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Watermelon Peperomia Dropping Leaves
A watermelon peperomia dropping leaves can be incredibly alarming, it can be a sign that something is wrong with your plant and it can be a sign that you need to move quickly before you lose more leaves or in worst case scenario the entire plant. Unfortunately there are many different reasons your watermelon peperomia is dropping leaves but luckily each reason is fairly common to diagnose. Let’s take a look at some of these reasons to see if we can find out the cause and solution for your watermelon peperomia dropping leaves.
Watering Issues
The first possible cause of your watermelon peperomia dropping leaves is an issue with how you’re watering your plant. This can be due to both underwatering and overwatering but they’re fairly easy to tell apart. A watermelon peperomia should be allowed to dry out between waterings so if your soil is constantly moist then the issue is probably overwatering. However, if you’re allowing your plant to dry out and then days go by before you water it again the issue is probably underwatering. You can also tell this by the weight of the pot. A light pot means you have a thirsty plant. When your plant is overwatered the leaves tend to turn yellow and black before they fall of where as an underwatered peperomia will often crisp up and turn brown instead.
Drainage Problems
Again this comes back to the amount of moisture your plant is getting but drainage problems can be a serious cause of watermelon peperomias dropping leaves. If you don’t have a drainage hole in your pot, or if the soil is too heavy it can be causing the plant to take in more water than it needs which will cause similar symptoms to overwatering and can result in leaf loss. That’s why it’s vital your plant has a drainage hole and you use a well draining soil, preferably with added perlite for aeration. Check to make sure your soil isn’t hydrophobic. Although this is a less common issue it can still affect a plant and cause serious damage, learn more here about potting soil that won’t absorb water.
Too Much Or Too Little Light
A watermelon peperomia likes bright indirect light. Peperomia plants can often tolerate medium light but will start to suffer in low light conditions. Although they may be able to survive they won’t thrive and may lose leaves. Similarly if you place your plant in an area that receives strong direct sunlight all day long then you may find the your plant dries out too quickly, the leaves will burn and scorch and they may fall off. The easy way to diagnose this is to literally look at the places you have your plants in. Do you have your plant right up next to a window that receives direct sunlight? Then you need to move it. Is your plant in a dark corner of the room that receives no natural light? Then move it to a brighter spot. It might sound simple but it often is. Light is incredibly important to a plant and the watermelon peperomia is no different.
Pests
Another possible cause are pests. If you have pests living on your plant or in the soil of your watermelon peperomia then this could be the cause of your watermelon peperomia dropping leaves. Check the soil for pests, look out for small white dots in the soil or on the leaves.
Hopefully this has helped you to work out why you watermelon peperomia is dropping leaves. If you’re still not sure then why not ask in us in the comments below. Be sure to give us as much information about your plant and its living conditions as possible.
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