Within the past week, all of our houseplants are dying off. We have kept them watered and "fed". What in the world could be causing this?
2007-01-25 14:00:30 · 6 answers · asked by smokey 2 in Home & Garden ➔ Garden & Landscape
I would check them carefully for any type of bug. There are little mites that can sometimes kill off houseplants. Also a white fly that is very tiny. You will mostly only really notice this when you water a plant that has dried out. If you watch closely you will see them moving on the surface of the ground.
If you can find no signs at all of pests, and you are not over watering them-most plants like to dry out a bit before watering then you may be feeding them too much. Most plants need a rest period in winter so they need less water and very little food.
If you live in the city, you might want to let your water stand over night before using it on them.
They also could need fresh soil. You could try removing them from their pots and cleaning out as much as the old soil as possible and then potting them with fresh. This will also help if you have been over watering or over feeding them.
2007-01-25 15:56:21 · answer #1 · answered by birdie_001 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Has tghe temperature changed a lot in the last few weeks? Here in the norhteast it has become much colder.
Cold air outside leads to very, very dry air inside. The humdity level drops when air warms up, and using a heater (of any type) will further lower the humidity.
A sudden change in humidity levels can kill plants. Makes them dry out faster, stresses them and is just now what they are used to or need to live ( exluding cacti and succulents). you may want to start using a humidifier and see if this helps
2007-01-25 22:47:02 · answer #2 · answered by urbanbulldogge 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you don't say where they are located in the home. it could be near a drafty door with a sudden temperature drop causing leaf drop. it could be because you over watered. could be you over fed them as they would need a resting period as well, simulating nature; even though they are in the house. could be because they have ( i saw here white fly ) also another type insect called fungus gnat, or even cottony scale (seen as whitish cotton where leaf joins stem). best thing to do right now is give them all a little "hair cut". then give them a shower in the tub to wash off any dust or visible insects. then place them all in a dish with pebbles, add a small amount of water to that to keep up humidity surrounding the plant as house plants are normally found living naturally in hot humid weather and give them a little less water adn cut back feeding now till spring again. let me ask if you have a pet as well that maybe has taken a liking to your plants as a litter box shall we say.
2007-01-26 00:48:45 · answer #3 · answered by cherylanne 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
over watering and low humidity in the winter the humidity in your house drops to 20 or 30%, too low for plants and people, set your plants on trays of pebbles with a little water in them. Good luck
2007-01-28 10:01:56 · answer #4 · answered by Michael S 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you just got a water softener it could be the salt content building up in the soil.
2007-01-25 23:25:25 · answer #5 · answered by Stephanie D 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
are you over watering them this is the coolest time of the year and too much water will also kill a plant
2007-01-25 22:41:57 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