So, some of you might be seeing some carnage. So, let’s talk about plant problems and the best ways to respond to those problems! Doing too much can actually be more problematic than not doing enough!
First, it’s important to understand that plant physiology is not like human physiology. If a plant sustains damage, regardless of the cause, it will not repair itself! If a leaf goes yellow, it will stay yellow and likely will become worse. In fact, a plant can even abort parts of itself that are damaged. This often panics the less experienced grower, leading them to think something very serious is going on!
Many gardeners have made things worse by adding things to their plants or continuing to change variables that further stress the plant. A lot of this is done because the plant doesn’t fix itself, causing the grower to initiate more and more change!
What it comes down to is the grower themselves are usually the cause of most problems. We hate to break it to you, but it’s almost always something you did. Learning how to grow is a masterclass, one that will school you in your first year and your 50th year.
It’s good to remember that you are the closest to your plants and you understand them better than anyone else! If you think you overwatered, you probably did. If you think you overfertilized, you probably did. If you think the plant doesn’t have enough soil or sunlight, it definitely doesn’t. Causation is very real in growing and owning it will make you a better grower.
We experience problems too, largely on account that we’re growing way too many plants. We usually can’t hone in on one individual plant’s problems fast enough. Commercial growers have problems, too. They just usually hide it by removing damaged plant parts!
When you’re assessing a plant for whether you’ve improved things, look at the new growth! If new growth is coming in and it looks healthy, chances are good you’ve corrected the underlying problem and nothing further needs to be done. So, stop there!
Time is a very important variable with plant biology, many things will only reveal themselves in time. Also, remember, the time scale for a plant is much, much slower than it is for us humans! Plants teach patience, so be a good student!
