture are tricky ones to get right for any plant, but Ponytail Palms are just a little bit more sensitive to it sometimes. It’s also all about adjusting your watering habits to account for individual factors such as plant age, maturity, size, pot size, temperature, sunlight and drainage levels. All these things (and more) can dictate how much water your Ponytail Palm needs so it can be overwhelming at first. But with the methods we outlined above, you can make sure you prevent your Ponytail Palm from dying and get it back to tip-top health.  To learn more about how to keep your plant happy outside of watering habits, check out our Ponytail Palm care guide.

This fast-growing, adaptable plant never really gets enough credit in the houseplant world. They add that touch of wilderness to your home, without being super needy. This makes them perfect for office spaces too, where conditions aren’t always ideal and no one wants to take much responsibility! However, although they are adaptable, they are still susceptible to problems if the environment or care isn’t ideal for longer periods of time. It can happen that your Weeping Fig starts to develop brown leaves as a sign that something isn’t right. Light and watering issues are what you need to look out for after spotting brown leaves on your Weeping Fig and we will go through each of the causes in more detail below. 

Direct light can burn the leaves

Weeping Figs need bright but indirect light to really thrive, especially when it comes to growing new stems and healthy leaves. Whilst they are great at adapting to lower light levels, you will start to notice brown leaves if they are exposed to too much light.   If your Weeping Fig is sat right next to a window, then it may be experiencing sunburn during summer. This is because the sunlight is too intense – yes there is such thing as too much light for a plant! If they receive an hour or two of direct light that should be fine, but any more can cause some real issues such as brown leaves.  If you think that direct sunshine is causing the brown leaves on your Weeping Fig, try to move your plant a little bit further away from the window so that it doesn’t receive any direct sun. You’ll still want them to be getting plenty of sunlight but it needs to be indirect.

Overwatering is another cause of brown leaves

If your Weeping Fig’s leaves are turning brown and the plant is drooping down, it is most likely due to overwatering. This tends to be the most common reason why Weeping Fig will die because although they are quite hardy plants, they still can’t overcome a rotting root system.  Once the root system has started to rot after being in waterlogged soil for too long, it means that your Weeping Fig is unable to take up water or nutrients. This is what causes the leaves to turn brown. It can also mean that your entire plant droops, turns soft and actually loses leaves as well.  If you think that you may have overwatered your Weeping Fig, inspect the moisture levels in the soil and replace immediately if waterlogged. Moving forward, to avoid your Weeping Fig developing more brown leaves due to overwatering, it’s crucial that you only water your Ficus Benjamina when it needs it. Make sure to check the moisture at the top of the soil before watering, if it is still damp then wait a few days.  Your watering schedule will need to change throughout the year depending on the growth seasons and environmental changes. Weeping Fig plants really don’t need much water at all during autumn and winter, once a month is usually enough!

Underwatering can also cause brown foliage

If you notice that your Weeping Fig is developing light brown spots or dry crispy edges on the leaves, then it may be that you are underwatering your plant. Although too much water can cause issues for your plant, too little can too and will result in light brown leaves that are very frail to touch and break easily.  The easiest way to tell is again just by checking the moisture in the soil and adjusting your watering schedule accordingly. If your Weeping Fig feels very dry, water it a little every other day for a week to slowly moisten up the soil. Drowning it in water straight away could shock your plant which can cause them to lose some leaves.  If you just can’t get on the right watering schedule it could be worth investing in a good quality self watering plant pot, these take all of the trouble out of the process and will make sure that your Weeping Fig isn’t resting in stagnant water – eliminating the risk of root rot! Those are the 3 main factors that can cause Weeping Fig plants to develop brown leaves. It’s important to diagnose the problem as soon as you spot the browning as watering issues can quickly kill your plant. We always recommend removing as many of the brown leaves as you can as, unfortunately, there is no reversing them and they’ll never go back to the luscious green they once were. Removing the brown leaves allows your Weeping Fig to put all of its energy into getting back to full health and producing new stems and leaves.  Check out our Weeping Fig care guide for all the information you need to best care for your plant and keep it happy and healthy!

Aloe Veras are fairly hardy plants that can be really easy to care for. However, if you do start to notice that your Aloe Vera’s leaves are curling, this may be a symptom of incorrect care or environment. The main reasons why your Aloe Vera’s leaves are curling are: over-or underwatering, dry air, pest infection or a sudden change of environment. In this article, we will go through each of the mentioned causes as well as going through how to diagnose the issue, treat it and prevent it from causing further leaves to curl up on your Aloe Vera plant.

