As a plant parent, there’s no worse feeling than when your plant is sick. Your plants are your green babies and you want them to thrive, so it’s an awful feeling when they’re hit with drooping leaves, weird brown spots, visible mold, or creepy crawlies. 

If recent problems have you wondering ‘what’s wrong with my plant?!’ then we’re here to help. There are lots of ways that an ordinarily healthy plant can show sickness. In many cases, you’ll be happy to hear that it’s an easy fix to coax your plant back to its former glory. 

Some of the most common plant problems include issues with the leaves (such as yellow and brown discoloration, wilting, curling and dropping), mold, pests, uneven growth and a general failure to thrive and produce flowers. 

If any of those problems sound familiar, Arber’s organic, eco-friendly plant nourishment and care products have got your back. With Arber’s organic, non-toxic, scientifically proven-to-work products, your plants will be bursting with life in no time at all. Let’s get into it.

Why Do Plants Get Sick?

Our homes can be challenging environments for plants, with dry air, limited natural light, and often-irregular watering. This isn’t the natural habitat that plants are used to and they respond by getting sick or developing problems. 

Plants also aren’t meant to be contained in pots. They're meant to be out in nature, in the ground, where their roots can grow big and wide. Containing plants in pots has the potential to be a stressor, which can cause them to act out and have issues.

To understand what’s wrong with your plant, the first step is to conduct a thorough assessment of why it isn’t thriving. Luckily, most common houseplant problems are easy to diagnose. Start with some observations: 

• What looks different or unusual about your plant compared to how it looked previously? 
• Have you moved your plant around recently? Has it been repotted, or has its environment or surrounding temperature changed?
• Does the soil feel moist or dry? Use your finger to check. 

To help you figure out what’s wrong (and how to fix it!), we’ve broken down the most common plant problems and their solutions below. 

My Plant Isn’t Flowering

When you buy a plant from the store, nursery or farmer’s market, they always seem to be in bloom. This makes it easy to think that they will flower continuously. This isn’t the case, however. 

Many plants are made to flower through artificial means before going on sale, such as by applying plant hormones that make them bloom out of season or by imposing specific regimens of light and dark. Fortunately for us, plant care brands like Arber don’t believe in this sort of manipulation of natural growth processes. Their Organic Bio Protectant increases blooms, doubles harvest, and elevates plant health naturally via a powerful biological agent that boosts plants’ immune systems. 

It’s completely normal for plants to stop flowering for a while. Most often, you just need to wait until your plant is ready to bloom again. As long as your plant is well-cared for and generally in good health, you have nothing to worry about. 

Some plants flower seasonally or when they’re exposed to a particular pattern of daytime and nighttime. Make sure that your plant isn’t hidden somewhere too dark or behind a curtain to avoid this. 

You should also ensure your plant is sufficiently nourished so it has the energy to produce healthy flowers. Arber’s Organic Plant Food enriches the soil and provides plants with the nutrients they need to grow bigger, more vibrant blooms. It’s even proven to double plant growth, so your plant will be thriving in no time. 

My Plant Isn’t Growing Or Thriving

If your plant looks sad and lackluster, or if it isn’t growing very well, the problem could be a lack of nutrients. Plants often stay in the same pot for years and use up all the nutrients in the soil, leading to slow growth and a failure to thrive. 

Give your plant’s roots a look over to see if it needs repotting. This could be the case if the roots are filling the pot to the point of spilling over, or if little soil is visible. If so, choose a slightly bigger pot to give your plant more room to breathe, and use Arber’s Repotting Revival Bundle to give your plant everything it needs to thrive. It contains Organic Bio Fungicide to prevent root rot and Organic Soil & Root Food to revitalize soil biodiversity, as well as a reusable Repotting Mat to keep your space mess-free. 

