It is very disappointing and sad if you see your plants’ leaves turning brown as if it is going to die soon. I am sure that most of you have encountered this problem. If there is just a plant doctor around the corner, you will definitely go and ask his expert opinion about this. But what is really the cause and why the leaves are turning brown on their tips and edges.
The first thing that you will think when you see brown edges on the leaves of your plant is that your plant has disease or pest is attacking your plant. That is always the case for all of us. But there are many factors why the plant leaves are turning brown, it could be a major problem and it could be just a minor problem.
- Stressed plant. We are not the only ones suffering from stress, plants too. This is one of the reasons why the leaves of the plant are turning brown especially if it is on the edges or the tips only. The most common cause why your plant is stressed because it is not getting enough water. Maybe you forgot to water them but you need to solve it by giving them enough water. However, be careful not to over-water them because it will also be stressful for the plant. You have to check the moisture of your soil. To test the moisture of your soil, you can buy a tester (you can buy it online from AliExpress or Lazada) or you can simply dip your finger into the soil to an inch and check whether it is dry or moist. If dry, then water them thoroughly. A 3-in-1 soil moisture tester.
- If after giving enough water, the situation is the same then maybe the roots are restrained and unable to get enough water. This always happens in container planting especially if there is no aeration and you are using clay type of soil. You may keep watering them for the plant to get more water. However, there is a possibility of rotting its roots if you over-water them. The best solution is to transfer the plant to a bigger container with loose and well drain soil. Constricted roots of plants. Photo: Houseplant
- Your soil is not holding enough water. If you are using sandy soil, it will not hold enough water especially if you put a water-loving plant. Sandy soil will drain the water too fast and this may be causing water deficiency and brown edges on leaves. You can improve your soil by adding organic materials mix with some garden soil like cocopeat. Compost and cocopeat will not only hold water but also provides good aeration. Sandy soil will not hold enough water.
- Another reason the leaves are turning brown is maybe that the roots are damaged. Some gardeners are not careful when they transplant their plants. We must take extra care especially on the roots part of the plant. If you can prevent damaging them, that would be fine. If this is the problem, you need to prune your plant to reduce its water requirements so that the root system recovers from the stress. Damaged root.
- Sodium content. If your soil contains higher sodium or salt, then that may be the reason why the tips and edges of the leaves are turning brown. To solve this case, water them with soft water and check if you are over-fertilizing them and keep them exposed to sunlight. Check the drainage hole of your pot and if it is very small, enlarge it so that the salty water or the fertilizer will flush out.
- If after you did all the above solutions and it is still the same, then your plant lacks some nutrients, most probably potassium or magnesium.