Underwatering is the main cause of curling Aloe Vera leaves

Too little water is the most common reason why Aloe Vera plants start to curl their leaves. This is often surprising to plant parents because Aloe Vera plants are known for needing little water and thriving in dry soil. However, they do need some moisture to survive and thrive so long dry spells will start to cause some real issues.  Before underwatering causes dry crispy brown leaves, it will usually start off by showing itself as curling leaves. This is a mechanism that Aloe Vera plants (and many other plant types) use to reduce the loss of moisture. 

There are several reasons for drought stress that can cause your aloe vera leaves to curl inwards:

1. Watering the aloe too lightly (Aloe Vera plants require an infrequent but generous soak).
2. Not watering frequently enough (although Aloe Vera plants are somewhat drought tolerant, they still require scheduled watering, especially during heatwaves and hot months).
3. Lower humidity can also increase transpiration from the leaves causing them to dry out and start curling. 
4. Your plant is in water-repellent soil. (If the soil being used is peat-based it can dry off quickly to form a hard potting mix. This then repels water from the surface and it runs down the pot without actually reaching the roots.)

The best way to diagnose and confirm that underwatering is causing your Aloe Vera to start curling is to remove it from its pot and inspect the soil and root system. If you notice that the roots have turned dry and crispy then this indicates underwatering. 

How to fix the issue and prevent further curling leaves on your Aloe Vera

1. Give your Aloe Vera a soak. This will ensure the root system takes up the water rather than it just running out of the bottom of the pot. We recommend soaking for about 5-10 minutes at first so that your plant has enough time to take in some water but it doesn’t leave the whole soil waterlogged. 
2. Adjust your watering schedule moving forward so that you are watering more generously. 
3. Monitor the environment to pick up on any fluctuations that might mean your plant is drying out quicker (low humidity, higher temperatures and more sunlight).

Check the environment for drafts and cold air

Outside of underwatering, there are a few other issues that can cause the leaves on your Aloe Vera to start curling. Cold temperatures and cold drafts are one of them. Whilst you might not notice them, cold streams of air coming in from the outside right by your plant can be very damaging in the long term.  Make sure that you draft-proof any windows/ doors that are close to your Aloe Vera (and other tropical or heat-loving houseplants) as well as move them away from any air conditioning vents as these can be quite damaging to your plants during summer. Using a digital thermometer is an easy way to monitor the temperature in your home and they allow you to check for any cold drafts. They are a great investment for plant parents.  If your Aloe Vera is in quite a cool room, this can also increase the risk of overwatering and root rot. Your Aloe Vera won’t need as much water as the soil will take a lot longer to dry out in cooler temperatures. This can be the perfect place for root rot and leaf rot to occur so you want to be cutting back your watering frequency to prevent this.

A sudden change in environment can often cause curling leaves

Things like repotting, propagating or moving your plant to a new spot in your home can cause your Aloe Vera to get a little shocked and the leaves may start curling. It is nothing to worry about and it will just take some time for it to return to normal and for the leaves to naturally uncurl. One thing to make sure of if you have moved your Aloe Vera to a new spot is that the conditions are the same, if not better than the one it was previously in. Your Aloe Vera will probably survive if the conditions are less suited to its requirements but it may just grow a little slower than before.  The best way to determine if the environment is right is by using a light meter, as well as a thermometer and humidity gauge. Those are the most common reasons why Aloe Vera plants begin curling their leaves. We would always start with figuring out if underwatering is to blame as dehydration and drought stress is the most common cause. From there, check other factors such as temperature and humidity to see if there are any changes that might be stressing your Aloe Vera out.  If the only symptom is curling leaves, then it suggests that you have caught the issue fairly early which should mean treating the issue is easier. The longer you leave the problem to progress, the more difficult it will be to get your plant back on track. Make sure to keep a close eye on your Aloe Vera for the next few weeks after making any changes to the care and environment so that you’re sure the issue is resolving itself.  Check out our Aloe Vera care guide for more information on other common problems as well as general care tips to help your plant thrive!

