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Why Is My Peperomia Dying?
Why is my Peperomia dying is a question you don’t want to have to be asking, but if this is you then you want to find out the cause as quickly as possible so you can start working on the solution and try to save your plant. The main issues are normally to do with watering or light, so let’s look at each of these in turn and see if we can find the culprit behind why your Peperomia is dying.
An Issue With Watering
The most probable cause of your Peperomia dying is an issue with watering. Overwatering is the most common cause of Peperomia death but underwatering can also be a culprit. Peperomia aren’t quite succulents but they’re not far off. They tend to have thicker leaves that can store excess water and are used to receiving less rainfall in their natural environments. With this is in mind it’s important that you allow your Peperomia to dry out between waterings or you risk overwatering your plant. Signs of overwatering include squishy, soft leaves and stems, black leaves and stems and leaves starting to fall off. You’ll also know you’re overwatering by touching the soil. If it’s wet to the touch and not left to dry out or if your pot doesn’t have drainage holes then this is the most likely cause of why your Peperomia is dying.
Of course underwatering can also play a part. Peperomia can go a while without being watered but this doesn’t mean they should be left to dry out completely or be left bone dry for days or weeks on end. It’s important to allow your soil to dry but once it has it’s time to water your plant again. Drooping leaves that are losing their plumpness or starting to crisp can be a sign of underwatering, as is dry soil.
Inappropriate Light
Another cause, though less common, is using inappropriate light for your Peperomia. Peperomia need bright, indirect light. If they are placed in direct sunlight that is too strong it can cause then too dry out too quickly, burn or start to wither. Apart from seeing if your plant is in direct light, you can tell this is a problem by burnt spots or reddish sunburn appearing on your plant’s leaves, and you might notice that the leaves start to curl in on themselves.
Your plant may also be getting insufficient light which could be causing it to die. People say Peperomia can tolerate low light conditions but they will show you when the light is too low. If you notice the stems of your Peperomia elongating and moving towards the light then it’s likely your plant isn’t getting enough light. You want to stop this when you notice this of your plant will become leggy and could start to suffer and even die.
Insufficient Nutrients
A third possible answer to why is my Peperomia dying is insufficient nutrients. Your plant doesn’t just need water to survive and will take up lots of nutrients from the soil. If your potting mix is old or if your plant has been in the same pot for a long time it’s possible for it to use up all of the nutrients and to need some fertiliser. Plant food is a great solution to help your plant get the extra nutrients it needs. Try fertilising your Peperomia about once a month during the growing seasons (spring and summer) and your plant should hopefully start growing again in no time.
So why is my Peperomia dying? Hopefully we have helped answer your question. Check your plant’s environment and match off each factor that we’ve discussed with how your plant is being kept. If you don’t think what we’ve included is the reason your Peperomia is dying then let us know in the comments below. Try to include as much information about your plant and its environment as possible for the best chances of us helping you.
Article: Why Is My Peperomia Dying?
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Hello! My peperomia obtusifolia has firm, healthy looking leaves and stems but recently has been dropping leaves. I noticed it had gnats flying around it, so I’m using the yellow stickies to catch them, which seems to be working. I tried watering it with Enzymes Komplete mixed in and since then, the stems have begun drooping over. But the leaves and stems still look firm, green, and healthy so I’m not sure what’s wrong.
I’ve had this plant for a few years, kept in that same spot, same watering schedule and it’s always thrived. I’ve never fertilized it, but I repotted it in the spring, so the new soil should have fertilizer in it. I water it once a week (a little less in the winter), it stands on a windowsill that gets indirect sunlight (but it gets maybe 20 minutes of direct sunlight every morning).
Since the plant’s looking so green and healthy, I’m stumped! Maybe it just got too tall and now it needs stakes? But then why is it dropping leaves? Stumped, I tell you.