by johnah on November 17, 2020
Brown spots on your philodendron leaves?
Why are my philodendron leaves turning brown?
The first thing you need to do is check if there are any other causes for the problem. If it’s just a few dead insects or mites, then they won’t cause problems because they’re not going to survive in the cold climate of northern Michigan. You may want to take them out and throw them away before winter sets in.
If you have a large infestation of brown spots on your plants, then you’ll need to treat with some sort of fungicide. Fungicides are chemicals used to kill fungi and bacteria that grow on plants.
They work by killing off the fungus and bacteria so they don’t reproduce anymore.
There are many different types of fungicides available for use on trees and shrubs. Some of these include:
Fluval® (praziquantel)
(praziquantel) Dicamba® (dichlorvos)
(dichlorvos) Glyphosate® (glyphosate herbicide)
You can buy these products at most garden centers, hardware stores, or online. All of them will cost you around $10-$20 per bottle.
Follow the directions on the package for how much to apply.
You should begin to see results within 3-4 days. If not, you may need to reapply the chemical at half strength.
Why are my philodendron leaves turning yellow?
Your plant is probably not getting enough nutrients. In other words, it may be lacking in iron, magnesium, or other nutrients that are necessary for good leaf growth. There are a few things you can do to remedy this problem.
First, make sure that the pot has adequate drainage holes. If not, drill some more into the pot so that the water has somewhere to go.
Second, make sure that you’re keeping the soil moist but not wet. You don’t want it sitting in a tray of water for very long after you water it.
Let the water drain out for a bit and then press down on the soil with your finger. If it’s still moist a few minutes later, then you’re good to go. If it’s dry, then you need to water it again.
Also make sure that the pot has enough water purifying gels or wetting agent added to the water before you water the plant. This will help to keep the soil from becoming too saturated which will help prevent root rot and keep the plant hydrated for a longer period of time.
Finally, if you start seeing the yellowing leaves turning brown and dying, then you’ll want to repot the plant immediately. Do not put it back in the same pot or it will just die anyway.
You need to treat the soil as well because there is probably a fungus or some other harmful chemical in there. Repot the plant into new pot with fresh new soil that has had some water purifying agents mixed in. This will get rid of any fungus or harmful chemicals in the soil and give the plant a clean start. It’s also a good idea to throw away the old soil as well to make sure the infestation isn’t still hiding in there somewhere.
At this point you just need to monitor the plant to see if it needs more watering and keep an eye on those yellowing leaves. If you take care of the problems as they crop up, then you should be able to save your plant.
Why is there white stuff at the base of my Eucalyptus?
The white stuff you see at the base of the trunk is probably insects that have been attracted to the tree. This is actually a good thing to see because it means that the tree is healthy enough to support a lot of insects.
You’ll want to spray the tree with some Neem Oil spray. This will help get rid of the insects permanently and also help ward off future infestations.
Be sure that you buy Neem Oil and not just a generic insect killer because it won’t be as effective.
You can also try to find something called Horticultural Oil at your local garden center. It’s a little more expensive, but it kills insects just as good if not better than Neem Oil.
How often should I water my tree?
It really depends on where you live and how big your tree is. One of the most important things to remember is to never let the pot sit in water because this will cause root rot and kill the tree. This is true even if you’re not using a pot.
First, a very good indicator that you should water your tree is if the soil is dry on the top. You can water just a little bit by placing the tree in a bucket and filling it with water a little at a time and letting the soil absorb as much as it will.
Just do this until you don’t see any more water draining out of the bottom of the trunk.
Another good way to test if it’s time to water is to squeeze the soil firmly in your hand. Soil that is dry will usually crumble in your hand and feel light.
If you are unable to do this or if the soil feels heavy, then it’s time to water. You can either just water a little at a time as described above or you can completely soak the soil with water and then drain the water out of the bottom so that just a little bit remains.
Remember, only water about once a week and only water until the excess water is draining out the bottom.
What kind of fertilizer should I use?
First, you should mix the fertilizer before using it. Some come pre-mixed but it’s better to mix it yourself because it ensures an even spread.
Fertilizers come in several forms such as liquid, powder, and pellets. Each type has it’s own benefits and drawbacks so you’ll have to pick one that’s right for you.
Liquid fertilizers are generally the most popular because they are easy to apply and are readily absorbed by the plant. The biggest drawback with liquid is that it can be easily lost as runoff and can also cause algae blooms in ponds if too much is applied.
Powdered fertilizers are the cheapest option but they also take the longest to absorb and can be more likely to cause burning if not applied properly.
Pelletized fertilizers are probably the most popular among serious gardeners because each pellet contains exactly the right amount of nutrition that your plant needs. They are also easy to apply and don’t wash away as easily as liquid.
