To tell whether you're raising your plants well, just look at these 20 signs

Spots or blotches appear on the leaves

If the leaf spots or blotches become wrinkled and turn brown, it may be caused by lack of water. If the spots soften and turn dark brown, it may be caused by watering with water that is too cold, water splashing onto the leaves, damage from chemicals, sunscald, or pests and diseases. If the spots are moist with a blistered appearance, or dry and sunken, this is caused by disease. Several kinds of pests can pierce and suck the leaves of plants, causing damage.

Sudden leaf drop

Leaves that wilt without fading in color and then suddenly drop are often the result of the plant suffering a sudden shock, such as a sudden large rise or fall in temperature, a sharp increase in daytime sunlight intensity, or the blowing of strong cold wind; overly dry soil, especially for woody plants, is even more likely to cause leaf drop.

Top leaves are small and yellow, with green veins, and in severe cases brown spots appear

This is a phenomenon that easily occurs in acid-loving plants and plants sensitive to calcium when, in the north, they are watered with water containing a lot of calcium (hard water) and grown in potting soil containing relatively more calcium.

Leaves curl and drop

Caused by low temperature, overhead watering, or cold drafts.

Leaves yellow and drop

Occasionally losing old leaves is normal. A large number of leaves yellowing and dropping at the same time indicates overwatering, a sudden drop in indoor temperature, or local cold air convection.

Leaves look stiff and lifeless

This may be the result of light that is too strong or damage from red spider mites. Healthy leaves covered in dust will also lack vitality, so pay attention to cleaning them.

Injurious splits and holes appear on the leaves

The usual causes are: mechanical damage from pets or people (newly sprouted leaf buds being injured) or insect damage.

Flower buds drop

The same causes that lead to leaf drop can also cause flower buds to drop. The most common causes of flower bud drop are dry air, lack of water, insufficient light, a change in the position of the pot before flowering, or insect damage.

Flowers wither quickly

The most likely causes are lack of water, dry air, light that is too weak, or temperature that is too high.

Leaves shrivel

Either the soil is dry, or there has been too much watering or the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot is blocked, causing the root system to rot. It may also be too much sunlight (especially at noon), dry air, temperature that is too high, roots filling the pot, or pest damage.

New plants drop leaves

Right after repotting, or for a newly purchased plant or a plant moved from one room to another room with slightly different conditions, dropping 1-2 leaves is a normal phenomenon. When repotting, use a slightly larger pot, and when bringing a purchased plant home, be careful to protect the plant and gradually move it from shade to bright light, minimizing the shock to the plant.

Bottom leaves dry up and drop

There are three causes: lack of light, temperature that is too high, or lack of water.

The plant grows slowly or does not grow

In the home, almost all plants stop growing in winter, and the plant should not be forced. In summer, slow growth may be caused by lack of water, root rot from overwatering, or too little light. If none of these reasons applies, and the temperature is also suitable, then the root system may be filling the pot, which restricts the plant's growth.

Stems and leaves rot

Caused by disease due to a poor growing environment. The cause is overwatering in winter or water standing on the leaves at night.

The leaves of variegated plants turn green

There are usually two causes: too little light and too much nitrogen fertilizer applied. Move the plant to a place with strong light, remove the branches whose leaves have all turned green, and reduce the amount of nitrogen fertilizer applied.

Moss grows on the sides of clay pots

There is definitely a watering problem, usually caused by overwatering or a blocked drainage hole at the bottom of the pot, making the potting soil too damp or waterlogged.

Leaves are small and pale, stems are thin and long

If this occurs in winter or early spring, it is because the temperature is too high, the light is too weak, and the growing medium is too moist. If this phenomenon appears during the growing season, it may be caused by lack of fertilizer or insufficient light.

Not blooming

If the plant has grown to a certain size and reached the time to bloom but does not bloom, there are several reasons: the most likely cause is light that is too weak, an incorrect number of light hours per day (photoperiod), too much nitrogen fertilizer, dry air, pest and disease damage, or improper repotting (some plants need their roots to fill the pot before they will bloom, so repotting is not needed).

Leaf tips and leaf edges turn brown

If only the leaf tips turn brown, it may be caused by hot air, or it may be abrasion; leaf tips turning brown can also be caused by leaning against a wall or window. Yellowing or browning of leaf edges has many causes: overwatering, lack of water, insufficient light, light that is too strong, temperature that is too high or too low, too much fertilizer, air humidity that is too low, or ventilation that is too strong. To confirm what the cause is, other factors and symptoms must also be considered.

White salt deposits appear on the flower pot

Watering with hard water or applying too much fertilizer.