Why do plant leaf tips dry out

Unfortunately, it is very common to find that some of our plants sometimes show areas or spots of dryness on their tips or edges. When this appears it means that the plant is stressed and needs something to be done about it, but you should not be overwhelmed: it is far from being an unsolvable problem. If your plant has completely dry leaves, there are many causes that can cause its condition, from diseases and pests to all kinds of deficiencies or excesses. However, when only the tips or edges of the leaves become dry or brown and have a fine or wrinkled texture, it is always an indicator of the same thing: stress.

If you want to know more about why the tips of plant leaves burn and what to do when plant leaves dry out, join us in this article where you will find a practical gardening guide focused on the question of why dry the tips of the leaves of the plants.

Stress from lack of water

When the plant shows the brown tips of the leaves

, the most common is that it lacks water. This does not necessarily mean that you are watering it too little: its roots may not be able to absorb the water because the substrate is not adequate.

If you notice that the substrate or soil of your plant with the dry leaves is very dry, the first thing you should do is increase the frequency of watering slightly. Do not cause a very drastic increase, as it could cause the opposite effect: make sure that the soil does not puddle and that you remove the excess water from the dish if the plant is in a pot with drainage.

If what happens is that the substrate or soil has too high a drainage, the roots of the plant will not have time to absorb the water, even if your water often. This often occurs in very sandy soils, which will appreciate your contribution of materials such as peat or earthworm humus, with a contribution of rich organic matter that will also help improve the ability of the mixture to retain water.

If you can’t afford to add a significant portion of these materials to the mix, a good amount of vermiculite and perlite will also go a long way in retaining and releasing moisture.

Stress from tight roots

Many times, we forget that the plants in the pots continue to grow with each season, and most of them need regular transplants. These can be annual, biennial, or more widely spaced for slow-growing plants, but they still need to be catered for when the time is right.

If your plant is in a container or pot and its roots have taken up all the available space, they will end up squeezing together so much that they will form a massive mass unable to absorb water or nutrients properly. What to do when the leaves of the plants dry out because of this? You simply need to transplant your plant to a larger pot, with a new suitable substrate. If the roots are close together and compacted, you will need to carefully loosen them with your hands and prune them if necessary. In these cases, try to prune about a third of the roots of the plant with a well-sterilized tool: this will stimulate the growth of new loose roots.

The roots can also clench when they are plants without a container, especially in very heavy and clayey soils, which can end up acting like the hardest of pots. In these cases, it will be necessary to transplant, either to another location, or to remove it, loosen the surrounding soil over a considerable distance, and return it to its place.

Stress from damaged roots

Irrigation problems are not always by default: an excess of water causes equally serious damage to the plant

and, in fact, more dangerous. Just as a dry plant can be easily revived by watering it, one that has been drowned will have suffered root damage, rot, and dead spots.

In these cases, it will be necessary to remove the plant and prune the damaged areas, in addition to reducing watering or transplanting the plant to an area of ​​soil or container with better drainage. Use a light mix, adding equal parts peat, coconut fiber, and worm castings: this results in soil rich in nutrients and with ideal moisture retention capabilities for most plants.

Draft stress

Some plants need circulating air to be healthy, while other species, particularly those that require humid environments, do not tolerate them. If the plant is in a drafty area and its leaves or edges turn brown, this is likely the problem.

To avoid this, move the plant to a more sheltered area, protected from currents and without sticking it to the walls.

Why do plant leaf tips dry up - Draft stress

Sun stress

location that is too bright can also cause dry leaves on its edges, especially if the plant has not previously been subjected to a few days of semi-shade acclimatization. If your plant is burning in the sun, move it to a dim light area for a few days and observe its evolution.

How to prevent plant leaf tips from drying out

You will have to pay attention to all the factors of what causes the tips of the leaves of the plants to dry out. If your plant receives all the nutrients it needs, is protected from a stronger sun than it can bear, protected from drafts, in a pot that is large enough and with adequate watering, you should not encounter any of these problems.

It may seem like a lot of things to manage, but if you observe your plants often, you can identify these problems in isolation before they become serious and correct the points for improvement in the care of your plants .

Why do plant leaf tips dry out

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