Brown Tips on House Plants
House plants are beautiful ways to introduce nature into home spaces. Sometimes they are plagued by disease or pest problems, but most unhappy house plants just need a slight change of environment or cultivation practices. Brown tips on the leaves of plants usually indicates one of several problems: overfertilization, insufficient water, cold temperatures, low humidity or sun scorch from too much direct sunlight. Does this Spark an idea?
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Fertilizer Burn
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Plants should receive fertilizer during the growing season only, and do not need feeding during the winter when they are dormant. Light monthly applications, or weekly feeding diluted into water at 1/10 the recommended rate, are common practices. Organic fertilizers or compost tea are gentler than chemical fertilizers and less prone to causing fertilizer burn. White crust on top of the soil is another sign of overfertilizing. Regular watering will gradually wash out excess fertilizer salts.
Lack of Water
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It is important to learn the watering needs for individual plants, because they vary greatly between species. A good test is to check the first 1 1/2 inches of soil with your finger; if it is dry, the plant needs water. Plants should be watered deeply until the roots are soaked and water comes out the bottom of the pot. If the plant is extremely dry, the water may run down the sides, so be sure that it is soaking into the soil.
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Low Temperatures
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During the winter, cold temperatures combined with dryness caused by heating systems can cause plant leaves to turn brown. Most house plants are healthy with a low temperature of about 60 degrees F. If the house is cooler than this, look for a warm corner or cover the pot with a plant cozy. To combat dryness, mist the leaves all over with a spray bottle each time you water it. Keep the plant away from drafty windows and radiators.
Leaf Scorch
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Occasionally, plant leaves will turn brown around the margins and between the veins if they are receiving too much sunlight. This is especially common when moving an indoor plant to the outdoors for the summer. Plants should start out in filtered sunlight, with protection against direct sun during the hottest part of the day. Indoors, this might happen if a plant with low light requirements is placed next to a south- or west-facing window with full sun exposure.
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