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Hi everyone, newbie plant owner struggling

Hey everyone! 

Just signed up to see if I can get some help please? 

I bought my first ever indoor plants 8 months ago for my office, in the couple of months they all started getting brown tips. 

I used to water here and there so to say, I was advised to only water when the soil was damp a couple of inches under the surface. 

Last week, I trimmed the burnts tips off etc, and I actually repotted the two tree style plants, and did not water as the soil was damp. 

I am thinking they where overwatered originally but tbh have no clue as I'm new to this! 

The 1st and 2nd pictures are of the other plants that haven't gone down hill again. 

The 3rd of the smaller trees roots. 

The 4th picture was post trim. 

The 5th one in the smaller pot was beforre the trim. (I put them in a new potting soil, and in a bigger pot, however the roots on the smaller tree where tiny. 

And the last two pictures are a week after I trimmed the dead bits of leaves. 

I did not water them in the soil when repotting as out the pack it was a little damp any i thought maybe they where overwatered already. 

(I'm wondering if because the trees where watered and there roots where a lot lower (8 inches below where I was checking it turn out) that the soil might have still been wet down there. 

I have also attached a picture of the roots when it was being re potted. And two other plants that I trimmed too (incase it helps the diagnoses). The two other plants haven't gone down hill at all. 


Thanks again if yoy can advise, I really don't want to keep harming these plants through lack of knowledge. 


  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 7,535
    Welcome to the forum  :)
    I'm guessing the brown leaves are due to the dry atmosphere. It might be worth misting them now and again. Are they anywhere near a heat source such as a radiator? 
  • gardenman91gardenman91 BrightonPosts: 409
    Welcome to the forum @kharnIWc_HZnd :smile: I’d have to agree with @AnniD regarding the dry atmosphere, my Peace lily gets brown leaves but not so much now as I mist it more and moved it away from the radiator. As for watering, what compost have you used? Have you added any grit or perlite?
  • I agree about the dry atmosphere causing a lot of the browning. One common recommendation is to put a larger tray under your plants with pebbles, and keep it constantly moist--that will improve the humidity for the plants (and you). But I see that you also have a Dracaena and the brown on that looks as though it has been overwatered at some point (though probably not very recently). While it doesn't like to dry out, it does need good drainage, so when repotting add grit and perlite, as @margaret005 says. So I'd deduce from all this that you are watering OK (for winter--they will need more water from late March onwards) but your atmosphere is too dry.

    It's worth knowing that sometimes just moving plants makes them perk up again, too!

  • PS: even with a few brown edges, they still look fab though...
  • LTobyLToby Posts: 177
    and give some ventilation in the room every now and then ...
    Aberdeenshire, Scotland
  • Hey every body. Thank you for the replies! 

    The room does get ventilated occasionally, however there is electric heater on the other side ofnthe room when we are in! So maybe its this. 

    We mist every two - 3 weeks. Assuming this is not enough! 

    They have just had new soil, so assuming they do not need feed? 

    Thabk yoy for the help, I'm just really worried. Im new to this, and have quiet an attachment to living things. 

    I have also attached a picture as of ten minutes ago, they are getting slightly worse, however the leaf overall doesn't feel as soft! 


    Ps. It's so nice of you all to chime in and help a complete stranger in the Manor you have! 

    Thanks so much 🙏

  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 7,535
    edited 8 February
    From personal experience l've found that even when you trim the brown bits off, it seems to spread down the leaf, possibly because the atmosphere is still too dry, but l'm not 100% sure if that's the reason , or whether it's because once they start to turn brown on the tips they just keep going. 
    I'm not a houseplant expert by any means, but l think you do need to mist more often, maybe once a week. I'm sure there's someone here who can confirm. 
    @cambridgerose12 's mention of a pebble filled tray is a good idea to increase the humidity level.  :)
  • JennyJJennyJ DoncasterPosts: 3,405
    Mist daily if you can (easier said than done!). But a bit of dieback is normal particularly on the older leaves. I have one of those (pic below) and it has a few brown spots and tips, and one lower leaf almost ready to be removed (if it doesn't fall off on its own first). Don't forget plants are living things not plastic and just like us they don't look perfect all the time :)
  • Hey guys. 
    Apologies for not being in touch sooner. I unfortunately broke my phone and had a nightmare getting the replacement. 

    So last week, I moved the pot further away from the window, as I noticed the air near the window was a lot lot colder. 
    Not it seemed to slow things down, 

    However after not being in at the weekend. It has gotten drastically worse. 

    Also the tall one is not doing it. 

    I am again now worried about my watering them. I have given then about 3/4 pint in the last 14 days. Soil is still slightly moist. 

    The tips of the tall one are yellowing, and going very soft. 

    I really am so worried about these dying. 

    I have been misting. But not daily, which I shall now do. 

    Here are some updated pictures. ! 

    Thank you so much guys for the effort and help, apologies for keep coming back and asking more. I really do not want to kill these plants! 

    Thanks again.

  • JennyJJennyJ DoncasterPosts: 3,405
    Does the container have drainage holes to allow water to run through? One of your new pics shows the base and it looks as if it might not.  Without any drainage holes, it could be very wet with stagnant water down at the bottom even if it's only damp near the top, and that will rot the roots. You'd be better having the plants in individual pots with holes, standing inside the outer pot, then you can take them out to water, let the excess completely drain through and then put them back.
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