Want a bit of the tropics in your own home? Then the Sago Palm is a great way to do this. They aren’t as sensitive as a lot of other plants but this doesn’t mean that you won’t from time to time experience some common problems. If things aren’t right then your Sago Palm may develop brown leaves. Whether these come in the form of entire leaves turning brown, or just brown tips forming, it’s best to diagnose the problem as quickly as possible to prevent it from affecting more of your Palm.

Underwatering is the most common cause

If the leaves on your Sago Palm have turned light brown, dry and crispy, then you may not be watering your plant enough. Sago Palms really don’t need that much water so this issue must have been going on for a while for it to be affecting the leaves and turning them brown. This problem tends to become more prevalent during summer where hot dry climates do mean they can’t go for weeks and weeks without water.  Before you go and drown your Sago Palm in water, you need to make sure that this is actually the issue. Carefully take your Sago Palm out of the pot to inspect the soil. If it is very dry and powdery then your plant will need more water. You should also inspect the root system as dry shrivelled and crispy roots also indicate underwatering. Slowly reintroduce water to your plant over the course of a week, rather than drowning it all at once. A sudden change in environment can shock your Sago Palm and cause more problems than brown leaves.

A lack of humidity can also cause brown tips

Sago Palms prefer an environment with high humidity levels. If you find that the tips of your Sago Palm’s leaves are turning brown, then it may be because the air in your home is too dry.  There are a few really simple methods that we use to ensure the humidity is at a comfortable level for your Sago Palm. Firstly, it’s a great habit to get into spraying the leaves with a mist bottle every few days. You can also create a pebble tray, put your Sago Palm in the bathroom and leave the shower on hot for 5 minutes or for a quick and easy solution you could invest in a humidifier to keep the levels perfect all year round. You should also think about buying a good humidity monitor to keep track of everything and ensure your Sago Palm is getting enough humidity to avoid more brown leaves.

Brown leaves can signal pests – scale insects or spider mites

A less common but more concerning possibility why your Sago Palm has brown leaves is a pest infestation. Although this is rare with plants that don’t spend any time outdoors, it can still happen. Sago Palms are usually infested with either scale insects or spider mites so look out for these on your plant. Pests suck on the nutrients which is what causes the leaves to turn brown, die and eventually fall off. If you find pests on your Sago Palm there are a few steps you need to take immediately. Firstly, isolate the infected plant away from all of your other houseplants to stop the pests from spreading to your other beloved plants (they can jump across leaves that are close or overlapping).  To treat the pests on your Sago Palm, and prevent more brown leaves, we recommend giving the whole plant a shower. Make sure the shower isn’t on full pressure and you should be fine. You should also treat your Sago Palm with an organic insecticide to fight the infestation. Those are the main reasons why your Sago Palm has developed brown leaves or brown leaf tips. It’s probably one of the most common issues to develop on these Palms so it’s good to keep an eye out for them so you can catch the problem early and get your Palm back to full health. When it comes to removing the brown leaves from your Palm, we do recommend that you remove only leaves that have fully turned brown and leaving brown leaf tips on the plant.  Check out our Sago Palm care guide to learn more about how to keep your Palm happy and healthy!

Known for their flat coin-shaped leaves, the Peperomia Hope is a little bit different from most other succulent types which can be a little confusing when it comes to their care needs. This is why a lot of Peperomia Hope plant parents find they have quite a few issues with these plants and struggle to keep them thriving.  In this post, we will cover all of the most common problems you might face with Peperomia Hope plants, as well as how to treat the problems and stop them from causing more havoc with your plant in future.

Causes of brown leaves on a Peperomia Hope

1. Temperature extremes. Drafts that come through cracks in windows or doors can be quite harmful to your Peperomia Hope and will cause brown leaves among other issues. Make sure to draft-proof any windows or doors that are within 1 metre of your Peperomia Hope or any other houseplants. If the brown leaves are occurring in summer, then it might be that your Peperomia Hope is too close to an air conditioning vent so watch out for these too. We recommend buying a thermometer to measure how the temperature changes throughout the day and across the year to ensure that your Peperomia Hope doesn’t develop brown leaves as a result of cold air. 
2. Leaf rot. Your Peperomia Hope may also be developing brown spots and patches if the leaves are getting wet. Damp leaves are a Peperomia Hope’s worst enemy during winter as they will begin to rot when temperatures drop, causing brown spots. You want to make sure you are watering as close to the soil as possible to avoid the leaves getting splashed. If you aren’t already, use a long narrow spouted watering can that will allow you to get past the leaves and avoid brown leaves.

