Five Reasons Your House Plant Has Droopy Leaves

And it's unlikely to be under watering!!

As you can well imagine there are many reasons why houseplant leaves droop and below we detail the main 5 reasons. Whilst most plant parents generally think it's a lack of watering, that's rarely the case. It's often over watering. Let's get into it and start learning:

1 - Underwatering

Insufficient water can lead to dry and potentially non-yellow leaves.

Solution: Check the soil dryness and increase watering frequency if it's bone dry. Use a Leaf Culture Moisture Meter to see exactly when you need to water so there's no guessing!

2 - Lack of Light

Inadequate sunlight can cause wilting, as the plant struggles to absorb enough light for nourishment.

Solution: Gently relocate the plant to a brighter spot, gradually moving it closer to a window. Avoid sudden transitions from deep shade to direct sunlight, as this may stress the plant. Alternatively, add a grow light. These LEDs are cheap now and very effective but if you really don't want to go down that route, simply place it near any electical light (plants are very adapatable!).

Also worth noting that it's not unusual for some houseplants to drop a few leaves when they arrive from either the nursery or a plant shop. It's simply adjusting to the overall number of leaves it can support with its current light.

3 - Temperature

Extreme temperatures, whether too hot or too cold, can cause wilting.

Solution: Maintain a warm, consistent temperature for your plants. If a room is comfortable for you, it should be suitable for your plant. On the whole plants are happy in 17C and up but less than this and you run the gauntlett of them dying.

4 - Overwatering

Wilted and yellowed leaves often indicate overwatering, making them appear soft and floppy. This is the most common reason plants look in a poor state.

Solution: Check the soil moisture; if it's excessively wet, allow the plant to dry out. Going forward, water only when the top two inches of soil feel dry and again, use a Leaf Culture Moisture Meter.

5 - Outgrown Pot

If your plant has been in the same pot for an sometime, the pot may be too small for its root system. Inadequate nutrient absorption can lead to wilting.

Solution: Repotting between March and September. Consider using a specific soil suitable for your type of plant. You can see the range of soils that we sell here.

Once you've identified which is the issue your plant is actually facing, take the appropriate action and then give it a couple of weeks before seeing some positive changes.

Good luck 👍🪴