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What Your Plants are Trying to Tell You

Author Bio

Emma Gallagher is a Brit living in North Carolina. She grows organic gardens and... Read More

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No matter what level of experience we have in the garden, one thing that we should always do is listen to our plants. With all the good intentions in the world, if we don’t keep an eye on our plants, we can’t possibly know what it is they want and require.

Plants have an amazing way of expressing their needs, whether it’s telling us they have too much water, too little water, not enough sun, too much sun, have a thirst for fertilizer, or need a good prune.

If you know the signs, you can respond appropriately as a good plant parent and keep your growing greens as healthy as possible.

Whether it’s veggies or flowers you are after, keep an eye out for these classic tell-tale signs and act accordingly.

These are just general guidelines that will at least set you in the right direction should your plants be suffering in any way and help you to troubleshoot your way to a solution. Remember, though, that every plant is different.

Underwatering

If you notice the tips of your plant’s leaves are drying out and turning brown, it could be that water is not reaching the extremities of the plant.

Research your individual plant and check to see how much water it needs a week. Many plants need at least an inch of water a week.

Underwatering might also result in stunted growth. If you notice that your plant is not producing new growth, a lack of water might be the issue.

You might also notice that the leaves are wilted even when not in full sun. Note that many plants will deliberately wilt their leaves in the hot sun to protect themselves from the blaze. Notice to see if your plants revive in the cool of the evening to determine if they need water.

Overwatering

Source: Growing Wisdom/YouTube

Overwatering is equally problematic for many plants. Some symptoms of this might be leaves that have turned yellow, rotted-out roots, and a mushy degradation of the stems.

Counterintuitively, overwatered plants might also show signs of wilting, and can have yellow or brown leaves where water has started to rot the cells.

Check the plant’s soil to see if it seems waterlogged, and research the plant’s water needs to find out if you are overwatering it.

Not Enough Sun Light

Several signs can tell you that a plant is not getting enough sun. Your plants are going to try their best to get a share of the much-needed light and will let you know if they aren’t.

If they have been overcrowded by taller plants, they will grow taller and leggier in the hope of reaching some sun. This, however, makes for weak and spindly plants.

You might also notice that some of your plants have grown in a direction other than up! This is your plant reaching for the sunlight in any way it can.

Other symptoms might include stunted growth, smaller leaves, and fewer to no blooms on otherwise flowering plants.

Too Much Sun Light

Source: Blossom – Plant Care & Growing App/YouTube

Unfortunately, many of the symptoms of these plant issues are similar. You just need to do a little detective work to find out what is going on.

If you find your plant has uncharacteristically yellow or brown leaves, but the soil is moistened to perfection, there must be something else going on.

Not all plants can handle hours of direct sunlight, and it will take its toll. The leaves have turned brown, not because of having been parched, but because of having been scorched.

If you notice this happening, either move your plant to a shadier spot or plant another plant alongside it to help cast some shade in the heat of the afternoon.

Over Fertilizing

Again, a number of the signs and symptoms of over-fertilizing are the same or similar to the other issues. You just have to do some troubleshooting.

Read your plant’s requirements for fertilization. Some plants aren’t greedy while others are heavy feeders.

Some signs to look out for are yellowing or browning leaves from having been scorched. Salt buildup from over-fertilizing can inhibit the plant from uptaking water.

You might notice that your plants have stunted growth, or, conversely, show a major growth spurt only to become sickly soon afterward.

This happens because the plant has been given the energy to produce greenery without having formed strong roots.

Under Fertilizing

Plants need their nutrition, too. If you have really good, well-balanced soil, rich in organic matter, the chances are your plants will have all they need. However, you can’t just stick a plant in any old soil and expect it to thrive.

As with any living thing, an undernourished plant will be stunted, weak, and yellowing or even turning red or purple. There may not be the blooms or fruits that you were hoping for, either.

Again, the best thing you can do is research your plant’s needs to find out what type of soil it prefers.

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