Ugly brown tips can make your houseplants look unhealthy and not cute. Rest easy knowing that brown tips on houseplants are a common issue that can be fixed (once you know the cause). In this guide, we’ll dive into the most common reasons houseplants start to get brown tips; from using the best houseplant fertilizer, to watering correctly. 

1. Underwatering can cause brown tips on houseplants

If you're a forgetful waterer, or just a busy plant parent, you might notice brown tips on your houseplants more frequently. That's because your houseplant might be a little more dehydrated, and you should increase the frequency of water. 

How to Fix underwatering:

• Use a moisture meter, or stick your finger into the soil to check 
• Follow our watering tips for summer, which will tell you exactly how to keep plants well watered during the most high risk season.

2. Overwatering can ALSO cause brown tips on houseplants

Ok, ok, we get it. This can be confusing AF! Both underwatering AND overwatering can cause brown tips. If you're watering your plants too much, the roots can become waterlogged, which can then cause the roots to start rotting (organic tissue starts breaking down). When roots start to rot, your houseplant can't absorbing water and nutrients for houseplant fertilizers properly, which often results in brown-tipped leaves. 

How to Fix It:

• If the soil smells funky and is consistently soaked, you're an overwaterer!
• Make sure your pot has a drainage hole or two. It lets excess moisture drain from the pot. 

3. Low Humidity is a common cause of brown tips in houseplants

Planty peeps, this is the key culprit to brown tips in houseplants. Many houseplants, especially tropical ones, prefer the lovely humid air of a tropical rainforest. If the air in your houseplant's new home is too dry, the leaves may develop brown tips. It's because they are losing moisture faster than they can absorb it.

How to Fix It:

• Increase humidity around your houseplants by misting them regularly or placing a tray full of water nearby. You can also group houseplants together!
• Don't stress; this issue won't harm your houseplants (unlike the other causes).
• If you suspect humidity is the issue, snip the brown tips off to keep your houseplant looking fab.

4. Salt build up from chemical houseplant fertilizers can make make plant tips brown

Over time, salts from tap water and chemical houseplant fertilizers can build up in the soil, leading to brown tips. If you're using standard fertilizers that are synthetic or cheaply made, you are more at risk of developing brown tips. 

How to Fix It:

• Use an organic, gentle and bioavailable houseplant fertilizer like We the Wild's Grow Concentrate. 
• Avoid using granulated fertilizer that you buy from the store. Use Enrich Powder instead. 

5. Pests can turn houseplant leaves brown

During the research and development phase of our gnat traps, it was clear that many pests can cause brown houseplant tips. Pests like spider mites and thrips are common in houseplants and can cause damage that leads to brown tips. But, the odds are that you will notice the pests well before the brown tips. So if you're just seeing brown tips, and nothing else to indicate that you have an invasion of houseplant pests, it may not be the issue you need to solve for. 

How to Fix It:

• Regularly inspect your houseplants, especially new houseplants, for signs of pests. It could be spots, webs or any other sinister sign. 
• If you spot any pests, its always good to treat it early with a houseplant pest spray with Neem oil. 

6. Over-fertilizing your houseplants can damage their leaves

Using houseplant fertilizer is essential for promoting healthy growth, but did you know that the standard fertilizers you are used to using on your houseplants are actually really bad for plants, people AND the planet? The chemicals can shock and burn your houseplants, which lead to brown tips and damaged leaves. Avoid this by using a houseplant fertilizer that is specially formulated for potted plants, like We the Wild's Plant Food bundle. These houseplant fertilizers help you avoid getting brown tips and damaged leaves, by working with the plant's natural function, rather than against it. 

How to Fix It:

• Use Grow Concentrate houseplant fertilizer every time you water, on all your potted plants. 
• Add Enrich Powder slow release houseplant fertilizer to your soil at the time of repotting, and again before each water. It will help to detoxify soil, reduce salt build up and gently nourish your houseplants. 

 

Look, the odds are that your houseplant's brown tips are a result of growing a plant indoors, that's meant to be grown outside. As a plant parent, we have to take the good with the bad! But, if you're looking at more sinister causes for brown tips, you should definitely avoid chemical fertilizers, increase humidity and watch your watering!

 

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