I do not have a great need for food like other plants as I’m naturally very slow growing and will not be able to digest additional nutrients too well. Do not worry about feeding me until after 6 months using a liquid fertilizer which you can purchase at the Plant The Future store or at any garden center. I like the 20-20-20 formula. Follow the instructions on the label for best results.

Most symptoms that I may be showing can be due to a number of different causes, so we will need to identify the problem by process of elimination.

Why are the tips and edges of my leaves are turning brown?

This is usually caused by overwatering and/or buildup of salts and chlorine from the tap water. Remember that I prefer to be more on the dry side so check the soil to see if I am getting too wet. If so, reduce the frequency and/or the amount of the watering slightly. It would also be great if you could use distilled or filtered water instead of tap water to avoid the salts and chemicals. I would suggest that you cut the brown tips of my leaves using a scissor as I get adjusted. Cut the tips in the same shape as they were originally please!

 Why is the entire leaf is turning yellow or brown?

This is usually signs that I’m not getting enough water. Please increase the amount of water and/or frequency of the watering. Remember to check the soil as instructed above.

What should I do if I’m losing my leaves?

If it is only my lower leaves that drop (one by one) over a period of time and all the top leaves are fine, it is usually due to me having an initial shock of relocation and/or my natural tendency to drop leaves in order to channel my energy to the new growth. In this case, continue watering me as instructed and remove the dead leaves at the bottom. As I grow, new leaves will sprout on top.  

If many leaves fall all of the sudden in the top part, then it must be something in the environment that is not making me feel very good. It can be an AC vent that is blowing hot/cold air on me, I may be getting burned by direct sun, or experienced some sudden change in temperature. In this case, move me to a better location and monitor me over the next few days/weeks.  

I have brown/yellow spots on my leaves, what do I do?

This could be due to a number of problems including fungal disorders, bacteria, or insect damage.

Fungal Disorder & Bacteria:

Root rot is a common fungal disorder that develops when my soil is constantly wet. My leaves may turn brown-to-black and curl up, eventually falling off. Root rot can be treated by withholding water for a while until the soil is dry and then continue watering again. Another fungal disorder may be Anthracnose leaf spot that spreads on leaves in moist, wet air. In both cases, brown spots would appear on my leaves, but in leaf spot these tend to grow gradually in size and may be sprinkled with black dots. Leaf spot can also be caused by bacteria. If It looks like leaf spot, remove all of my infected leaves and avoid wetting the foliage when you water. I should be able to eventually recover from either disorder if damage isn’t too severe.

Insect Damage:

Brown spots may also result from insects feeding on my leaves, causing injured portions to brown and eventually die. Mites, which are microscopic pests, may cause this problem. Although they’re invisible, their webs are usually obvious, especially on the younger leaves. Mealybugs can also cause leaf browning that sometimes appears as spots, especially where leaves join stems. These insects resemble tiny puffs of cotton along the stems or on leaves. You can destroy both pests by spraying me periodically with insecticidal soap that you can find at a garden center. Follow the instructions on the label.