Why the Leaf-tips Of The Plants Dry Up
Regrettably, it’s quite common to observe dry patches or spots on the tips or edges of our plants’ leaves. The appearance of this signals that the plant is stressed and requires attention, but there’s no need to panic—it’s far from an unsolvable issue.
If your plant has completely dried leaves, numerous factors could be causing it, ranging from diseases and pests to various deficiencies or excesses. However, when only the tips or edges of the leaves dry up, taking on a brown tone and a fine, wrinkled texture, it consistently indicates one thing: stress.
Stress Due to Lack of Water
When a plant exhibits brown tips on its leaves, the most common cause is water deficiency. This doesn’t necessarily mean you’re watering it too little; it could be that its roots are unable to absorb water due to unsuitable soil.
If you notice that the soil is completely dried out and covered with the leaves of your, the first step is to increase the watering frequency. Avoid a drastic increase, as it might have the opposite effect. Ensure the soil doesn’t become waterlogged, and remove excess water from the tray if the plant is in a pot with drainage.
If the soil has excessive drainage, such as in very sandy soils, incorporating materials like peat can enhance water retention. If these materials are not available, a good amount of vermiculite and perlite will also aid significantly in moisture retention and release.
Stress Due to Tight Roots
Often, we forget that potted plants continue to grow with each season, require regular transplanting. Whether annually, biannually, or at more extended intervals for slow-growing plants, attention is necessary when the time comes.
If your plant is in a pot, and its roots have occupied all available space, they may become so tightly packed that they form a solid mass incapable of absorbing water or nutrients properly. What to do when plant leaves dry up due to this? Simply transplant your plant into a larger pot with fresh, suitable soil. If the roots are tightly packed, carefully loosen them with your hands and trim if necessary. In such cases, pruning approximately one-third of the plant’s roots with a well-sterilized tool stimulates the growth of new, loose roots.
Roots can also become tightly packed when plants are in the ground, especially in heavy and clayey soils. In such cases, transplanting to another location or carefully extracting, loosening the surrounding soil at a considerable distance.
Stress Due to Damaged Roots
Issues with watering are not always due to under-watering; excessive watering can cause equally severe damage to the plant. In fact, more dangerous for succulents and cacti. Just as a dry plant can be easily revived with water, one that has been drowned will have suffered damage to its roots, with rot and dead zones.
In such cases, it’s necessary to remove the plant, trim the damaged areas, reduce watering, or transplant it to an area with better drainage. Use a light mixture, incorporating equal parts peat, coconut fiber, and worm castings—resulting in nutrient-rich soil with ideal moisture retention capabilities for most plants.
Stress Due to Draught
Some plants require circulating air to thrive, while others, especially those needing humid environments, cannot tolerate draughts. If a plant is in an area with draught and its leaves or edges turn brown, this is likely the issue.
To prevent this, relocate the plant to a more sheltered area, protected from draughts and not against walls.
Stress Due to Sun Exposure
Excessive sunlight can also cause dry leaf edges, especially if the plant hasn’t been acclimated to partial shade before. If your plant is sunburned, move it to a less sun exposed area for a few days and observe its progress.
Preventing Plant Leaf Tip Dryness
You need to pay attention to all factors causing plant leaf tips to dry up. If your plant receives all the necessary nutrients, is shielded from stronger sunlight, sheltered from drafts, in a sufficiently spacious pot, and with proper watering, you shouldn’t encounter any of these problems.