Here are several common signs of trouble in indoor plants and tips on how to help them. Keep in mind that your plant's symptoms may be the result of more than one problem. Don't be intimidated by the fact that a problem might be from a variety of causes, just look for the most likely and start there. Some problems can be resolved simply, without affecting the plants. Others might require some grooming to clean up the damage. If you aren't sure about your diagnosis, stop by and see if we can help you. When possible, place a sample of the plant problem in a zip-lock bag and bring it with you. And don't be hard on yourself if you aren't able to rescue a plant · take it as a learning experience and look for a suitable replacement.

Wilting While lack of water might be the most common cause of wilting in plants, it can also be an indication of too much water or too much sun/heat. Check the soil first. If you can press on the surface of the soil and still feel moisture, the wilting is not due to lack of water. If the problem is lack of water, plants usually recover quickly when watered. When the wilting seems to be the result of the soil staying too moist, simply allow the plant to get drier between waterings and avoid letting water stand in the saucer for more than an hour. Sun and heat can also cause wilting, especially in plants that aren't accustomed to those conditions. If you suspect sun/heat to be the cause, move the plant to a different location.

Tips/Edges Brown This can be a difficult problem to diagnose since these symptoms can be caused by over- or under-watering, too much sun/heat, too much fertilizer, a build up of salt, not enough humidity, a draft or ·even more confusing · a combination of factors. All you can do is resolve the most obvious cause first and if that doesn't stop the browning, look for another likely factor. Browned tips/edges will not repair themselves and the affected leaves may have to be removed.

Yellowing/Discolored Leaves First look for critters causing the discoloring and deal with them accordingly. Yellowing can also indicate too little or too much light or fertilizer. In plants like tropical hibiscus, yellowing can be triggered by any sudden change of light or water levels or cold shock. Indoor plants such as oxalis and achimenes can only stay actively growing for a given length of time before their leaves begin to discolor and die as the plant goes dormant. Once again, find out the ideal conditions for the plant and work with the most likely cause first.

Dropping Leaves Look at the plant to determine if there is a pattern to the leaves dropping off. If it seems to be happening on one side of the plant, look for a draft or too much sun/heat. If most of the falling leaves seem to be coming from the bottom or deep inside the plant, check to see if it is getting enough light. If the leaf drop is generalized, look for over- or under-watering, too much fertilizer or too little humidity.

Won't Bloom Some varieties of indoor plants seem to bloom on and on (such as African violets, mini-roses or begonias), while others go through periods of bloom (such as azaleas, cyclamen and kalanchoes). Those that cycle in and out of bloom often require a resting period for a couple months of cool nights with lots of light and not very much fertilizer to initiate bud set. If a variety that normally blooms on and on stops blooming, check to see if it is receiving adequate light. It's hard for a plant to gather enough light to bloom in our dark Minnesota winter. Unfortunately, there are also those that aren't very likely to bloom again indoors, such as spring bulbs and chrysanthemums.

Tall/Thin/Scraggly This one is easy! Your plant isn't getting enough light. Give the plant as much indirect and artificial light as you can and, when possible, increase the natural light. Whenever increasing a plant's sun exposure, do so gradually to help the plant acclimate.

Stem Rotting When stems become soft and begin to rot, too much water is almost always the cause (although occasionally the initial cause may have been an injury). Let the plant dry out more and be sure it doesn't sit in a saucer full of water any longer than an hour after watering. Usually, when the problem develops to where you notice it, too much damage has been done to help that stem. When only part of the plant is affected, cut out the damaged stems, treat with a broad-spectrum fungicide, increase air-circulation and keep the plant on the dry side while it heals.

Soggy Soil While over watering is the most obvious cause of this problem, it can also be complicated by poor drainage or poor quality potting soil. Ease the plant out of the pot and look and sniff. If the soil smells sour and the roots look dark, replace as much of the soil as possible with a quality potting mix such as Bachman's Exceloam. Check the container for an adequate( unplugged) drain hole. Covering drainage holes with a piece of broken crockery or a piece of material from some old nylons will help keep the drainage flowing and prevent soil from washing out.

Bugs Close inspection of your plants may reveal pests that you wouldn't casually notice. Most commonly, you will find aphids, spider mites, whitefly, scale or mealy bugs. Plants infested with bugs tend to have an unhealthy appearance and some discoloring or distortion of the foliage. Identify the culprit and use the appropriate insecticide. Damaged foliage may need to be removed and treatment repeated. Check nearby plants.

Diseases The most common disease problems on indoor plants are powdery mildew, stem, crown or root rots, molds and leaf spot. It is important to identify the disease so that it can be properly treated and controlled.

Keep in mind that the cause of a problem can usually be identified. If you are having trouble identifying a disease, insect or cultural problem on an indoor plant, we may be able to help you. Bring in a sample of the plant that shows the problem and let us have a look.