Be careful to prevent indoor plants from browning

[Sherman A1]

The browning of tips or margins of the leaves of indoor plants usually indicates unresolved stress due to mechanical injury, unfavorable environmental conditions or toxicities and their interactions.

Such plant stresses may arise from any one or a combination of the following factors: low humidity, excessive fertilizer, fertilizer imbalance or other soluble salts, poor water quality, unfavorable soil pH, overwatering, underwatering, physical injury, pesticides or direct sunlight. A consequence of uncontrolled plant stress is attack by disease organisms or insects. Take a look at indoor plant environments to see how stress management can work in your favor to correct houseplant damage.

The main environmental factors affecting the foliage of indoor plants are light, temperature and relative humidity.

Plants have a tremendous ability to adjust to varying light conditions, providing these conditions do not vary widely from day to day. Any changes of indoor locations involving significant changes in plant light levels should be made in stages to allow for proper acclimatization. Improper adaptation may produce symptoms that can be confused with disease or pest attack, such as leaf drop, leaf tip browning and the like.

A lot more at:

http://www.stltoday.com/suburban-journals/metro/life/be-careful-to-prevent-indoor-plants-from-browning/article_2c0707bd-bab6-55ec-9871-6f519695b617.html

[Curmudgeoness]

1. My plants are always under stress.

I feel sorry for them, especially in the winter. Too much heat, not enough water. But I have had these same plants for years. A few have survived for over 40 years. It seems to be all about having the right plants that can tolerate my haphazard care.

[Flaxbee]

2. I have one plant that looks like it's struggling next to one that is positively thriving..

I am a total idiot about fertilizer for plants -- what to use and how to best apply it...