Saving House Plants: What to Do When Leaves Turn Yellow

[wolram]

I am looking after the house ,and one of the things i was asked to do was, look
after the house plants and the ones in the green house, i have given them
loads of water, but the leaves are all going yellow or droping off, i think they
are nearly dead.
The tomatoes in the green house look almost ready to eat, should i pick
them?
Can i give the house plants some thing to revive them.
Even the runner beans are curling up and the pods splitting open.
and it will be all my fault

 

[BobG]

"Loads of water" isn't a great thing for plants. You may be drowning them, especially if there's no holes in the bottom of the plant's container (planters with holes in the bottom tend to let you know you've overwatered).

I'm not sure about the best way to handle overwatering. I've drowned one plant by overwatering, but I've never saved any (CPR just doesn't work on plants). Maybe someone else would have a trick to save them. Barring advice from someone who actually knows what to do, it might help to remove the plant, dirt and all, from the planter to allow the excess water to drain out.

In the future, try feeling the dirt. If the plant has enough water, the dirt should feel cool and slightly moist.

 

[wolram]

"Loads of water" isn't a great thing for plants. You may be drowning them, especially if there's no holes in the bottom of the plant's container (planters with holes in the bottom tend to let you know you've overwatered).

I'm not sure about the best way to handle overwatering. I've drowned one plant by overwatering, but I've never saved any (CPR just doesn't work on plants). Maybe someone else would have a trick to save them. Barring advice from someone who actually knows what to do, it might help to remove the plant, dirt and all, from the planter to allow the excess water to drain out.

In the future, try feeling the dirt. If the plant has enough water, the dirt should feel cool and slightly moist.

All the flower pots are sitting on saucers, and i know the pots have holes in
them as the water over flows all over the window sill.

 

[BobG]

I don't mean to sound heartless, but it may be time to remove the life support. They're vegetables (well, the beans and tomatoes might be, anyway). It's time to let them go.

 

[pace]

My white roses also went dry :'( They stood in the middle of the room in water, and I bit them in the stilk before I put them in. In a room where the window always is open. Then just before they went dry, I put them in the window where there was more air, and they lasted longer. Hm :scratch: I think maybe nobody should give me roses :laughs:

 

[wolram]

I could buy new house plants, but knowing my luck they won't have the
identical ones
I supose its the dog house for a week or two

 

[hypatia]

People just don't understand that plants actually know when there caretakers are gone, and others are caring for them.
The plants seem sad, I think you need to sing them cheerful songs! Also make sure they are getting enough fresh air, did you get instructions for them?

 

[wolram]

People just don't understand that plants actually know when there caretakers are gone, and others are caring for them.
The plants seem sad, I think you need to sing them cheerful songs! Also make sure they are getting enough fresh air, did you get instructions for them?

I was told to water the house plants and the tomatoes in the green house,
and to shut the green house door at night, "if i sang to them it would be
instant death", i am sure i have not killed them it must be some plant disease or some thing.

 

[JamesU]

don't pick those tomatoes!

 

[Evo]

The leaves going yellow and dropping off are a sign of over watering. Look at the undersides of the leaves and see if they look or feel dusty or dirty, it could be spider mites. Or go to a plant place and look for plants with spidermites and transfer them to the plants you just killed.

 

[Moonbear]

For the veggies, it could just be that they're reaching the end of their growing season. If all the tomatoes are ripe looking, then go ahead and pick them. Tomatoes are evil little plants that always wait until the gardener is gone to ripen. As for regular houseplants, overwatering can be a problem (just stop watering until the soil starts to get dry and see if they improve), but it could also be some sort of pest getting at them. Do you see any bugs on them? Small mite-like critters that are sucking the leaves dry, perhaps? Do you have any local garden shops that might know the local pests if you call and give them the symptoms?

I've never successfully revived a plant once it started turning all yellow. I just don't have a green thumb. My mom and grandfather both could take something that looked like nothing more than a brown twig and somehow get it to come back to life, but I've never been so lucky.

If the dumb little plants would just tell you what's wrong, it would be very helpful. Afterall, all they do is turn yellow then brown, no matter what the problem is. Overwatering and underwatering have the same symptoms, as do overfeeding and underfeeding, or too much and too little sunlight. They're frustrating little creatures and are best found in a salad bar!

 

[Moonbear]

Or go to a plant place and look for plants with spidermites and transfer them to the plants you just killed.

That's it, use the spider mites as scapegoats!

 

[wolram]

The leaves going yellow and dropping off are a sign of over watering. Look at the undersides of the leaves and see if they look or feel dusty or dirty, it could be spider mites. Or go to a plant place and look for plants with spidermites and transfer them to the plants you just killed.

So i did kill them then stupid plants, i only gave them lots of water
because the ground seemed to soak it all in, i was not told to measure the
amount i gave them.
I will just own up and suffer the dog house

But the runner beans do have red mite like things on them, but not the tomatoes or house plants.

 

[wolram]

For the veggies, it could just be that they're reaching the end of their growing season. If all the tomatoes are ripe looking, then go ahead and pick them. Tomatoes are evil little plants that always wait until the gardener is gone to ripen. As for regular houseplants, overwatering can be a problem (just stop watering until the soil starts to get dry and see if they improve), but it could also be some sort of pest getting at them. Do you see any bugs on them? Small mite-like critters that are sucking the leaves dry, perhaps?

so may be it was not all my fault, thank you moonbear you have
thrown me a life line.

 

[Evo]

So i did kill them then stupid plants, i only gave them lots of water
because the ground seemed to soak it all in, i was not told to measure the
amount i gave them.
I will just own up and suffer the dog house

But the runner beans do have red mite like things on them, but not the tomatoes or house plants.

If you are brave, you could take one of the plants out of it's pot and check the roots for root rot. The roots should be white and healthy looking. If they look brown or are slimy, the water did it. You might still be able to save them if you let the roots dry off some before it's completely dead. Then the owner could prune the roots and may end up with a great plant in a few months.

(note to self - never let Wolram near your plants)

 

[wolram]

(note to self - never let Wolram near your plants)

Aww do not judge so quick Moonbear said it may not be my fault