QuestionHi i hop that you can help me i a few indoor planets an the lives are filling off what can i do to stop this from happen
AnswerHi Tonya,
It would help me help you if you could tell me what kind of plants you are having the leaf drop problem with.
There are many reasons that plants will drop their leaves. Natural aging will cause a plant to drop some of it's older, usually bottom leaves. Some plants like Ficus plants will naturally lose up to 20% of their leaves in late summer / fall. They will regrow them in the spring without harm to the plant.
Some of the most common reasons for excessive leaf drop is improper watering, temperature problems such as cold or hot drafts, lack of humidity, over fertilization and insects/mites.
Resist the temptation to overwater a shedding plant, which will only make the problem worse. As a general rule allow the top 1-2 inches of soil to dry between watering then water just enough for a small amount of water to drain out of the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot. Adjust watering to fit the needs of specific plants.
I also recommend using distilled water. A lot of plants are sensitive to the fluoride, chlorine and hard water deposits found in most tap water. By using distilled water you can avoid many problems that can be caused by water quality.
Check to see if the plants are sitting in a place where they are subject to a draft (hot or cold) from an air vent, air conditioner or a door that is often opened.
Most plants require lots of humidity. One way to raise the humidity around a plant place the plant on a tray of pebbles filled halfway with water. Be sure that the bottom of the pot is not sitting in the water as this will cause the soil to stay too wet.
Another way to raise the humidity is to group several plants together.
Plants give off moisture into the air around them. The moisture given off by each of the plants will help to raise the humidity around the whole group. I have found that regular light misting also helps.
Avoid over fertilizing. Some plants are sensitive to over fertilizing. Fertilizer should only be given to healthy plants that are actively growing. Never give fertilizer to a plant while it is dormant or to an unhealthy plant. Fertilizer will not ' cure' an unhealthy plant and will actually cause more harm. Only fertilize a plant when it needs it. A good sign a plant needs fertilizer is little or no new growth during the plant's active growing cycle. Any well balanced fertilizer is OK. I recommend using 1/3 of the amount called for in the directions on the package. Liquid fertilizers are best. Dilute 1 part liquid fertilizer to 2 parts distilled water. Be sure to never fertilize a plant when the soil is dry. This could cause the plant to take up too much fertilizer at once. Also avoid using fertilizer sticks. There a risk of damaging delicate roots when the stick is pressed into the soil. When plant food sticks start to melt they can create chemical ' hot spots' causing damage to roots that come into contact with these spots.
Check your plants often for signs of an insect presence. It does not take long for even a small insect population to damage a plant beyond it's ability to recover.
I hope this helps. If you have any questions or need additional information please don't hesitate to ask.
Thanks
Tracy