Causes of yellow leaves on a Peperomia Hope

1. Overwatering. Too much water is a very common reason behind yellow leaves on Peperomia Hopes so it’s a good idea to inspect the potting soil closely. Overwatering will cause damage to the root system and mean your plant will develop yellow leaves, as well as become soft and fall off. To figure out if overwatering is the reason your Peperomia Hope is turning yellow, check the moisture levels in the soil immediately. Trim away any rotten roots and adjust your watering schedule so you aren’t watering your Peperomia Hope as much as you were before.
2. Nutrient issues. Peperomia Hope can also develop yellow leaves as a result of over fertilisation or a lack of nutrients. It’s a bit tricky to diagnose this one properly as both extremes can cause exactly the same issues. Peperomia Hope plants really don’t need much fertiliser so if you are fertilising more than a few times per year, we recommend cutting this out for a while. If you aren’t feeding your Peperomia Hope at all, and haven’t switched out any of the potting mix recently, then a lack of nutrients might be the cause of the yellow leaves.
3. Direct sunlight. If your Peperomia Hope is getting too much bright light you’ll start to notice yellowy patches throughout the leaf. This is due to the sunlight burning the leaves which is unfortunately irreversible. Try moving your Peperomia Hope into a slightly shadier place, and if there’s no improvement move it a little further again until you find it’s the perfect spot. You can carefully trim away the burnt yellow leaves so your Peperomia Hope can focus its energy on new healthy growth.
4. Pests. There is one more slightly worrying cause of yellow leaves on a Peperomia Hope; a pest infestation. We recommend isolating your plant until you can confirm pests or not as you don’t want to risk them jumping onto your other plants and causing more yellow leaves. If you do spot pests on your Peperomia Hope then you want to wash your plant down and treat it with neem oil as if not treated, they will continue to cause yellow spots on your Peperomia Hope and will slowly kill your plant. 

Why is my Peperomia Hope losing leaves?

1. Overwatering. Root rot can occur when you have been giving your Peperomia Hope too much water and the soil becomes waterlogged. This causes instability in the plant and often means your plant will lose some of its leaves. To figure out if overwatering is why your Peperomia Hope is losing leaves, inspect the leaves a little closer. If you see brown or black spots all over the leaf, it usually means that the plant is waterlogged. If the dry brown leaves that are falling off are towards the bottom of the plant, closest to the roots, this also indicates root rot. 
2. Natural ageing. If your Peperomia Hope is losing a couple of leaves every few months, then it might simply be natural ageing. It’s normal for your Peperomia Hope to lose a few of its oldest and smallest leaves so that it can focus all its energy and nutrients growing new healthy bigger leaves. Monitor how many leaves are falling off your Peperomia Hope to make sure there’s nothing else going on. 

Causes of a drooping Peperomia Hope

1. Underwatering. Too little water can harm your Peperomia Hope in more ways than one. It can cause dry leaves, lack of growth and nutrient deficiency. But one of the earlier signs of underwatering is a drooping plant. If you find that the stems and leaves look a little lifeless, it could be because the soil has been dry for too long. If this is the cause of your droopy Peperomia Hope, water it a little every other day for a week. Your first instinct might be to give it loads of water straight away but this can actually be harmful to your Peperomia Hope if the soil goes from one extreme to the other and can mean it droops even more.  
2. Cold temperatures. Another common reason why your Peperomia Hope might start to droop is temperature changes. If your Peperomia Hope is near a drafty door or window or is close to an AC vent, then this flow of cold air could be causing your drooping plant. Invest in a digital thermometer to monitor fluctuations in temperature to ensure that your plant isn’t being exposed to extremely hot or cold air and your Peperomia Hope should stop drooping. 

Those are the most common problems that you will face with a Peperomia Hope, as well as how to best treat them. The key to reviving a dying Peperomia Hope is spotting the problems early before they have caused too much damage to the root system or leaves. Make sure to inspect your plants regularly and thoroughly to see if you notice any early warning signs.  To learn more about what care requirements your plant needs, check out our Peperomia Hope care guide.

