It's that time of year when temperatures drop, heat kicks on and I get a lot of questions about houseplants losing their leaves. Plants don't really like living indoors all that much. If we want them to thrive there, we need to meet their required growing conditions. So the first thing to do is to research what your plant likes. Hopefully, you'll do that before you bring it home. If a plant needs direct sunlight and you can't provide it, that plant is never going to be happy and neither are you.
Many plants will drop leaves when you first bring them home because they are adjusting to their new surroundings. Try not to panic and fuss over the plant. Don't prune or feed your plants just yet and don't over water. Let the plant rest. Make sure it's getting as much light as it needs and check its humidity and temperature requirements. The air is very dry indoors, when the heat is on. You may need to mist your plant daily or provide a shallow tray of pebbles and water, for it to sit on. (Don't let the pot sit in the water. Make sure it sits on the pebbles, above the water line.)
And just because the heat is on and you're toasty by the fire, it doesn't mean that your plant is getting enough of that heat over by a drafty window. Plants can be very sensitive to drafts, especially when they first come out of the controlled greenhouse they were grown in.
If you can make your new plant feel at home, you should start to see new leaves emerging within 2-4 weeks. Start watering regularly at this point, but don't rush to feed it until the tender new begins starts to harden off.
Remember, all plants lose leaves at some point, especially older leaves. But if you notice sudden, substantial leaf drop, check these possible culprits:
- Too much or too little water.
- Low humidity. (Usually occurs with a change in environment)
- Pot bound plants will often drop their older leaves as new ones appear.
- A sudden chill or persistent draft or blast of heat.
- Leaves damaged by insects or disease.
Once you've identified the problem and fixed it, give your plant some time to recover on its own.
Photo: © Marie Iannotti
I asked this question a couple of years ago and most people who responded said yes. This year a lot of novice gardeners tried their hand at vegetable gardening for the first time. I do hope it was a great success and you've become a gardener for life. And I'm hoping you saved some vegetables to enjoy at Thanksgiving, the harvest festival.