Why Are the Tips of Your Plant’s Leaves Turning Brown and How to Fix It
It’s very frustrating to find brown leaf tips on your little plants: you know it’s your fault, but you’re not sure what you did wrong and your plant can’t tell you.
It will take some botanical detective work to get to the bottom of the problem and figure out why your plant looks like it has seen better days, but once you do, the problem is often easily solved. Here are some potential problems (and their solutions).
You’re watering it too much (or too little)
Brown leaf tips may indicate that you are not watering the plant enough, or watering it too much, or watering it at the wrong time. Research and know your plant’s needs. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach: some plants like a drier environment, some like a wetter environment, but for most plants it’s somewhere in the middle. You can determine if a plant needs water by testing the soil. Dry soil means adding water. Wet soil means you are fine.
But too much water is also bad: Brown leaves and leaf tips can also be caused by overwatering. You can quickly determine whether you are giving your plant too much or too little water by observing the overall health of its leaves. Overwatered plants tend to have limp leaves, while underwatered plants tend to have dry or crispy leaves.
Even if you water the right amount, brown leaf tips can be caused by the type of water you use. If you use softened water, add a little salt each time you remove the watering can, or try switching to distilled or filtered water.
Your home is too dry
Dry leaf tips on a houseplant can also be caused by too little humidity in your home. The air in your home may be dry because of how you heat it, or the area where you live may be experiencing a dry spell. Either way, you need to add some moisture to your plant’s environment. One way to do this is to group it with other plants, so that one plant “exhales” the moisture while the others absorb it. Another solution is to place the plant on a tray, plate or saucer filled with pebbles and a little water. As the water evaporates, it will create a small, localized pocket of moisture in which your plant will thrive.
You are using fertilizers incorrectly
If the tips of your plants’ leaves look scorched, dark green, or reddish-purple, they may be lacking phosphorus. Yellow or brown edges of older leaves, yellowing between the veins, spots, and leaf curling may indicate potassium deficiency. Either way, it means you have a fertilizer problem. Adding a slow-release fertilizer at the time of potting is a good idea, but you may need to add a little fertilizer every now and then.
Before you just throw in a bunch of fertilizer and hope for the best, know that brown, scorched or discolored leaf tips can also be caused by too much fertilizer (make your decision, plant!). Some types of fertilizers contain salt, which builds up in the soil over time, causing the tips of the plants to burn. If you notice a white crust on the soil, saucers, or sides of the pot, it may be salt accumulation. Rinse the soil by placing the pot in the sink and watering until the soil is completely saturated and water flows (repeat this several times). Or you can hit the reset button and replant with fresh soil, which should be done every 12 to 18 months for most plants anyway.
Brown leaves can be cut off
Once you’ve determined the cause of your plant’s leaves becoming discolored, it’s time to put the nuisance behind you and cut off the brown parts. Using sharp scissors, cut the leaf into its natural shape, leaving a thin brown area around the cut. Once healthy new leaves grow, they should look as if they were never brown.
Or just grow something else
If you just can’t solve your plants’ foliage problems, you may have exceeded your capabilities with this species and should grow something simpler. Consider one of these no-kill plants when upping your kill rate in the home garden.