Houseplants are an essential part of interior decor, as they add color, visual interest, and tranquility to a room. Most houseplants are easy to maintain with little experience, especially if you buy sturdy varieties from the garden store. However, plants still need care, and you should know when they aren’t doing well. Here are a few red flags to keep on your radar.

How to Tell If Your Houseplants Are Unwell

1. Brown Tips

Some plants look generally healthy but have brown edges on the leaves. This can indicate over-fertilization, insecticide damage, under-watering, hot temperatures, or root rot. To determine the cause, try a few solutions to find out which works best. For example, you can relocate the houseplant to a place with less sunlight or reduce fertilizing to once a month.

2. Yellow Leaves

You may be over-watering your plant if the leaves are yellow. The excess liquid causes root rot, especially if the pot has poor drainage. Re-pot the plant, and put moisture indicators in the soil to avoid over-watering it.

3. Spindly or Scorched Leaves

Your plant may be lacking sunlight if it has spindly leaves and stems or isn’t flowering as it should. Most houseplants need about 12 to 14 hours of sunlight a day. To combat this issue, move the plant to a different location and use a general, balanced fertilizer from your local garden store.

On the other hand, some houseplants do better with strong, indirect light, and scorched leaves are a sign of too much sunlight. Prune the damaged leaves, and relocate the plant to a place that’s well-lit, but out of direct light.

If you’d like to get more houseplants or try your hand at indoor plant care, head to Garden Exchange in Hilo, HI. This family-owned garden store supplies Big Island homeowners with everything they need to help their plants thrive, including fertilizer and watering tools. If you’re new to gardening, their friendly and knowledgeable team will be happy to answer your questions and help you choose a few plants. Get more details about their selection of plants online, or call (808) 961-2875  to ask about their weekly specials.