Remove Brown Tips From the Leaves of Houseplants
Growing and maintaining healthy houseplants is a generally uncomplicated process. Indoor plants are bred for their ability to thrive in a wide variety of conditions, and unlike outdoor plants they do not have to contend with insects or animals. However, most people will admit that their chief goal is to have attractive houseplants rather than simply healthy ones. Even healthy plants develop some unsightly conditions, such as brown spots or especially brown leaf tips. Learning how to remove brown tips from the leaves of houseplants is a simple process that will help you keep your houseplants looking their best.
Steps
- Determine if the leaf should be removed entirely. Leaves with small brown areas along their edges or tips are fairly common even on healthy houseplants. Because a large portion of the leaf is still green, it is still producing energy for the plant through photosynthesis. However, if a leaf is almost entirely brown and dry, then it is better to remove the leaf entirely by plucking it or cutting it away.
- Obtain a sharp pair of scissors. Brown tips can be trimmed easily using a regular pair of scissors. For the best results, you should use as sharp a pair of scissors as possible. Very sharp blades minimize damage to the plant's cells, which reduce the amount of energy it must spend healing the wound.
- Cut the brown tips of the leaves off. Use the scissors to clip the brown leaf tips away. It is best to leave a very small sliver of the brown area remaining on the leaf. In doing this, you will avoid opening a fresh wound in the plant's leaf, which will stress the plant and may eventually turn brown itself anyway.
- Compost the brown leaf tips. If you have a compost pile or municipal composting program, you can add the leaf tips to your compost. If you suspect that the houseplant is diseased, however, avoid potential contamination of your compost and discard the leaf tips in the trash.
- Address the problem causing the brown leaf tips. Of course, if you take steps to improve the plant's health, you may be able to prevent it from developing discolored leaves in the first place. Brown leaves can be a sign of both over- and under-watering, inadequate light, or excessive salt in the plant's soil. Take steps to address these potential problems and note any changes in the leaves' coloration.
- Many plants, such as most palm varieties, shed their lower leaves regularly as part of their natural growth. There is no way to keep these shedding leaves from gradually turning brown, and they can be clipped away once they are thoroughly discolored and dry.
- Small brown spots or holes in your houseplants' leaves can be a sign of an insect infestation. Check the soil and the undersides of the leaves for insects to help diagnose the problem before it gets worse.
Things You'll Need
- Houseplants
- Scissors
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