Otherwise known as the Wax Plant, the Hoya Linearis can be quite a rare find so once you’ve got your hands on one, it can be pretty worrying when things start to go wrong. Whether you’ve discovered brown or yellow leaves on your plant, or your Hoya Linearis looks droopy and limp, we’ve got you covered. Below you’ll find all of the factors that cause the most common problems so you can not only treat the issue quickly but prevent it from causing more damage in future. 

Causes of Hoya Linearis brown leaves:

1. Intense direct sunlight can cause brown Hoya Linearis leaves. If your plant is getting too much bright intense sunlight then you might start to notice the leaves drying out and turning quite light brown in colour. This is due to the sunlight actually burning the leaves. Although there is no going back once the leaves are brown, move your Hoya Linearis into a slightly shadier place to prevent any more from occurring. 
2. Underwatering can also cause dry brown leaves. If the leaves are turning quite brown dry and crispy but all over and not just the edges and tips then it may be due to underwatering. Although Hoya Linearis plants like to have quite dry soil, if they are going weeks and weeks without water then they will start to dry out and turn brown. Before adjusting your watering schedule, you want to be sure that this is the cause otherwise you may very quickly be overwatering. Confirm the issue by checking the soil and seeing if the roots have started to crisp up. Then water your plant a little bit once a day for a week. After a week you want to go back to a more normal care routine, making sure to check the moisture in the soil frequently to avoid the brown leaves from developing again!
3. Brown leaves on your Hoya Linearis can also indicate low humidity levels. If watering and light aren’t the issue, then it might be dry air that is browning your Hoya Linearis. This will usually happen slowly from the tips inwards but won’t progress very quickly. But luckily for plant parents, it can be pretty simple to increase the humidity for your Hoya Linearis. We recommend misting or bathing the plant, using a pebble tray or buying a humidifier. 

Causes of Hoya Linearis yellow leaves:

1. Overwatering. If you notice that your Hoya Linearis is developing yellow patches on its leaves, the problem may be too much water. It’s an important issue to treat quickly so you’ll want to confirm the issue by checking the soil and roots to see if they are mushy. Replace any waterlogged potting mix and cut away rotten roots as there is no salvaging them.  Not only can the leaves turn a weird shade of yellow but it can also mean the plant becomes droopy and unstable. Make sure to let the soil fully dry out between waterings to prevent the issue from happening again. 
2. Drainage Issues. It might not be the amount or frequency that you water your Hoya Linearis that is causing the yellow leaves, but the lack of drainage. Stagnant water in the bottom of your plant’s pot can leave the soil waterlogged and you also need to make sure that your Hoya Linearis’ pot has drainage holes that aren’t blacked by anything. If you still need to aid drainage then the best option is mixing in a little perlite with the soil, this will make it far easier for water to flow through and also aids aeration of the soil. Another switch you might want to make to avoid more yellow leaves is using terracotta pots instead of plastic ones. These will allow some of the excess water to evaporate out of the sides of the pot if you accidentally overwater. We love these from Amazon. 
3. Overfertilisation. Hoya Linearis plants are quite sensitive when it comes to fertilisation and it’s important to dilute the fertiliser a lot to avoid yellow leaf burn. To stop the issue from progressing any further, remove any fertiliser spikes or replace the entire potting mix if the pellets are mixed in. If you’ve been using a water-soluble fertiliser, either replace the potting mix as well or rinse it in the shower to remove the fertiliser. Moving forward, cut back or even cut out fertiliser from your care routine. You’ll still see plenty of new healthy growth without it and it will avoid any yellow leaves on your Hoya Linearis in future. 

Hoya Linearis plants lose leaves for a variety of reasons

1. Cold temperatures. Cold streams of air coming in through air conditioning vents or drafty windows can shock your Hoya Linearis and result in your plant shedding some of its leaves as a result. It can be difficult to notice drafts so it’s best to pick up a digital thermometer so you can track any fluctuations in temperatures. Make sure to move your plant to a warmer spot if needed to avoid them losing any more leaves.  
2. Shock and stress. It’s not just cold temperatures that can shock your Hoya Linearis and cause it to lose leaves, but environmental shock and stress in general. This can happen after propagation, repotting, moving home and any other change. Usually, when it comes to shock, the leaf loss is temporary and should only last a week or two. If your Hoya Linearis is still losing leaves after that time, then there might be other causes.
3. Overwatering. Too much water can also lead to your Hoya Linearis losing leaves and it can be quite a common issue with these plants during winter. If you notice the leaves becoming a little softer than usual this may be because the roots are beginning to rot. This means that the plant isn’t able to get all the nutrients it needs and becomes unstable and droopy. Trim away any rotten roots and replace any soggy soil with fresh dry mix. Moving forward, you’ll need to adjust your watering habits to ensure that overwatering doesn’t harm your Hoya Linearis again. Either cut back on how much you water your Hoya Linearis or how frequently. 

