Brown tips on spider plant – causes and fixes for the browning leaves
Spider plant, also known as Chlorophytum comosum, is a perennial flowering plant native to the southern parts of Africa. Over the recent past, it has become one of the top choices for homeowners since it is easy to grow and maintain. It is also widely grown because of its gorgeous look. However, there are things that may cause these amazing plants to look bad. One of these things is browning of the leaves’ tips. In this article, we are going to talk about the causes and how to fix the issue.
Why does my spider plant have brown tips?
There are many factors in play when the tips of a spider plant turns brown. Below we have listed some of these factors.
- Stress from under-watering or over-watering
The browning tips could occur because of water stress. This can happen when you either under or over water your plant.
When you overwater your plant, the roots of the plants will begin to rot as the excess water will hinder the aeration in the roots. This will, in turn, hinder the flow of nutrients and water to the rest of the plant. As a result, the leaves of the plant will turn brown. If you do not fix the problem immediately, there is a high chance that the plant may die.
Spider plants usually do well in soil that does not dry out completely so when you under-water the plant, the leaves gradually dry out. This then makes them turn brown.
- Salt build-up from the application of too much fertilizer.
Another cause for leaf browning is salt build-up from fertilizers.
When you apply too much fertilizer to your plant, it will cause plant toxicity and destroy the plant’s roots. This will, in turn, make the leaves’ tips to turn brown.
Note:New plant growers might think that applying too much fertilizer is good for the plant, but on the contrary, it is not. It actually makes your plant weak and susceptible to pests and diseases.
- Fluoride content in water
Many times, the browning tips on your spider plant might be because you subjected them to too much water, which has a high fluoride content.
Fluoride build-up will mess with the plant’s health when it is in high quantity as it inhibitsnumerous plant’s natural processes. One such process is photosynthesis. High fluoride content in water used to water plants also leads to the destruction of the plant’s tissues. Because of such things, you may find your spider plant’s leaves turning brown.
- Excess sun exposure
Spider plants dislike the hot scorching sunas it causes the soil that they are planted in todries up completely. As a result, no moisture is left in the ground. If the plant lacks, enough moisture, the leaves will start turning browning.
Another reason why spider plants do not do well in direct sunlight is that it burns the leaves and turn them brown.
- Diseases
Bacterial leaf blight might be the reason why your spider plant leaves are discoloring. It usually starts as light spots at the tip of the leaves, which then gradually turns to brown.
- Roots might be constricted and unable to reach out for water.
This is common in potted plants where the container in which they are grown is too small for the roots. It can also happen to plants which are grown in the grounds too, mainly those which have been planted in heavy clay soils.This then makes the spider plants have brown tips.
- Low humidity
For the spider plant to thrive, it needs high humidity levels. In areas with low humidity, the leaves dry out, and the tips start turning brown.
Should I cut brown tips off spider plant?
Yes! You should cut the leaves that have turned brown, especially those that have been plagued by diseases. Doing so, goes a long way in saving your plant from death.
TIP:
Use garden scissors or pruning shears to do the job perfectly. Remember to sterilize your garden scissors or pruning shears using alcohol or any other available sterilizer. This reduces the risk of spreading diseases from one plant to another.
How to stop the leaves from turning brown?
- Cut the affected areas
If the problem was over-watering, you will find that the roots would have rotted extensively. Make sure you cut the affected areas to give your plant a fighting chance.
Additional Information: To prevent the problem of overwatering, make sure you use well-drained soil and a pot with an excellent drainage system. You are also advised to re-pot your plant frequently.
- Water properly
If the problem was under-watering, you can evaluate the soil in the pot and assess the moisture level in the container, then ensure you water the plant frequently.
You are probably wondering how to water your plant correctly. Well this should not worry you anymore. All you have to do is put your index finger into the soil of the spider plant. If the first two inches of your finger is dry, that’s a clear indicator that your plant needs watering!
During the first year of growing the spider plant, you should water after every seven days to keep the soil moist, but never wet. But after the first year, you can water it whenever the soil is dry.
- Change the plant’s pot/ stop applying fertilizer
If the problem was that you applied too much fertilizer that salts began to accumulate- You can fix the problem by changing the plant pot with fresh soil.
Another option is to stop applying fertilizer to your plant and flushing the soil with distilled water to get rid of excess salt, which accumulated in the roots.
Note:During the growing season, a spider plant needs only to be fertilized once every three months. You may use a water-soluble fertilizer, which is diluted and balanced to feed your plant. Always ensure that you do not go overboard with the fertilizer!
- Use fluoride-free water
If the problem was high fluoride content in water- You need to make sure that the water you are using to water your plants does not have fluoride in it.
In case you suspect that the browning of the leaves is because of fluoride, flush the soil with distilled water regularly.
How to flush the soil with high fluoride content
- In the spider plant pot, pour a few bottles of water.
- Wait for the water to drain out.
- Once the water has drained out, flush and drain it repeatedly.
Rainwater is the most recommended water to flush the soil.
- Put your plant under a shade
If the problem was excess sun exposure- ensure that you place your spider plant in a shaded area where it will receive moderate light, that is if it is grown outside.
If it is grown indoors, place your spider plant in a spot where it will get access to indirect or filtered sunlight.
- Avoid watering the plant using the overhead method
If the problem with your spider plant is diseases- you should avoid watering the plant using the overhead method. You should also discard all damaged foliage.
Unfortunately, if the disease has affected the stems, you will have to get rid of your plant as it will die. If you don’t dispose of it, you might risk it infecting your other houseplants, and I assume you don’t want that to happen.
- Repot the plant
If the problem was constricted roots- you should replace the small pot with a bigger pot (repot) to give more room for the roots to grow.
It is recommended by experts to re-pot your spider plants yearly, as they grow quite.
The process of re-potting a spider plant is quite easy. Here is what you need to do;
- Gently remove the plant from the pot it is currently grown.
- Trim and flush the roots.
- Transfer it to a larger pot.
Before you change the pots, ensure that the new pots have good drainage holes simply because spider plants don’t do well in wet soil for a long time.
- Place the plant in an area with high humidity
If you discover the problem was low humidity, – During the winter season, ensure you put your pot with the spider plant in a room where the humidity is high. But when the summer season arrives, you could maintain the high humidity levels by either using a humidity tray or by ensuring timely watering.
TIP: To give your spider plant a humidity boost, you can place your plant in the bathroom when you are taking a hot shower!
Conclusion
Spider plants are beautiful house plants loved by many across the globe. They are not only a showpiece, but also have air purification abilities. Now that is why you should take good care of it. Part of the care includes stopping brown tips from forming on the plant’s leaves. If you adhere to the tips provided above, there is no reason why your plant’s leaves should not remain healthy.