Something is wrong with your plant — but what? Almost every plant problem shows up as one of a handful of visible signs (discoloured leaves, wilting, spots, holes, distorted or stretched growth, no flowers), and each sign can have several causes. This page is the starting point: use the quick symptom check to jump to the right group, then follow through to the specific guide that matches what you see. Every link below goes to an existing, detailed GrowPlants guide.
Start here: quick symptom check
Find the line that best matches your plant, then open that section below:
- Leaves changing colour (yellow, brown tips, spots) → Leaf symptoms or Diseases
- Whole plant wilting, drooping or collapsing → Water & root problems
- Pale, weak or oddly patterned new growth → Nutrient problems
- Lots of leaves, but no flowers or fruit → Flowering & fruiting problems
- Visible insects, webbing, sticky residue or holes → Pests
- Mould, powder, rot or spreading spots → Diseases
- Stretched, scorched or shocked after a move or weather change → Environmental stress
Not sure? Two quick checks solve most cases: feel the soil (bone dry or waterlogged?) and turn a few leaves over (any pests?). Then read the diagnosis method at the foot of the page.
Leaf symptoms
When the leaves themselves change — colour, edges, shape or dropping — but the plant is otherwise upright. The pattern (new vs old leaves, whole leaf vs edges) points to the cause inside each guide:
- Yellow leaves (chlorosis) — watering, light, nutrients or pH.
- Brown leaf tips and edges — dry air, salts, or uneven watering.
- Curling leaves — heat, pests, virus or herbicide stress.
- Leaf drop — shock, stress or seasonal change.
Water and root problems
Inconsistent moisture is the single most common root cause of plant trouble — and both too little and too much water produce similar top-growth symptoms, so always check the soil and roots first:
- Wilting and drooping — too dry, too wet, or damaged roots.
- Overwatering vs underwatering — how to tell the difference.
- Root rot — when soggy soil kills the roots.
- Improving soil drainage — the long-term fix for wet feet.
Nutrient problems
When new growth is pale, patterned or distorted and watering is fine, suspect a nutrient issue — though erratic moisture and root damage often cause the same look by blocking uptake, so rule those out first:
- Nutrient deficiency — read the leaf pattern to identify which nutrient is short.
- How and when to fertilize — correct and prevent deficiencies safely.
Flowering and fruiting problems
When the plant looks healthy but won’t perform, the cause is usually light, feeding, pollination or pruning at the wrong time:
- Why a plant won’t flower — causes of poor or no blooms.
- Flowers and buds falling off — why buds drop before opening.
- Flowering but no fruit — pollination and fruit-set problems.
Pests
If damage is spreading and you can find insects, webbing, sticky honeydew or holes, suspect a pest — check leaf undersides and soft new growth first, since that is where most feed:
- Spider mites · mealybugs · thrips · scale insects · whiteflies
- Slugs and snails · aphids · fungus gnats
Diseases
Spots, mould, powdery coatings and rot usually mean a fungal or bacterial disease. Airflow, watering habits and garden hygiene matter more than any spray for controlling and preventing them:
- Powdery mildew · downy mildew · botrytis (grey mould) · rust
- Anthracnose · leaf spot · damping-off (seedlings)
Environmental stress
Sometimes nothing is diseased or infested — the plant is simply reacting to light, temperature or handling. These guides cover stress from the growing conditions themselves:
- Leaf scorch and sunburn — too much direct sun or heat.
- Leggy, stretched growth — not enough light.
- Transplant shock — struggling after moving or repotting.
- Heat and sun protection · frost and cold protection.
How to diagnose any plant problem
Whatever the symptom, the same method works:
- Read the pattern — new growth or old leaves? One part or the whole plant? Spreading or static?
- Check roots and soil — bone dry or waterlogged? Many top-growth symptoms start below the surface.
- Turn leaves over — rule out pests before treating for anything else.
- Change one thing at a time — then watch the newest growth, which shows recovery first.
Quick questions
My plant has several symptoms at once — where do I start? Start with watering and roots; inconsistent moisture underlies a large share of yellowing, wilting, browning and leaf drop happening together.
Is my plant dying or just stressed? If the newest growth is still firm and green, it is stressed or recovering, not dying. Watch the growing tips over one to two weeks.
Should I remove affected leaves? Remove leaves that are diseased or infested; leave healthy-but-discoloured leaves, since the plant still draws energy from them.