Why is my Hoya Linearis drooping?

1. Underwatering. One of the earlier signs of an underwatered Hoya Linearis is drooping leaves. Stick a finger in the top few centimetres of the soil to check the moisture, or remove the potting mix entirely to check if the roots have started to turn crispy. This would indicate that the issue has been going on for a while. If you find that your Hoya Linearis’ soil is very dry, water it a little every other day for a week. Avoid drowning it in water as this can cause shock and your Hoya Linearis can actually lose leaves as we mentioned above.
2. Overwatering. What is strange about drooping Hoya Linearis leaves is that the issue can be caused by both overwatering and underwatering. This is because both issues damage the root system, starving it of what it needs to thrive which causes it to droop. If the leaves on your Hoya Linearis are drooping but are still green and healthy then the problem should not be so advanced and it should be easier to revive your plant. If your Hoya Linearis is suffering from overwatering and root rot replace the potting mix right away and trim away any rotten roots. In future, make sure the potting mix has enough time to fully dry out between waterings. 

To learn more about how to best care for your plant and prevent more issues, take a look through our Hoya Linearis care guide.

Basic Cactus Care

Known and loved for their easy care requirements and sharp spikes, the Cactus is probably one of the most famous plant types in the world. There are probably more Cactus types than we could possibly count in the world, which makes them one of the most unique and popular houseplant types. There are a few key things to remember when caring for Cacti; firstly, they need a good amount of sunlight so are perfect for that sunny warm spot in your home that might be too intense for your other houseplants. When it comes to watering, it’s important that the soil dries out fully between waterings so you want to give a good but infrequent soak. Below you’ll find all the detailed information you need to care for your Cactus. You can apply this generally to most of your Cacti types.

Detailed Cactus Care

Keep your Cactus in a bright spot

As you can imagine, being native to deserts across the world, cacti love sunlight. They will really struggle in low light areas of your home so make sure these are kept close to windows to make the most of the sunshine each day.

Adjust your watering across seasons

In the hotter months of spring and summer, it is important that your cacti receive sufficient watering. We usually go for once a month but it does depend on the size and drainage of each specific cactus. In winter, hold back almost completely from watering as it will cause root rot very quickly.

You must use a fast-draining potting mix

Your Cactus will rot pretty quickly if the soil retains moisture for too long. We recommend using succulent/ cactus specific soil as this will contain agents such as perlite which increases drainage in the pot.

Cacti prefer warmer environments

Although they can survive in slightly cooler homes, Cacti thrive in warmer environments. Nearer windows will tend to give them a little more warmth in summer but can be a little drafty in winter so be aware of this.

Dry air is best for your Cactus

This can be a little tricky especially if you have other humidity-loving houseplants in your home. Don’t worry too much about changing the humidity levels in your home but prevent placing your Cactus in the kitchen or bathroom where steam from cooking or showering naturally increases the humidity.

Use Cactus-specific fertiliser

If you wish to feed your Cactus during the growing months, we recommend using Cactus-specific fertiliser as they tend to be a little more tailored than generic houseplant fertiliser.

Keep away from pets and children

Due to the sharp thorns found on a lot of Cactus types, as well as some that produce sap that can be irritable to your skin and stomach, we recommend as a rule to keep your pets and children away from the Cacti in your home.

Don’t worry about repotting

You usually won’t have to repot your Cactus for a few years as they are quite slow growers and have shallow roots. If you do think it is time to repot, make sure you wear thick gloves to protect from their sharp pricks.

Propagate your Cactus using segment cuttings

Propagating a Cactus is usually quite easy and can be done by snipping of a healthy stem/pad or individual head. Place the cutting in the sun for a few days for it to harden before placing it in fresh cactus potting mix. Water every week or so and after a month or two it should start to form roots.

Cactus Care FAQs

Common Issues for Cacti

Growing and caring a Cactus in your home can sometimes be difficult so it is important to know what to look out for that suggests your cactus isn’t doing so well.