Here’s how to repot your plant: 

1. Lay down Arber’s Repotting Mat to establish your workspace and catch any mess
2. Lift the rootball out of the existing pot and gently teasing the matted roots apart
3. Soak the roots in a mixture of water and Arber’s Bio Fungicide for 15-20 minutes to control any fungal damage to the roots, as they’ve been crammed into the same soil and pot
4. Add some soil to the bottom of the pot and sprinkle some of Arber’s Soil & Root Food onto this layer
5. Place your plant inside and add more soil on top, gently tamping down
6. Sprinkle some more Soil & Root Food on top of the soil, and water thoroughly

If the current pot seems just fine, give your plant some food to help it thrive. Arber’s Plant Food, made from recycled supermarket waste, is a protein-infused formula that will stimulate growth and help your plant live its best life. 

My Plant Is Stretched Out Or Growing Unevenly

Is your plant looking spindly, or getting leggy and awkwardly tall? It’s trying to tell you that it needs more light! Move your green baby to a lighter spot, such as a south-facing windowsill. 

Uneven growth could be caused by lopsided access to the sun. Rotate your plant periodically to ensure all sides receive the same amount of sunlight. 

If your plant is drooping, a quick assistive fix is to stake it or add a support or moss pole to help it grow straighter.

Give your plant a helping hand towards extra-luscious growth by feeding it with Arber’s Organic All-Purpose Fertilizer to support greener leaves and bigger flowers. Its slow-release nutrients will keep your plant nourished and happy as it thrives in the sun. 

My Plant Is Drying Out

You might not know that plants aren’t constantly absorbing water, and that this can be the reason they’re looking dry or unhealthy. If your plant feels dried out but you’re watering it frequently, the problem may lie with the soil. Sometimes the quality of the soil makes it hard to fully absorb water. Or if you’ve recently forgotten to water your plant or been away on vacation (it happens to the best of us!), the soil could have dried out to the point where it’s difficult to properly rehydrate it. 

For smaller plants, try submerging the bottom of the pot in water to give it the best chance of re-moistening. We also recommend applying a little something extra to give the soil a boost. Arber’s Organic Soil & Root Food contains beneficial microbes called mycorrhizae that bring soil back to life and encourage biodiversity, and the shake-on granules make it dead simple to apply. 

My Plant Has Bugs

Uh oh, has your plant become a home to some unwelcome pests? Creepy crawlies are a common problem for plant owners and they can do serious damage to your green friends. 

There are lots of bugs that can cause plant problems, from aphids to spider mites to beetles and fungus gnats. Take a look at our guide to pesky plant pests to establish what you’re dealing with, and apply Arber’s Bio Insecticide to fix the problem in a quick, fuss-free way. It’s unlike any other product on the market thanks to a unique formulation that uses good bacteria, killing off unwanted pests and letting beneficial bugs and pollinators thrive while simultaneously nourishing your plant, helping it recover faster from infestations. Plus, it’s completely safe and non-toxic for humans and pets.  

My Plant’s Leaves Are Wilting, Curling, Dropping, Yellow, Pale, Burnt Or Have Brown Spot Or Tips

Any issues with leaves can be slightly tricky to solve, as it can have many causes. Overwatering, underwatering, too much heat, disease, pests, and overfertilizing can all cause leaves to exhibit signs of unhappiness and stress. This can range from color changes to spots to wilting, curling, or dropping off completely. 

Change in environment 

If you’re finding your plant’s leaves are constantly falling off, this could be either a sign of overwatering or an indication that your plant is feeling sensitive due to a change in environment. Have you recently moved your plant to a different location? If so, and as long as other growing conditions are the same, your plant should grow new leaves after it settles in. 

Overwatering

Start by checking your plant’s moisture levels regularly to establish if the soil is too dry or too wet and adjusting your watering habits accordingly. It’s a good rule of thumb to only water your plants when the soil feels dry to the touch around ½-1 inch down. 

Check for overwatering by seeing if water has collected at the base of your plant, tipping away any excess. Always check that soil isn’t already overly damp before watering to avoid this, and keep soil extra-healthy with Arber’s Soil & Root Food, which is proven to increase soil fertility and help to keep plants vibrant and healthy. 

