Learn to recognize the five key signs of a struggling plant – yellowing leaves, root rot, stunted growth, crispy tips, and improper pots and discover expert solutions to bring your plant back to health. A must-read revival guide for indoor gardeners in Canada.
Learn to recognize the five key signs of a struggling plant
If you’ve ever looked at your plant and thought, “Why are its leaves yellowing? Why isn’t it growing anymore?”, you’re not alone. At DH Garden Centre here in Kitsilano, Vancouver, we help hundreds of people every season who think they’re failing their plants. But the truth is, plants talk — not with words, but with visible signs. The key is learning to understand what those signs mean.
With over 25 years in landscaping and 11 years serving customers in our garden centre, I’ve seen firsthand how even beginners can turn things around — once they learn to read the warning signals.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through the five most common signs that a plant is struggling, what each one really means, and how to fix it with simple, expert-approved techniques.
Sign #1: Yellow Leaves — Not Always a Death Sentence
This is one of the most common issues people bring into our garden centre: “My plant’s leaves are turning yellow. What did I do wrong?”
Well, let’s break it down. Yellowing leaves can mean several things — not all of them bad.
Possible Causes:
- Overwatering: The most common cause. Too much moisture drowns roots, preventing them from absorbing nutrients. The leaves begin to yellow as a result.
- Insufficient light: If your plant is tucked in a corner too far from a light source, it may not photosynthesize efficiently, triggering stress-induced yellowing.
- Natural aging: Some leaves just grow old. Especially the lower ones. They yellow and fall off as part of the natural life cycle.
Overwatering: The most common cause. Too much moisture drowns roots, preventing them from absorbing nutrients. The leaves begin to yellow as a result.
What to Do:
- Check the soil. Insert your finger about 1–2 inches deep. If it still feels moist, wait before watering again.
- Move the plant to a brighter spot, preferably with indirect sunlight.
- Prune yellow leaves cleanly with sterile scissors. This helps the plant redirect energy to healthy growth.
Yellow leaves are a message, not a failure. You just need to read it right.
Sign #2: Mushy Stems or Root Rot — The Hidden Danger
Sometimes the problem lies below the surface. Root rot is one of the most dangerous — but often overlooked — plant issues.
Signs to Watch For:
- Yellowing or translucent leaves
- Soft, mushy stems near the base
- Foul or sour smell from the soil
- Drooping despite wet soil
How to Confirm:
Carefully take the plant out of its pot. Look at the roots:
- Healthy roots: Firm, white or light tan
- Rotting roots: Mushy, black or dark brown, and may smell bad
Sometimes the problem lies below the surface. Root rot is one of the most dangerous — but often overlooked — plant issues.
How to Revive:
- Trim away all dead, mushy roots using clean scissors.
- Let the roots air dry for 30–60 minutes.
- Repot in fresh, well-draining soil.
- Use a pot with proper drainage holes.
- Hold off watering for a few days and avoid fertilizing for 2 weeks.
Root rot is serious — but with quick action, most plants recover beautifully.
Sign #3: No New Growth — The Silent Struggle
A plant that looks stable but hasn’t produced new leaves in weeks may be silently struggling.
Possible Causes:
- Insufficient light: Not enough energy for new growth.
- Compacted soil: Old soil becomes dense, cutting off oxygen.
- Rootbound: Roots circling the pot, out of space to grow.
A plant that looks stable but hasn’t produced new leaves in weeks may be silently struggling.
Solutions:
- Move your plant closer to a bright window, avoiding direct midday sun.
- Loosen the top 2–3 cm of soil gently with a fork.
- Repot into a slightly larger container (1–2 inches wider) if rootbound.
Remember: Some species like ZZ Plants or Snake Plants naturally grow slowly. Learn your plant’s normal rhythm.
Sign #4: Crispy or Curling Leaf Tips — Stress Signal
Crispy or curling tips might look small, but they’re telling you something important.
Causes:
- Low humidity: Especially common in Canadian winters.
- Poor water quality: Tap water with high chlorine or fluoride can cause salt buildup.
- Over-fertilization: Excess salts in the soil burn the leaf tips.
What You Can Do:
- Mist your plant or group it with others to raise local humidity.
- Use filtered, rainwater, or dechlorinated tap water.
- Dilute fertilizers and reduce feeding during colder months.
Trim any damaged leaf tips cleanly to keep the plant looking neat — and monitor improvements.
Sign #5: Pots Without Drainage — The Silent Killer
A beautiful pot means nothing if it traps water inside. Pots with no drainage holes are a top cause of long-term plant decline.
Why It Matters:
- Excess water accumulates, drowning roots.
- Encourages rot, fungus, and mold.
- Even well-watered plants will decline in a sealed pot.
A beautiful pot means nothing if it traps water inside. Pots with no drainage holes are a top cause of long-term plant decline.
Better Approaches:
- Double-pot method: Keep your plant in its plastic nursery pot with drainage and place it inside a decorative pot.
- Use terracotta or unglazed ceramic pots: They allow moisture to evaporate naturally.
- If using a sealed pot, add LECA or pebbles to the bottom and water very sparingly.
Whenever possible, choose drainage. It makes all the difference.
Final Thoughts: Plants Don’t Die Overnight — They Ask for Help
These signs — yellowing leaves, mushy roots, lack of growth, brown tips, and improper pots — are not the end. They’re early warnings. And now, you know how to listen.
With a little observation and timely care, you can bring almost any struggling plant back to life. And if you need help? Visit us at DH Garden Centre. We’re not just a plant shop — we’re your neighbourhood plant clinic.
We’ll guide you through diagnosing issues, selecting proper soil, finding the right pot — and reviving your plant step by step.
Come see us: DH Garden Centre LTD.
3742 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver, BC V6R 2G4
604-929-7335
dhgardencentre.com
Let’s bring your green space back to life.