Whatever type of fertilizer you choose to use, it’s important that you read and follow the directions on the package. Over fertilizing can cause damage to your plants so it’s always better to err on the side of caution.
To apply liquid fertilizer you can simply mix the recommended amount in a watering can and water your plants as normal. With powdered and pelletized you’ll need to apply it directly to the soil.
To do this, get a metal tablespoon measure (the kind you find at restaurants) and fill it up to the one tablespoon mark with fertilizer. Then take a horticultural excavating tool called an “E-T” or “Dibble” (looks like a big forked trowel but with no digging end) and firmly jab it into the soil near the roots of your plant. Drop in the fertilizer and gently firm the soil back around it.
To determine how much to fertilize your plants, consult this fertilizer schedule:
Baby (up to 12″ high) = 1 tablespoon per plant
Juvenile (12″-24″ high) = 2-3 tablespoons per plant
Adolescent (24″-36″ high) = 3-4 tablespoons per plant
Adult (36″ and up) = 5-8 tablespoons per plant
These recommendations are just a guide; you can add less if you’re concerned about over fertilization. One thing to keep in mind is that it’s better to add fertilizer a few times a year at lower doses than to overload your plants once a year.
This will prevent the chances of burning your plants.
One of the most common nutrient deficiencies in cannabis is the lack of magnesium. Leaf margins that are otherwise green may appear yellowish if the plant doesn’t get enough.
If you suspect that your plants may not be getting enough magnesium, try mixing 1 tablespoon of Epsom salts (Magnesium Sulfate) into a gallon of water and foliar feeding. Follow the rest of the recommendations in this guide and within a week you should notice an improvement.
Cannabis plants like most plants need a certain amount of oxygen in the soil in order to thrive. If you use a hydroponic method that requires you to constantly flood your plants with water, they may not be getting enough oxygen and begin to turn a pale color.
To prevent this, simply place some perlite or horticultural charcoal in the bottom of your reservoir to help increase the amount of aeration in the root zone.
Keeping your plants from getting too much or too little light is just as important as all the other factors we’ve mentioned in this guide. A cannabis plant will usually begin to suffer if it gets less than 14 hours of light a day.
Although it’s possible for a plant to survive, you may start noticing symptoms of stunted growth and spindly thin stems. If left uncured, the problem will only get worse as the weeks go by.
Try raising the lights higher or installing more lights above the plants to increase the amount of light they are receiving. On the other hand, if your plants are getting far too much light, such as growing in direct sunlight during the middle of the day, you’ll notice their leaves will turn a golden yellow and their growth will be stunted.
To remedy this, find some shade to move the plants to or install a sunlight shield to decrease the harsh rays of the sun.
If your plants are indoors, you most likely will be able to manipulate the lighting to some degree. Try to place your plants where they will receive the most amount of light during the day and adjust accordingly.
There is another problem that can arise if you don’t correctly get your plants into the vegetative stage: phototoxicity. Just as some human take medication that makes them sensitive to UV light, cannabis is also sensitive to certain types of light.
If you place your plant into the vegetative state before it is ready, it may begin to suffer from phototoxic reactions that make the normally green parts appear purple. This isn’t a death sentence by any means, it’s just something you may need to be aware of during the initial stages of your plant’s growth.
To prevent this, simply place your plant in a room without a window and be sure to keep the lights off for a full day before starting the vegetation stage. This will ensure that your plant has had enough time to produce all of the necessary chlorophyll it needs to naturally photosynthesize without being affected by light.
Sometimes plants just don’t turn out how you expect them to. Don’t worry, this happens to even the most skilled growers from time to time.
If you’re following all of the advice in this guide and still aren’t pleased with how your plant looks after several weeks, you may want to think about throwing it away and trying again.
However, sometimes a plant just doesn’t turn out as well as you hope. It may be growing strangely, it may not be growing at all, or it may just be sickly and diseased.
In cases like these, you do have a few options available to you.
The best solution is to simply throw it away and try again. If a plant is visibly sick or diseased, this is of course the best choice.
If it’s just not growing well, you may want to try again, but you can also try salvaging it for cuttings.
As long as the roots of the plant appear to be in good condition, you can cut off a branch and replant it to start a whole new plant!
Sources & references used in this article:
New Amazonian Taxa of Philodendron (Araceae) by TB Croat, A Shah – Novon, 2001 – JSTOR
Eucalyptus and Citronella Essential Oils Used in Preservative Solutions Affect the Vase Life of Cut Philodendron Leaves by N Yonsawad, M Teerarak – 원예과학기술지, 2019 – pdfs.semanticscholar.org
Philodendron plant by HN Miller – US Patent App. 06/918,710, 1988 – Google Patents
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