Why is My Houseplant not Growing?

Discover the reasons why houseplants stop growing. Some common reasons include time of year, improper watering, insufficient lighting and soil pH imbalances.

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Video Transcript

[Music]

Hello and welcome to HealthyHouseplants.com, where we teach you all about gardening in the great indoors. If you’d like to support our show, please use our Amazon affiliate link below.

Today I’m going to answer a question that is commonly asked by viewers, and that is: why is my houseplant not growing? There are a variety of factors that could be at play in terms of why your houseplant isn’t growing. I’m going to answer a bunch of them right now so that you can try to figure out what is going on.

The first thing I’d like to cover is this: it depends on the time of year for many houseplants. So if you are in wherever you’re living in the world, your winter months, houseplants slow down growth. Most houseplants slow down growth tremendously in the winter months. You might think, “Wow, that’s kind of strange because I’m growing them inside, and I’m not living outside in the cold.” However, plants, it’s just the way they’re made; they do know what season it is, and they will slow down growth during those seasons.

We also, even though we heat our homes, generally speaking, or keep them warm and insulated, it is still cooler in our homes at certain times of the year, especially in the winter months. Right? So they will slow down growth at that time. If it is the winter months, you might want to give your plant a little bit of time and see if once you hit late February, March, or depending on where you live, how cold it is when it warms up, basically when you start to have the spring outdoors, you should start to see your plant having its own spring indoors spring growth. So that’s a big consideration. I do have a video on how seasons affect houseplant growth; I’ll put that link in the description.

Other reasons why your houseplant may not be growing include watering. Correct watering is really important, and this also ties in with diseases in terms of root rot. You want to, number one, water your houseplants with warm to tepid water. If you use cold water on your plants, it can shock the roots and cause root dieback. When that occurs, you will have less root in the soil, and then what will happen is the plant can very likely get root rot from this root dieback because you have too little roots in the soil. It’s like the roots are in a lake, and they will continue to die back, and the plant will continue to get smaller.

You want to make sure that you are a) watering with warm to tepid water and b) not overwatering. Please use a moisture meter; I have two videos on using them. Use a moisture meter to see if a plant really does need watering before you water it, or you can use your finger. There are some other ways to check, like picking up the plant; if it’s still heavy, it still has water in it. This is important because the more you overwater a plant, the slower it’s going to grow. Some people think it’s the opposite: the more I water, it’s just going to suck up the water and continue to grow, but that’s not what happens. The plant will continue to slow down in growth, eventually even starting to lose growth and leaves.

Now, here’s an example of a plant that is in the wrong size container. This is a new plant that I got, and I got it because this is a calathea, which is a more rare form. I snapped it up; however, I will be repotting it immediately because this is more like two-thirds or three-quarters plant to one-quarter pot. You want the opposite: you want three-quarters plant to one-quarter pot, or two-thirds plant to one-third pot; ideally, the two-thirds one-third. If you have a plant that is in the three-quarters one-quarter ratio, it can go a while before you repot.

An important thing to keep in mind is that the size of the pot also has to do with how much soil you have in there. You want two-thirds root to one-third soil, so what’s going on below ground is just as important as what’s going on above ground. Checking those things out when your plant is just sitting there is really important. It may be that you just need to pot up into a smaller size pot, and that plant will start to grow. I have a video on the two-thirds one-third ratio, and I show in that video how I had a plant that was in the wrong size container and it never grew. It just sat there; it didn’t die because it wasn’t in too big of a pot that it got root rot, but it just sat there because it was just the wrong size pot.

Good drainage is essential as well. If your plant is bogged down by a lot of wet soil, going back to root rot, you’re going to most likely get root rot because roots need air to survive as well as moisture. When they don’t have enough, the plant will just sit there, and it may succumb to root rot and die, or it could just sit there indefinitely, depending on how hearty of a species you’re growing.

Another reason that plants may not be growing is lighting. Proper lighting is crucial; if you do not have sufficient light for plants, they aren’t going to photosynthesize enough, and therefore they won’t have the energy to grow. Plants need light for energy, and the energy from the light is what makes plants grow. A lot of people think, “Oh, fertilizer makes plants grow.” Fertilizer gives plants nutrients to grow more healthily and may keep them healthy, but it does not cause them to get energy. That’s why you can be fertilizing like crazy a plant that is in too dim of conditions, and that plant is not going to grow for you.

