There’s nothing to worry about if your orchid stem is turning brown after the blooms fade away. This signals that the stem has finished supporting the life of the flower and it’s entered a period of rest. This is part of the natural life cycle of the orchid plant. Here’s what to do about the brown stem, and when it becomes a problem. Blooms have faded What to do with the brown stem Cut the brown, dried out stem back…
First of all, don’t rush to the conclusion that your orchid is actually dying if it’s looking a bit poorly, or the leaves and flowers are dropping off, or there’s no new growth or blooms in sight. This guide helps you become a detective to identify the problems behind the orchid’s difficulties and perhaps put them right. Of course, sometimes you just have to throw the plant away and start over again for the most serious issues, but usually, you…
Your orchid not blooming may be the result of a number of issues. These could be environmental (such as temperature), your standard of care (watering for example) or because of the type of orchid itself (its individual life cycle, perhaps). I cover the major elements to look at when your orchid is not producing blooms. Bloomed once and is not blooming again If your orchid is not reblooming and you expect it to, first of all check the variety of…
Orchids, just like any other plants, indoors or in the garden, are prone to pests and diseases. Orchid pests and diseases are nothing out of the ordinary and many can be controlled or treated. Here are the most common orchid pests and diseases, including scale insects and thrips, and sooty black disease. Before I talk about pests and diseases, sometimes people confuse pests and disease issues with environmental issues. If your orchid has yellow leaves, read this guide. If your…
Figuring out why your orchid leaves are turning yellow is going to take some detective work. Quite a few environmental reasons (e.g. watering, temperature) and some pests and diseases cause this problem with your orchid plant. I also have this guide on why orchid leaves sometimes turn brown. That said, here are the main reasons why this may be happening and what to do about them. Natural ageing process First of all, yellow leaves may be a part of the…
As with orchid leaves turning yellow, orchid leaves turning brown can be due to a variety of problems. The key to narrowing down the real issue, whether it’s environmental, a care issue, pests or disease, is to notice where the leaf has turned brown. And if it’s just the older leaves or the newer ones as well. This guide helps you become the detective you need to be to identify and solve these problems. I start with what I think…
Poinsettia leaves curling is usually a reaction to an environmental problem usually related to watering and temperatures. This is good news as these problems are easily solved, and your poinsettia should return to good health. Over-watering If your poinsettia leaves are curling downwards, the most probable cause is over-watering. While these plants like a moist environment, they don’t like being in standing water. If the soil becomes overly damp, the oxygen availability decreases and the roots can’t absorb what water…
First of all, don’t be too sure that you have a dying poinsettia plant on your hands. Pests, diseases and environmental conditions can all contribute to a plant that looks like it’s on its last legs. Take a close look at your poinsettia to determine what’s causing the problems of yellow leaves that may be wilting and falling off or soft and squishy stems. This guide discusses how to fix many of these issues and revive your ‘dying’ poinsettia plant…
Just a few problems are likely to be the cause of your poinsettia leaves turning yellow and wilting. If they have been exposed to cold temperatures even for a few minutes while taking them from the store to the car. However, they usually just start to drop their leaves. So if there yellow and wilting, there is probably another cause. Over- and under-watering is a common cause Over-and under-watering can directly result in poinsettia leaves turning yellow and wilting. With…
There aren’t any exclusive poinsettia pests and diseases to watch out for and on the most part, if grown indoors, there usually pest and disease free. These plants are, however, sometimes susceptible to the usual range of pests and diseases that plague any houseplant. As such, dealing with problems such as grey mould, scale insects, and thrips is quite straightforward. And none of these is fatal to your poinsettia. If you are having problems with your poinsettia, below are some…