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Ceredigion, United Kingdom

Hi folks I've noticed my two houseplants arnt looking as brightly as they did my prayer plant (rattle snake) the leaves along edges are brown and curling ..and my peace lily some of the leaves are going limp and some browning a bit...I do water them ..so whats happening to them please ...




Answers

 

Most house plants will benefit from increasing the humidity - especially if you have central heating.
Stand them on a tray of gravel. Keep the water to the top of the gravel but only water the plant when the compost is slightly dry - generally no more than once a week (less now that the plants are slowing down for winter)
Mist the leaves 3-4 times a week with warm water.

28 Sep, 2014

 

Thankyou urbanite that's very helpful ...do I stop feeding now too ...thankyou...

28 Sep, 2014

 

if it's a branded feed check the guidance on the label. (Personally I've never bothered about feeding house plants - but then, other than orchids, I'm not really bothered about growing house plants). there may be someone on the site who grows the two you have.

28 Sep, 2014

 

If you feed peace lilies much they are less likely to flower. I have found they thrive on neglect. Mine gets watered when I think about it or when I see it wilting a bit and gets fed only very occasionally.And it is rather pot bound too. It often has four flowers at once, as it has at the moment. They are more easily killed with over watering than under watering, and I saw a couple a few weeks ago at deaths door through too much water. They were repotted into drier compost and have recovered well. If yours is wet i would suggest you get into drier compost. (Sorry Urbanite, don't often disagree with you but this one has been going strong in our family for at least 40 years on this treatment)
The trouble with wilting leaves is it can be due to either under or over watering and only you know how wet you have been keeping it.

28 Sep, 2014

 

That's fine Stera - I think I was suggesting a level of neglect rather than pampering. But I would still give humidity if only because so many homes are centrally heated leading to dry air.

28 Sep, 2014

 

True. Having said that, mine is on a north windowsill which has a radiator beneath it - the pot lives at one end away from the direct warm air current but humid it isn't! I do have the pot inside a slightly larger one though so some water will trickle through to it and remain for a short time before drying out again.

So the best answer really is don't pamper it - a degree of neglect will probably suit it better. And keep it out of direct sun if possible, its a shade lover.

29 Sep, 2014

 

Thankyou so much all I think I've overwaterd it will check soil and I will repot into bigger pot its weird half of the plant is standing upright looks ok and the some on one side has wilted the part with a little lily coming but hasn't managed to open yet its not by sun I've moved it around trying to see where its happy most of it as I say is upright except for some on the one side lol ....I've had it for years now so hoping it won't give up ...should I repot you think girls ...it seems to have always been happy in past its not to bad so hoping I can solve it ..thankyou for your help

1 Oct, 2014

 

They don't really like moving much so unless its very potbound or too wet to dry off I'd leave it - after all you've been successful with it all this time so go on doing what you were doing - just avoid keeping it soggy. If the wilted leaves don't pick up you can always cut them off! if the leaves started to look starved, losing shine and being a poor colour then you might consider potting on but the very occasional weak feel is very effective in the growing season. Overfeeding means no flowers by and large.

1 Oct, 2014

How do I say thanks?

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