Brown Leaves on a Potted Plant

Watering

According to the Missouri Botanical Garden, overwatering is one of the most common potted plant problems. Symptoms of excessive watering include wilting, leaf yellowing, brown leaf spots, premature leaf drop and rotted leaves. Failure to provide enough water for your plant often results in brown and brittle leaves, blighted leaves and leaf drop. Determining the right amount of water for your plant is simple. Place your finger into plant soil and feel how moist the soil is. Potted plants need water if they are dry 1 inch from the soil surface.

Root rot diseases are a common cause of brown leaf margins and leaf tips on houseplants. These diseases are caused by fungus or bacteria living in the plant soil. According to the University of Kentucky, the symptoms associated with root rot diseases include brown roots, mushy roots, lesions on plant stems and brown leaves and leaf tips. Wet soil favors root rot development, so avoid overwatering your potted plant and place it in a pot with an adequate drainage system.

Potted indoor plants must have the appropriate temperatures to thrive. Plants placed in a windowsill often suffer adverse effects from being too hot. Some signs that your potted plant is too warm include wilted lower leaves, dying flowers and brown leaves and browning of leaf margins. Extremely cold temperatures cause indoor plant problems, as well. Plants that are too cold often suffer from curling leaves, brown leaves and premature leaf drop.

Leaf spot diseases often cause leaf yellowing and spots on plant leaves that are brown or black. These spots or lesions are often varying sizes and shapes. Managing leaf spot diseases is best accomplished by removing infected leaves and destroying them. Place potted plants in an area with low humidity and space plants apart to provide adequate aeration. Avoid getting plant leaves wet when watering your plant. Chemicals such as bactericides and fungicides are often a beneficial treatment for leaf spot diseases. Proper disease identification is necessary when using chemical treatments. Consult your local extension office for advice on chemical control of leaf spot diseases in your houseplant.