Plant first aid is daunting for all plant parents because, well plants don’t us language like we do. That makes it tough to read them for signs of distress. Never fear, dear readers, this article will help you decipher what your ailing plants might be telling you.

A few things to note before we get started. The most important and easiest way you can treat your plants right is to pick plants that will thrive in your home. Check out our Plants by Room series for some pointers.

Second, don’t be stressed by sudden leaf fall in the winter. This is normal for most houseplants as they acclimate to colder temperatures. A period of shock (falling leaves) is expected.

Dry Air

Dry air for plants means little humidity which in turn makes it hard for the plant to transpire (something plants do, it is like sweating for humans. Most houseplants need humidity of 50% or above to thrive in a home. When we turn on our heat, reaching that ideal 50% can be tough.

Note: Succulents and cacti do not need much humidity and can survive a winter without any special attention in this area.

What It Looks Like

• Leaves dry out, curl and fall, have crunchy texture

• Brown tips or edges on leaves

• Wilting leaves

How to Deal With it

• Boost the humidity near the plant

• Use a humidity tray, or mist your plant in the mornings

• Use a humidifier

• Do not water to combat dry air. The roots are not as susceptible and do not need extra moisture.

• Read our article on humidity

How To Prevent It

• Measure your humidity with a hygrometer.

• Keeping plant problems at bay with good housekeeping is crucial. Learn how here.

Overwatering

Overwatering is the most common cause of houseplant death. It’s important to remember that your plants are not actively growing in the winter so they need significantly less water. Your watering schedule should reflect that.

What It Looks Like

• Soft to the touch brown spots and patches on leaves

• Leaves curl and fall, limp not crunchy

• Rotting leaves and stem (black, squishy, wet, possible foul odor)

• Green slime (not white) on clay pots

How to Deal With it

• Stop all watering

• Decompact the soil with a straw or fork

• Provide some drainage

• Ventilate the plant with a small fan

How To Prevent It

• Know where you plant is from and what soil it needs. Try to match it that best you can.

• Keeping plant problems at bay with good housekeeping is crucial. Learn how here.

Cold Temperatures

Nobody likes cold weather, especially plants. Really, what is there to like? Cold temps can affect plants drastically. Here’ how to deal with it.

What It Looks Like

• Leaves curl and fall

• Leaves yellow and fall

How to Deal With it

• Move plant to a warm place, not near a window or door, away from draft

How To Prevent It

• Keep your space warm, preferrably between 69 and 75 degrees F

• Avoid keeping plants on windowsills

• Avoid keeping plants in spaces near outside doors

• Keeping plant problems at bay with good housekeeping is crucial. Learn how here.

Not enough light

Light, whether it comes from the sun or grow light, provides warmth and energy for plants to survive. Energy from light is used by plants to make their own food energy.

This ability is known by a common name: photosynthesis.  Photosynthesis is a chemical reaction where absorbed energy from light is used to convert carbon dioxide (from the air, thanks humans!) and water (from the soil, thanks roots!) into a sugar called glucose, which is sent back to the roots of the plant and absorbed as food. So yeah, light’s important.

What It Looks Like

• Plant growing slowly or not at all (over time)

• Variegated leaves turn all green

• Small, pale leaves; spindly growth (leggy)

• Pale, weak growth

How to Deal With it

• Move the plant gradually to more light

How To Prevent It

• Keep the plant in conditions it needs for light

• Keeping plant problems at bay with good housekeeping is crucial. Learn how here.

Pest and Disease

Fortunately, plant pests and other diseases are usually easy to spot. You’ll see them around the stems and leaf nodes or in the soil. They like to feed off the plant nutrients where they are the juiciest, for example, where the stem joins a new leaf, when a stem joins the trunk and in the soil with the plant’s roots.

A serious attack of most pests leads to wilting, yellowing and leaf fall. Keep reading to learn more.

What It Looks Like

• Leaves are dull and lifeless

• Holes and tears in leaves

• White cottony fluff on stems or underside of leaves

• White webbing between leaves and stems

• Soft to the touch brown spots and patches on leaves moist and blister like or dry and sunken

How to Deal With it

• Clean affected plants

• Treat affected plants

How To Prevent It

• Make sure you have the right air flow and temperature

• Practice good housekeeping

• Water with hydrogen peroxide

• Quarantine infested plants immediately

Learn more about plant pest and disease here.