Question

Ladies and gents.  I used to be quite the gardener both indoors and out.Ladies and gents. I used to be quite the gardener both indoors and out. I love cacti and houseplants. But love growing my own fruit and veg even more. Now, I seem to be killing everything! Can you tell me why all my plants are going brown (looks like rotting) and just falling apart please? I feel they look rotten and over watered. But I barely water them at all. Any advice would be excellent. I am a bad plant mummy  

Answer 1

Is your central heating on quite a lot?  

Comments

@kopaz not really. I only put it on once or twice on the evening x

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Are the plants near the radiators? Mine always seem to die in winter and I've put it down to the central heating

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@kopaz yes near a radiator. I have moved the Chinese money plant and the peperomia to the windowsill. I have a feeling they have fungus gnats and root rot :(

Answer 2

If you're not over watering, just a little once a week at this time of year, then it could be poor quality soil try adding something like perlite or grit or completely change the soil.  

Comments

@eichelberger I think it is the soil. I have a feeling they have fungus gnats from the poor soil and it's caused root rot! I think I'll be looking at getting some new soil xx

Answer 3

Are you watering from the top or bottom? And using tap water or rain water? I always water from the bottom and use rain water with baby bio in it x

Comments

@florenceflorencia I always water the soil and not the plant. I use tap water mainly, but I will definitely look into rain water. However, I thought only certain plants could use this? x

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@humpage I’m not sure hunni maybe google the name of the plant and how to look after it? This is just how I look after my plants. Most like drinking from the roots as if you water the soil or plant from the top it causes rot x

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@florenceflorencia so how do you do it from the roots?  

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@humpage I put them in plant pot saucers/trays, you can get them in most garden centres or put the plant in and pot inside another pot and lift the plant out water inside then place the plant back in x

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You can also buy feeders if you want to get to the root of the plant like a funnel, you push it into the soil and the pour the water into the top of the funnel and it gradually seeps out at the bottom inside the soil x

Answer 4

Keep the moisture up, mist them fairly regularly.  

Answer 5

They need repotting n watering well bigger pots

Answer 6

Dont put pot near radiators

Answer 7

I'm going to re pot them at the weekend in fresh soil and see how I can get rid of the potential gnats. I will rinse the roots well and identify any root rot which I suspect and add some to windowsills and the rest away from the radiators.  

Answer 8

Check if all pots have a drainage hole. This is important as your plants are sizeable. Keep a plate under each, and water the plate. The soil will soak water. All of it, so don’t flood plates. Soil too needs replenishment. So bone meal powder can work, or an alternative like magnesium and sulphate powder. For the plants itself and when watering soil from top, use a mist/spray bottle. Once a week must with a mix of buttermilk and water. Ration 1:10 upto 1:20. It will leave a faint heavy milk smell for a short while but works well. Soil must be aerated. Poke holes in it or turn with a kitchen fork. Stab and scratch.  

Answer 9

Bit of banana skin on top of soil can work wonders!  

Comments

@danaedanaher for the gnats?  

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@humpage don't know if it works on gnats, but will nourish the plant. Remove skin before it goes mouldy.  

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@danaedanaher thank you!  

Answer 10

Do you have chemical smelling tap water?  

Comments

@catalan75 not that I have ever noticed. No? x

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@humpage my mom's used to smell of bleach, especially early morning so wondered if that was affecting them

Answer 11

Looks like drainage issues, always take the plant out of the outer pot and water from the bottom, preferably rain water if you can.  

Comments

@frick I will be using rain water from today. I don't understand how that would not be a huge mess though each week? I may be acting blonde right now.  

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@humpage have you not got them inside the ceramic outer pots in plastic pots with holes in the bottom that the plants usually come in?  

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@humpage like this for example if you see what I mean. if you have planted your plants straight in to the outer pots they can’t drain so will just rot away even with minimal watering.  

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That's where I am going wrong and then pick up and place water on the bottom. You genius!  

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@humpage exactly  

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@frick right got my job for Saturday morning. Thank you so much! n