Home Gardening – Plant Problems, Diseases and Solutions

Healthy plants in the garden benefit the surrounding environment. They can produce fruits, vegetables and flowers only if they are getting required nutrients and growing well.

Like humans, plants also get sick due to multiple reasons. Problems that plants face are mostly related to the environment as well as management. There are multiple factors that affect well grown plants and make them unhealthy; it includes weather, soil, pests, uneven use of fertilizers, inconsistent watering, wrong location of the plant, lack of sunshine, dry air etc. All these factors can be overcome with due diligence. Timely diagnosis can lead towards better treatment of unhealthy plants. Let's discuss the problems along with their solutions.

Brown Leaves Plants

Inconsistent watering, dry air or excessive intake of salty water can cause problems for the plants due to which tips of the leaves start getting brown. It is an indication or a symptom of the disease which needs to be cured immediately.

Plants get habitual of a routine, so make a schedule of watering the plants and follow it efficiently. Low or excessive water harms the plants which must be avoided.

When the air is dry, keep the plants in a naturally humid place like the kitchen. Humidity is as important for the plants as the sunshine. However, both should be made available in a balanced way.

If the water being showered on plants contains extra salt, it will affect the plants and make them unhappy. Use distilled water to avoid this problem. Another way is to water the plants excessively once a month, this will flush extra salt from the soil.

Yellow Leaves Plants

At their age, leaves get yellow and fall off, this is quite normal. But when the yellow leaves start dominating the greenery of the plant, it demands interference. Leaves may get yellow due to multiple factors including lack of nutrients and sunshine.

Plants need adequate sunshine on a daily basis. Low or excessive sunshine causes yellowness in plants. If it happens, keep plants on a place where they get enough sunshine. On the other hand, keep plants under shade in case of plants receiving excessive sunshine.

Infectious Leaves / Leaves with Spots

Humans face ringworms while plants face spots on leaves. It is a spreadable infection which transfers from one plant to another. Plants must be looked after in a routine. Lack of compost soil or fertilizers cause loss of nutrition in plants which leads towards such infections.

If some plants in a garden get affected from this infection, place them away from healthier plants to avoid its spread. Another thing to do is to pluck the infected leaves, otherwise they will spoil other leaves as well. While watering the plants, ensure that the splashes do not splatter on other plants.

Plants Falling Off Leaves

Sometimes due to insufficient care or unnecessary movement, plants get angry and throw a tantrum by falling off their leaves for a short time but later adjust themselves in a new environment. But if this issue (falling off leaves) stays for long, it indicates that plants are facing some problem. Address the sunshine, watering and humidity factors to resolve this issue.

Plants with Wilted or Burnt leaves

When the leaves start getting brown and then get burned, it shows that plant is getting dead. But it can be resurrected with some tips to follow. Keep the soil in good health; Soggy or dry soil damages plant growth. Assure that the water gets properly drained out of the pot. Place the plants in an adequate humid spot.

White Fungal Growth on foliage

White mold or powdery mildew is symptom of fungal growth. It is another spreadable disease and it affects the process of photosynthesis in plants which ultimately weaken their roots.

Keep proper distance between plants so they can breathe well. Wash the plants with vinegar or ethanol-based mouthwash; it is an effective way to prevent plants from fungal diseases.

Root Red

It is a disease that disables the plant to consume water and nutrients from the soil, which results in falling off leaves or turning into yellow. It is important to observe the plants in a routine manner and if anything looks suspicious, resolve it before it sets in and kill the plant.

Change the soil of the plant; but before changing it, you need to inspect the roots of the plant by removing it from the soil. Trim black roots, give them shower, clean the pot thoroughly and replant the plant in fresh soil.

Limited Root Space

At the time of seeding the plants, it seems they have enough space but with the passage of time, when they grow, their roots spread all around and start facing barriers which effects their growth.

Replant the plants in a bigger space, trim problematic roots and improve the health of the soil.

Deficiency of Mineral Recycling and Nutrients

Plants and trees in our landscape gardens lack nutrient rich soil because we remove fallen leaves from the courtyard to have a clean outlook and don't let them recycled into the soil. On the other hand, plants and trees in the forests enjoy benefits of rich soil made up of decomposing leaves.

Provide nutrients to the plants through organic elements as well as fertilizers. Organic mulch refills the soil with nutrients and microorganisms.

Conclusion

Routine examination of the plants is essential to avoid diseases, infections and other plant problems. Resolution of the problem starts after clear diagnosis. Diagnosis can be made by following a systematic approach or getting the expert advice. However, diagnosis is still a challenging task due to multiple factors. Here are some general tips to avoid plant problems:-

Use fertilizers in a balanced way.
Schedule routine inspection of the plants.
Maintain proper hygiene in and outside the garden.
Provide adequate light, water, nutrients and soil to the plants.
Check drainage of the pots.
Encourage organic nutrients over fertilizers for plants.

REFERENCES

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