Overwatering can also cause fungal growth, which thrives in wet conditions and high humidity. Apply Arber’s Organic Bio Fungicide to protect against fungus, mold, mildew and rot using Mother Nature’s very own good bacteria.

Underwatering 

If your plant’s leaves look dried out, you might not be giving it enough to drink. As with overwatering, check soil moisture levels regularly to establish if it needs more or less water. If the soil is bone-dry more often than not, it’s a safe bet you need to water more regularly. 

Inconsistent watering can also cause problems such as leaf spots. You should only water a plant when it needs it but even if your plant is happy with being water relatively infrequently, try not to go for weeks without watering and then surprising it with a well-intentioned but OTT deluge. This can stress your plant out. 

Heat

Just like humans, plants can get sunburned. Leaves that look paler or whiter than usual are probably getting too much light. This is easily resolved by moving your plant to a spot that gets less intense light, or by moving it out of direct sunlight.  

Disease

Wilting and dropping leaves can be a sign of disease or of insects. If you see fuzzy white spots or black spots, it could be a disease. Say goodbye to this problem by using Arber’s Organic Bio Fungicide, which stops diseases spread on contact while being safe for kids and pets. 

Pests

If upon closer inspection of your plant’s leaves you find signs of bugs, don’t panic! Pick off any visible bugs and suppress them more permanently with Arber’s Bio Insecticide. It uses good bacteria to kill off unwanted surface pests and help your plant to shine. 

Overfertilizing

Brown spots or brown leaf tips can be caused by overfertilizing. We get it: when plant fertilizers are as effective as Arber’s Plant Food, it can be tempting to apply too much! Stick to a schedule of around every two weeks and you should see better results.

Burnt-looking leaves can also be a sign that you’re being a bit too enthusiastic when applying Arber’s Plant Food (we’ve all been there!). Use less fertilizer to fix this plant problem. 

My Plant Has Mold Or Mildew

Any sign of pale or white residue on plants is likely due to mold or mildew. As well as looking unsightly, this is bad for your plants. Signs of mildew and mold include pale grey or white deposits on the tops or bottoms of leaves. 

To fix this plant problem, you should apply Arber’s Bio Fungicide to ensure long-lasting defense against fungus and bacteria. You can even apply it as a preventative measure every two weeks before any mold or mildew even appears for general prevention and plant wellness. 

Increasing air flow around your plant can also help fix this. Mold or mildew thrives in still, humid conditions, so try moving your plant to a better ventilated area.

My Plant’s Leaves Are Small Or Misshapen

Is your plant suffering from small or oddly-shaped leaves? This is most commonly caused by a nutrient deficiency that isn’t allowing your plant to reach its full potential. Improve growth by applying Arber’s Organic Plant Food once a month. This supplement supports soil fertility to help leaves become greener and thicker, flowers to bloom more frequently and roots to grow deeper. 

Pests and bugs can also cause leaves to grow poorly. Use Arber’s Organic Bio Insecticide to prevent and suppress insects in a safe way, and to stop bugs invading your other green babies. 

My Plant’s Leaves Are Ragged Or Look Chewed

If your plant’s leaves have a ragged, gnawed-on appearance, you should check in with your pets to ensure they’re not chewing on the leaves. Move plants out of the reach of dogs and cats to keep both pets and plants safe. 

Insects also love to gnaw on leaves, in which case you need a more powerful solution than simply moving your plant out of Fluffy’s reach. To stop non-beneficial bugs in their tracks, apply Arber’s Organic Bio Insecticide after trimming off any damaged leaves. And you don’t need to worry that applying Arber’s insecticide will cause problems for your pets if they do manage to sneak another chomp or two on your plant while your back’s turned, as the formulas are safe for animals and humans. It’s non-toxic but incredibly effective, containing more than 20 natural compounds that are effective against the smallest yet mightiest of pests.

Conclusion

With Arber’s organic solutions to plant problems, you can keep your green friends happy and thriving without sacrificing quality or the environment. Stock up on plant care products today, plus 10% OFF your order if you use code PRIMARYGOODS10.