One of the hundreds of Air Plant types, the Xerographica has found its way to being one of the most popular and searched after varieties. If the dreaded thing has happened and your Xerographica has brown leaves, then this might, unfortunately, be quite an issue for your plant. Whilst some browning can be attributed to the natural life cycle, there are also some more worrying causes of brown leaves and leaf tips which we will go through below.

A lack of moisture can cause brown leaves for Xerographica’s

If your Xerographica’s leaves have become quite shrivelled and curled as well as brown then it may be because they aren’t receiving enough moisture. As Xerographica plants don’t grow like most other houseplants, in a pot full of soil that you water, you need to make sure that you are still giving your plant enough moisture. They need regular misting and bathing, especially during summer to prevent brown leaves.  If you haven’t been misting or bathing your Xerographica very often, then your first instinct might be to give it loads of water straight away. However, this can actually be harmful to your plant (yes, plants can get shocked too). So instead you want to reintroduce moisture slowly by misting daily and giving short baths.

Leaf rot shows up as brown patches

Too much moisture can also cause problems for your Xerographica as if the leaves are quite wet whilst your plant is exposed to cold temperatures, then this can cause the leaves to rot and turn brown.  This will usually show up as brown spots and patches across the leaves, which are soft to touch and fall off the plant pretty easily. If you have been giving your Xerographica too much water, then this is a little harder to rectify because there is no soil to replace which would be the natural step for most other plants. Instead, remove the worst affected areas of the plant and hold off misting or bathing for a few days. Going forward, ensure that you aren’t giving your plant too much water and that it isn’t exposed to cold temperatures that might exacerbate the problem.

Fertiliser burn can also cause brown leaf tips

Most generic plant foods and fertilisers will recommend a dosage for your plants, but it’s often far too much for a Xerographica and can result in brown leaves. They will usually turn brown from the tips and edges inwards.  There are a few things you can do here to prevent the problem from causing more brown leaves. Firstly, hold off fertilizing altogether or you can dilute the fertiliser more than you were doing before so that it’s a lot weaker. Your other option is buying a fertiliser specifically for Air Plants but this can be harder to find.

Chemical sensitivity

Another cause of brown leaf tips on Xerographica plants is fluoride sensitivity. If you live in a hard water area, the chlorine and fluoride in the tap water can cause brown tips. This is because over time the chemicals will build up on the leaves and prevent your plant from photosynthesising properly. Luckily, there are a few ways to stop this happening that don’t involve investing in a really expensive water purification system for your home. Firstly, you can collect rainwater and mist/bathe your Xerographica with that as the levels of fluoride and other chemicals will be much lower than the treated water out of your tap. Secondly, you can leave a watering can full of water out for around 24 hours. Over that time a lot of the chemicals will evaporate from the water and it is safer to use.  This isn’t an instant fix and there may be a few brown leaf tips that develop every now and again but it should stop the problem from developing rapidly.

It may just be the natural Xerographica life cycle

If none of the factors we mentioned above really fit with what is going on with your Xerographica then it might just be part of the natural cycle. Sometimes, when a Xerographica plant turns brown and crispy it actually means the plant is dying. If there are pups on your Xerographica that are at the point where they could be propagated, then the mother plant will dry up and die. This is normal and is how Xerographica plants reproduce. It’s not because of any wrongdoing so all you need to do here is propagate the pups and nurture these. Those are the main reasons why a Xerographica plant has developed brown leaves. It’s important that you first establish whether or not this is part of the natural Air Plant life cycle as you don’t want to be changing anything about the care or your plant’s environment if it’s not needed. Then the next thing we always recommend ruling out is any issues with watering as this can be a very quick killer of Xerographica plants as they need such unique care, unlike anything we are used to with other houseplants.  To learn more about your plant’s needs, check out our Xerographica care guide.

Loved for their colourful heart-shaped leaves, Caladium plants are actually a bit of a pain to take care of. They are sensitive to nearly every environmental factor which means they can develop issues, such as brown leaves if even the slightest thing is off. Below we will cover each of the main causes of brown leaves on Caladium plants so you can diagnose the issue, treat it and prevent it from harming your plant anymore. 

