Plants growers are mostly concerned about the well-being of their plants. Plus, gardeners also want their plants to look beautiful at all times.
Plants that grow flowers need to be given special attention as they can be vulnerable to damage due to a lack of proper care.
While finding great plants is easy, taking care of them is an entirely different story.
Plants often get neglected by their owners, which can lead to overwatering or underwatering of plants. These changing patterns can cause the leaves of any plant to start drooping.
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Droopy Leaves on Plants
A plant can be having droopy leaves due to low humidity levels, no proper watering, or not enough or too much sunlight. However, keeping tour plants in a dusty area can also be the culprit behind droopy plant leaves.
Causes of Droopy Leaves
Low Humidity
Low humidity can cause many plant species to lose a large amount of water. This then causes them to droop as there is no water pressure holding the leaf up.
Not enough moisture around leads to transpiration, which refers to the state of losing water.
Incorrect watering schedule
A plant must be provided with a proper watering schedule. If it is randomly given water any time of the day, then the plant can suffer a lot.
Excessive amounts of water can cause the roots to rot, while small amounts of water cause the plant to remain dry and die.
This is why having a fixed schedule is important.
No Proper Sunlight Exposure
Providing your plant with too much light will cause it to burn and drop since it will die.
Leaving it in the dark will not allow the plant to make its food. No sunlight means no photosynthesis, which in return means that the plant will lose energy and die.
Dusty Leaves
Some species of plants have waxy leaves that tend to attract dust. This dust, once accumulated, can cause problems with the photosynthesis process.
This is because sunlight is blocked by the dust particles, and thus, the plant cannot make its own food, which leads to drooping.
Ways to Fix Droopy Leaves
Set a Proper Watering Schedule
People often overwater their plant due to the fear that their plant is dying from thirst.
But, if you water your plant once every day, it’ll never happen. Giving your plants plenty of water can also make their leaves droop.
Plants need water to support their tissues, which is why you should also try to deprive your plants of water as well.
Repotting your drooping plant can help restore the leaves, but make sure the container is larger than the previous one.
Observe the Plant for Pests
Suppose the soil and water do not seem to be causing any issues. Thus, it is now important for you to look at your plant closely to look out for any pests.
These pests will be extremely tiny, so do not let them fool you by hiding around the corners of your plants.
When too many pets attach to one plant, the plant’s sap gets sucked out, and it starts to droop.
These pests include scales, mealybugs, and aphids. These are often seen indoors and are the most common contributors to droopy leaves.
Take care of your plant by applying neem oil to each part or by rubbing the plant’s parts with alcohol.
Provide Your Plant with Some Support
Sometimes plants need some help staying upright. This is because some plants have weaker stems and once, they grow taller; they become heavier.
The excess weight causes the plant to fall over, which is why providing support is important. Make sure to place a rod or stick in the soil.
Then take a small rope and tie your plant to the support. Avoid placing the rod into pots and place it outside the pot.
Look at the Plant for any Damages
If you notice that one of your plants is wilting, then you should look at the stems and see if they have been damaged in any way.
The stem does not need to be removed or snapped for it to create a problem.
But if the stem is bent over, that means it has been cracked from the inside, which causes poor circulation of water. A drooping plant is only one sign that something’s wrong with the plant’s stem.
If there is a clear bend in the stem, just straighten it up and tie it to a pole. Within a few tries, the stem will be placed in the optimum position to restore water flow.
Over time, the plant will completely heal itself.
Provide Your Plants with Shade
Plants can lose a lot of water if you place them under direct sunlight. This is not related to watering at this point.
Excessively watering the plant won’t help as eventually you too can forget, and too much water sitting in the pot causes root rot. Your plant can start to also wilt once it has started to droop.
It is better to inspect your plant first before making assumptions. However, excessive amounts of heat could also damage your plant.
Instead of watering the plant excessively, it is better to move the plant under a shade.
You do not need to keep the plant under complete shade as that too affects growth. But providing a little extra shade will not stop its photosynthesis.
Frequently Asked Questions about Droopy Leaves on Plants
Do droopy leaves mean that my plant is dying?
Simple droopy leaves cannot be a true indicator of a dying plant. However, it does show that something is wrong with the plant.
Can droopy leaves recover?
Leaves can droop due to several reasons but recovering is possible. However, this also depends on the damage done to the plant.
Daniel has been a plant enthusiast for over 20 years. He owns hundreds of houseplants and prepares for the chili growing seasons yearly with great anticipation. His favorite plants are plant species in the Araceae family, such as Monstera, Philodendron, and Anthurium. He also loves gardening and is growing hot peppers, tomatoes, and many more vegetables.