Are Your Houseplants Happy?

If your houseplants were to visit a plant whisperer and have a heart-to- heart, what would they
say? Are they happy and healthy and glad to be a part of your home? Or are circumstances a
little less than ideal?
Unable to hear what your houseplants are saying to you about their accommodations? No
worries, I’ll translate here for you. Check out the signs that your houseplants are deliriously
happy and the signs indicating that they’re harboring some resentment.
Signs of Contented, Healthy Houseplants
Happy houseplants don’t complain with pests or diseases. Instead, they sport perky, vibrant
foliage. Leaves grow in at full size and have a healthy sheen to them.
Healthy houseplants are also well-anchored in the soil. You won’t find any wobbling. The roots
are firmly planted in the soil. If the houseplant flowers, you’ll find that it regularly buds up and
flowers. At the root zone of healthy plants, you’ll find roots that are firm and white or tan.
Signs of Sigh Houseplants
Limp leaves that are dull indicate a distressed houseplant. Likely problems are that the plant is
dry and needs watering, or the soil is too wet and the roots are suffering from rot. Fix the
watering problem and the plant will become more content.
Distorted, shriveled leaves that yellow and fall off are indicative of cultural problems that can
lead to plant demise–including insufficient lighting and incorrect watering.
Plants that are wobbly at the base are most likely infected with fungal or bacterial disease.
Brown or black roots that are mushy are another sign of root rot.
Plants that are rangy and leggy and lean to one side are indicative of insufficient light. And a
pot-bound plant full of roots indicates that the plant needs repotting as soon as possible. Not
only are such plants starved for nutrients, the lack of soil leads to insufficient water for the
plant.
If the plant is supposed to be budded up and flowering, but it’s not, this can be another sign
that your houseplant needs an attitude adjustment.
A sticky, annoying residue on foliage indicates that the plant is being attacked by sap-sucking
pests like mealybugs, scale and aphids. The fact is that the sticky substance is essentially
“pooped” out by the pests as they feed on your houseplants. Of course, if you see pests on the
plants, this is another obvious sign.

What about your houseplants? Do you think they’re happy?