Desperate Houseplants: Dealing with Common Diseases

Houseplants can develop many problems, mostly due to environmental or cultural causes. Diseases are not common on most houseplants grown indoors because environmental conditions are not favorable for plant pathogens to grow and infect the plants. However, there are fungal, viral, and bacterial conditions that can affect them. The first step in controlling these diseases is with prevention. Always buy disease-free plants. Use clean soil when repotting, carefully scrubbing pots before reusing to kill any disease organisms that may be present. Providing your houseplants with the proper growing conditions, giving them plenty of TLC, and checking them often for problems will significantly reduce the chances of disease, turning desperate houseplants into happy ones.

Fungi are one of the most common factors of disease in houseplants. Most of these can be contributed to overwatering, as most fungi need moisture to thrive. Anthracnose is one of these, and when present, leaf tips become yellow, gradually turning dark brown, and eventually dying. Infected leaves should be picked off and destroyed. Both root and stem rot can be associated with fungus as well, due mostly to overly wet soil from poor drainage or overwatering. Both the roots and stem become soft, turn brown/black, wilt and die. Generally, it's too late to save the plant once you notice this disease; however, this can easily be prevented with the correct use of watering and good drainage. If only some of the roots are affected, however, repotting the plant in a sterilized pot may help. Fungal leaf spots may include small brown spots with yellow margins or black spotting. Remove and destroy the affected houseplant as the fungi thrive on decaying plant matter.