9 Signs It’s Time to Throw Away Your Houseplant
When we see yellowing leaves or stunted growth, we try to find the cause and treatment immediately. For us gardeners, bringing our favorite plants back to good health is a lifelong passion.
However, how do you know if your favorite plant is beyond saving? There are a few telltale signs to look out for that signal that you should throw away your houseplant.
From black leaf tips to squishy leaves, we’ll take you through the warning signals that your plant is dying and ready to be thrown out. Below are the nine signs it’s time to throw away of your favorite houseplant.
Browning Leaves
Browning leaves can be a sign your plant is going through severe stress. Several problems can cause this first sign of death. After determining if the cultural conditions, like air circulation, sunlight, soil, and moisture, are good, you’ll need to look for another cause.
If your flower, herb, or succulent outgrew its container, it could be suffering from overcrowding. This is when the roots have no more room to grow and can’t absorb enough water and nutrients. Try repotting your houseplant to solve the overcrowding issue.
If the cultural conditions are perfect and your plant has enough room, then the cause could be age. A leaf dropping here and there is natural. Overall browning could signify your plant isn’t able to support new and old growth. When this happens, it’s a sign it’s reaching the end of its natural lifecycle and ready to be thrown away.
Black Spots
Coming home to your favorite houseplant and seeing black spots on its leaves is not a pleasant experience, but does it mean you have to throw it away? Black spots often signify a fungal infection, which can be serious if not treated. It’s common in many species of roses.
If your soil is too moist, fungal spores can infect the foliage and branches. This can happen if you water your soil and foliage from above or create too much humidity. Try removing the affected leaves, water them earlier in the day, and give them more air circulation by thinning leaves or spacing them out.
Overwatering, bacteria, and viral infections could also be to blame. For these causes, remove the infected leaves and dispose of them securely, keeping them away from your other plants.
If this doesn’t solve the problem, it probably means your living indoor showpiece is starting to decline. Black spots could be a sign of natural deterioration from old age. If this is the case, give your indoor perennial a final round of tender loving care and prepare to say goodbye.
Severe Wilting
Wilting is a normal response to poor plant care. It normally means you’re not watering it enough. Too much sunlight can also create wilting, although this usually coincides with brown leaves.
Another common cause of wilting is a nutrient imbalance. If your plant is not getting the right amount of nutrients, it can slowly decline. Try feeding your plant a little organic fertilizer. Give it the right balance of nutrients based on its species and variety.
When wilting starts at the bottom and works its way to the top, it could mean your leaves are completing their life cycle or your plant has contracted a wilt disease. At the end of its life, wilting may be the last sign that you need to throw away your houseplant.
It’s Suffering from Root Rot
As gardeners, we’ve all overwatered our houseplants from time to time. Too much of a good thing can be deadly, especially for delicate plants. Too much water can sometimes cause what’s known as root rot.
Root rot is an infection caused by oomycetes, mold, or fungi living in the soil that proliferate due to unsuitable growing conditions. Once these diseases get a hold of your plant, you have to act quickly. Depending on the stage and cause of the infection, you’ll have to remove the infected roots. Try replanting it in new, healthy soil.
Far too often, root rot spreads fast and kills your plants. When this happens, it’s best to throw away your houseplant and start over.
It Has a Severe Infestation
Pests can cause gnarly infestations, and when they get out of hand, it can mean death to your plant. These horrible infestations are caused by a variety of pests, including mites, aphids, and whiteflies. If left untreated, they will destroy the branch’s foliage and spread disease.
Monitor your houseplants closely to catch these critters early so you can avoid throwing them away altogether. Look for sticky honeydew, shield-like dots, or webs growing from the branches and leaves. Check the undersides of the leaves and the topsoil.
Manually remove them in their early stages. You can also use isopropyl alcohol and wipe them off or spray them with neem oil. If the infestation is too severe, dispose of your plant safely so you don’t infect other plants.
Severe Transplant Shock
When you see roots outgrowing the container, it’s a sign it needs a new pot. When this happens, you’ll have to repot it in a larger one. Some plants, however, can’t survive repotting.
After transplanting, you may notice your beloved green companion is looking sick. This is a sign it’s suffering from transplant shock. This is possible with indoor perennials after they move from one container and media to the next.
Some plants will die if you transplant them because they’re too old or too diseased. Monitor your houseplant and look for signs it’s getting better or worse. If it doesn’t recover from moving to a new home, it’s time to throw it away.
No New Growth
If you’ve taken all the steps to make your houseplant healthy and it’s still not putting on new growth, it’s probably a sign it’s ready to go. Each plant has a lifespan, and when it reaches it, it will inevitably start to die.
Popular species, such as pothos and bamboo, will live a long time. Even small plants, such as the Chinese money plant, will last for up to 10 years if they’re healthy. Some perennials, such as coleus, live to three or four years max.
Give it some time and extra care to stimulate new growth. If it starts to die after the growing season, it’s probably time to prepare it for your compost pile.
All the Green is Gone
Plants are green because of chlorophyll. This pigment helps them absorb the sun’s energy and convert it into energy. Blue and red light is absorbed quickly, allowing green light to penetrate deep inside the leaf’s tissues and reflect back to our eyes.
If your plant is losing its green pigmentation, it’s a sign it’s severely stressed from lack of light. Move your plant immediately into a space with plenty of light. It should perk up quickly.
If it’s still losing color, it could mean it’s at the end of its life. Try giving it extra attention, and if this doesn’t work, there’s probably nothing you can do.
Nothing Helps It
When you see symptoms of disease, infestation, or environmental stress, follow the steps to nurse it back to health. Easy-to-grow species will likely bounce back as long as they’re within their normal lifespan.
Be patient and follow plant guides for your particular species and variety. You may have to wait until the following growing season to notice results.
If you’ve done everything you can to help your plant and it’s still not thriving, it’s time to dispose of it. This is a good time to take cuttings. Several popular species propagate easily with cuttings, so even if your favorite houseplant is dying, you may still be able to enjoy its clone. Below are the steps to propagating a dying plant with cuttings.
- Cut a piece of the stem above the node with clean sheers or pruners.
- Trim away dead or excess foliage.
- Make sure there’s a leaf or two on the stem.
- Dip the base of the stem in a rooting hormone.
- Place the stem in water or soil, depending on the species.
- Watch for signs of new growth and transplant once it’s mature.
Final Thoughts
If your flower, herb, or succulent has succumbed to disease or pests, dispose of it away from your garden. If it dies from old age or improper care, compost it instead of throwing it away.
Composting old plants brings extra nutrients to your soil. Your dead houseplant will count as part of the “browns” in your compost pile. In a few months, you’ll have usable soil to grow more beautiful houseplants.