If you don’t have medium light, at least medium bright light in your home (which a lot of plants like), then either grow plants that like lower light conditions or get some full-spectrum lighting and add that to your indoor garden. Full-spectrum light bulbs come in all different shapes and sizes; they can go in just about any fixture. Full-spectrum light simulates daylight, so that is really important for your plants to thrive.

As for fertilizing, I did mention it earlier. Most houseplants will require some fertilizing at some point. This is not one of the top reasons why they don’t grow; however, it can be a contributing factor. If you have never fertilized a plant or haven’t fertilized it for a couple of years, it likely needs some fertilizer. At that point, it also needs to be repotted. Repotting into fresh soil with some fertilizer could get that plant to start growing again, and as you do so, putting it in the correct size pot, you may see lots of good growth coming from that plant afterward.

I do have an organic fertilizer product on my website; I’ll put the link below. That’s a good choice—something organic is really a good choice. Organics feed the soil, and when you have healthy, vibrant, alive soil, that will cause your plants to start growing. When you have soil that has a lot of chemical fertilizer in it, you start having problems with root rot and various symptoms from it. I have videos on that as well, so I would recommend going organic.

The last factor to consider is pH. If you have gone through all these other reasons and your plant is still not growing, it could be the pH in the soil. If the pH is off in the soil according to what that plant needs, the plant cannot take up any nutrients, and it can’t photosynthesize very well. It won’t do well and will be stunted. This plant was a lot more stunted and having all kinds of issues before I corrected the pH. The leaves didn’t look as colorful and vibrant. Now that I have corrected the pH, the plant is doing much better and will continue to do better as it grows. I will be checking the pH to ensure that it remains correct as well.

Keep in mind that pH correction will take some time, so check out that playlist if you are having symptoms of no growth and you’ve checked all the other boxes. This may very well be your problem—incorrect pH. It’s a very important factor and can cause many problems for plants to be in incorrect pH.

That is it for why my houseplant is not growing. Thank you for stopping by today! Please remember to leave any comments about any indoor gardening tutorials you’d like to see. Remember to like, comment, subscribe, and share this video, and please check the bell if you’d like to be notified when new videos are released.

FAQ's -Houseplants not growing? 101

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my houseplant dropping leaves?

There can be multiple reasons for leaf drop, including humidity levels, improper lighting, over or under-watering, lack of nutrients, temperature issues, pests, shock from moving, and normal leaf drop over time.

How does humidity affect houseplants?

Houseplants typically thrive in humidity levels around 100%, which is often not achievable in indoor environments. Humidity levels in homes usually range between 40% and 60%. Low humidity can lead to leaf drop.

What lighting do houseplants need?

Improper lighting is a significant reason for leaf drop. Houseplants need adequate light to photosynthesize; insufficient light can cause them to drop leaves, starting from the lower ones.

How can I tell if I’m over or under-watering my plant?

Over-watering can lead to root rot, causing leaf drop even when the soil is wet. Under-watering can also lead to leaf drop. Regularly check the soil and plant condition to determine the correct watering schedule.

Do houseplants need fertilizing?

Yes, a lack of nutrients over time can contribute to leaf drop. Regular fertilization is important for maintaining plant health and preventing nutrient depletion.

What temperature is ideal for houseplants?

Most houseplants thrive in temperatures between 65°F and 75°F. Temperatures below 60°F can cause stress and lead to leaf drop.

What pests can cause leaf drop?

Pests like mealybugs can damage plants by feeding on them, leading to leaf drop. Regular inspection and pest control are important for plant health.

What is plant shock?

Shock can occur when a plant is moved to a new environment or dropped. Some leaf drop during acclimation is normal; if it stops, the plant is likely adjusting well.

Is it normal for plants to drop leaves over time?

Yes, it is natural for plants to drop some leaves as part of their growth cycle. If a plant becomes too leggy, like pothos, it may benefit from pruning.