Question
Ok, I know, philodendrons are supposed to be the easiest plants to care for, but my thumb must be black!  I bought this heart shaped philodendron about 9 months ago and have kept it in it's original pot.  For the first 6 months it was doing great and then all of a sudden I keep getting these yellow dying leaves and the green leaves are droopy or curling.  I thought I might be over watering but when I slow the watering things are just as bad or worse.  Please help with some advice.

Answer
Hi Jeremiah,

I have never found heart leaf Philodendrons to be easy. They are quite fussy and unforgiving about watering. Their look-alike, Pothos, is quite a bit more easy.

You didn't mention light, so that could be at least part of the problem. Although they don't like direct sun on their leaves, they do require lots of bright indirect light.

The pot size is fine, but watering is tricky. In general, you must allow the top half inch or so of soil to dry out before you water thoroughly until some water runs through the drainage holes. If the leaves don't perk up some after watering, then that is a pretty good indication that the roots may have started to rot and are no longer able to absorb water. In that case, your plant is probably history and you should take some cuttings while you can.

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions. If you would like to e-mail me some photos, I may be able to provide some additional insights.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

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