Why Are My Plants Dying? 7 Common Mistakes
Diagnose the problem and save your plants
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You bought the plant. You watered it. You put it by a window. And now it's dying.
You're not alone. Most plant deaths come from the same handful of mistakes - and almost all of them are fixable if you catch them early enough.
Quick diagnosis: Yellow leaves usually mean overwatering. Brown crispy leaves mean underwatering or low humidity. Pale, leggy growth means not enough light. Sudden leaf drop means stress (temperature, drafts, or being moved).
1 Overwatering
The #1 killer of houseplants. It's not about how much water you give - it's about watering too frequently before the soil has dried.
Symptoms: Yellow leaves, mushy stems, soil that stays wet for days, fungus gnats, mold on soil surface, root rot (black, mushy roots).
Fix: Only water when the top 2-3cm of soil is dry. Ensure pots have drainage holes. If root rot has set in, repot in fresh soil and trim dead roots.
2 Underwatering
Less common than overwatering, but equally deadly. Plants need consistent moisture - not drought followed by flooding.
Symptoms: Brown, crispy leaf edges. Leaves wilting or curling. Soil pulling away from pot edges. Slow or no growth.
Fix: Water thoroughly until water drains from the bottom. Set a reminder to check soil moisture regularly. Consider self-watering pots for consistent moisture.
3 Inconsistent Watering
Many people water correctly sometimes, but inconsistently. Plants stress when they cycle between too dry and too wet.
Symptoms: Blossom end rot on tomatoes. Cracked fruits. Leaf drop. Overall stressed appearance despite "proper" care.
Fix: Establish a checking routine (not a watering schedule - check soil, then decide). Self-watering systems eliminate this problem entirely.
4 Not Enough Light
Most homes have less natural light than people think. That "bright" room might only get 2 hours of direct sun.
Symptoms: Leggy, stretched growth. Pale or yellowing leaves. Leaning toward windows. Small or no new leaves. Slow growth.
Fix: Move plants closer to windows. South-facing windows get the most light. Consider a grow light for darker rooms. Choose low-light plants for dim spaces.
5 Wrong Pot Size
Too big = soil stays wet too long (root rot). Too small = roots get cramped and can't access nutrients.
Symptoms: Overwatering symptoms in too-large pots. Roots growing out of drainage holes in too-small pots. Water running straight through without absorbing.
Fix: Repot into a container only 2-5cm larger in diameter than the current one. Ensure drainage holes exist.
6 Temperature and Draft Stress
Plants hate sudden temperature changes. Drafts from windows, doors, air conditioning, and heating vents cause stress.
Symptoms: Sudden leaf drop. Brown spots. Wilting despite proper watering. Damage on the side facing the draft.
Fix: Move plants away from drafty windows, doors, and vents. Most houseplants prefer 18-24°C. Avoid placing plants on radiators or near air conditioners.
7 Ignoring Drainage
Decorative pots without drainage holes trap water at the bottom, leading to root rot even with careful watering.
Symptoms: All the symptoms of overwatering, even when you water sparingly. Water visible at the bottom of the pot.
Fix: Always use pots with drainage holes. If you love a decorative pot without holes, use it as a cachepot (outer pot) with a draining inner pot.
The Real Solution: Remove the Guesswork
Notice how many of these problems come from watering? Too much, too little, too inconsistent.
The finger test helps, but life gets busy. You forget to check. You travel. You get distracted.
Self-watering planters solve this by maintaining consistent soil moisture automatically. The plant takes what it needs from a reservoir - no guessing, no schedules, no stress.
Stop Killing Plants
Garden Stack is a self-watering planter that keeps soil consistently moist for weeks. No more overwatering, no more forgetting, no more dead plants.
See Garden Stack
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