Overwatering is a common cause of brown leaves in Caladium Plants

Overwatering is probably the most damaging of houseplant issues as it can be harder to revive your plant once the issue has taken hold and caused brown leaves. Caladiums don’t like sitting in waterlogged soil at all, they prefer their potting mix to just be lightly moist. Too much water will cause damage to the root system and mean your plant will often develop brown leaves as well as droop down and turn soft. To figure out if overwatering is the reason your Caladium is turning brown, check the moisture levels in the soil immediately. Overwatering is a serious concern but you have the best chance at solving the issue if it is caught early. So don’t waste any time after spotting the brown leaves.  If the potting mix is waterlogged and the roots have begun to turn soft and black in colour, then this means too much water is most probably the cause of the brown leaves on your Caladium. To stop the issue progressing any further, replace the soil with fresh dry mix. Top tip: never reuse soil from another plant as this can spread diseases and pests without you noticing. You also want to trim away any roots that have started to rot as these won’t be serving your plant anymore.  Due to the damage caused to the root system, your Caladium may take a little while to fully recover and start to grow new healthy leaves. But be patient and with the right care and a bit of extra TLC you should start to see your Caladium starting to grow new healthy leaves soon.

It could also be drainage problems

Sometimes it may not be how often you water your Caladium the is resulting in brown leaves, but actually the poor drainage of the soil and pot. You want to make sure that any excess water is able to flow out of the pot and away from the roots. This will help to prevent them rotting and brown leaves developing on your Caladium.  Luckily, there are a few really easy ways to increase drainage. Firstly, mixing a small amount of perlite into the potting mix will allow for not only better drainage, but better aeration of the soil too. You also want to make sure that your pot has enough drainage holes and that these are not clogged up by anything. Placing some small stones at the bottom of your pot can help make sure they are always clear. You should also think about investing in some terracotta pots for your Caladium as these allow some of the excess moisture to evaporate out of the pot.

Low temperatures can result in brown leaves

Make sure that you draft proof any windows/ doors that are close to your Caladium (and other tropical or heat-loving houseplants) as well as move them at least one meter from any air conditioning vents. This is because cold air can be really damaging to Caladiums as they have absolutely no tolerance for it. They are a lot more sensitive to this than pretty much any other houseplant, so what might be fine for others, might cause brown leaves on your Caladium. It can mean that the potting mix dries out slower, leading to problems we have discussed above but it can also freeze the cells in your plant and slow down enzyme activity.  The best thing to do is use a a digital thermometer to monitor the temperature in your home and allow you to check for any cold drafts or fluctuations in temperature.

Intense direct sunlight

Lighting is always important to your houseplants and Caladiums are no different. If your Caladium is getting too much bright light you’ll start to notice some brown patches emerging on the leaves of your plant. As Caladiums have quite delicate leaves, this can happen relatively quickly. To check whether sunlight is the issue, you should notice that more brown patches have developed on the side of the plant that is facing the sun.  Try moving it into a slightly shadier place, ensuring that is doesn’t get any direct light. If you aren’t sure how much light your Caladium is getting in its current spot (or any alternative spots in your home) then we highly recommend using a light meter. They’ll tell you what level of light is in your home throughout the day and you’ll be able to monitor how it varies across the year.

Underwatering can cause light brown leaves

If you notice that your Caladium is developing brown spots or leaf edges that are quite light brown in colour then it might be a lack of water that is the cause.

Although we have established above that Caladiums don’t like too much moisture, they can also struggle with dry soil and this can result in the leaves drying out quite fast.

The easiest way to tell is again just by checking the moisture in the soil using a moisture meter and adjusting your watering schedule accordingly. You will need to either water your Caladium more frequently, or give it a little bit more water each time you do .

It may just be the natural life cycle

If your Caladium is suddenly losing a lot of their leaves at the beginning of winter, then this is most probably just part of the natural Caladium life cycle. Every year, Caladium plants shed all of their leaves over winter before growing new ones in spring. These leaves will often turn brown before they fall off the plant. It’s totally normal for your Caladium to do this so don’t worry about it and with the right care, you should see plenty of new growth in spring. Those are the most common reasons why Caladiums develop brown leaves, brown spots or brown leaf tips. Problems develop on Caladiums pretty quickly so it’s very important that you act as soon as you spot the first sign of trouble. We also recommend keeping a closer eye on these plants compared to a lot of your other houseplant types to see if you can spot problems before they have an impact on your plant. Monitoring temperature, moisture and sunlight can go a long way to preventing the issue in the first place.  Check out our Caladium care guide to learn more about what your plant needs.