If you are new to owning succulents, then you might be wondering why your succulent is turning brown. Luckily, this isn’t the end for your plant. With a little TLC and some knowledge on how to care for succulents, they will grow back to their original state. If you want to learn more about succulents and how to care for them, keep reading!
Why Is My Succulent Turning Brown?
Because they’re living plants, succulents can be prone to certain kinds of damage. Browning of leaves can often be attributed to specific causes and may be indicative of health issues that need to be addressed. While brown leaves on a succulent may not necessarily indicate that the plant is dying, it is a sign that there may be something preventing the plant from receiving the nutrients it needs to thrive.
What Is Causing My Succulent To Turn Brown?
1. Lack of Water
The common reason behind succulent browning is lack of water. When a succulent is not receiving enough water, it can result in the leaves turning brown. If a plant has been neglected for an extended period of time, it may also be suffering from iron deficiency. This may result in the leaves turning brown as well.
2. Iron Deficiency
Iron deficiency can occur when your succulent is not getting enough iron-rich foods like leafy greens and red meat. To get rid of this problem, you need to supplement your succulent with a high-iron fertilizer like Miracle-Gro® Fertilizer. You should also avoid using too much pesticide on your plants because it will interfere with the absorption of iron by the roots and leaves.
3. Too Much Pesticide Use
Another common cause for browning on your succulents is the overuse of pesticides and other chemical products on them in an attempt to control pests such as aphids, mealybugs, and whiteflies that are common problems with some types of plants and their seeds and soil during germination or while they are growing outdoors or indoors after sowing indoors in pots or seed flats (inoculated trays). When these pests are present on your plants, they suck blood from the plant’s cells causing damage that makes the plant turn brown or die if left untreated for too long a period of time (I will be discussing more pest control methods for succulents in a future article).
4. Too Much Fertilizer Use
Too much fertilizer is another cause of succulent browning. This can happen if you apply too much chemical fertilizer to your plants and then don’t water them enough or if the chemical fertilizer that you are using is not appropriate for the type of soil that you have. For example, if you have an acid-based soil, then it is not as good for growing succulents as a neutral or alkaline-based soil (both of which are better for growing succulents than an acid-based soil). If you have very sandy soil, then it may also be hard on your succulent roots and leaves, causing them to turn brown after they are watered when they should stay green.
5. Insects Or Pests
If insects or other pests are eating the leaves off of your succulent plants, this is another cause of browning. One way to prevent this from happening is to use pesticides on your plants and make sure that you aren’t over-fertilizing them by watering too much and making sure that the chemicals don’t wash off into the surrounding soil where the pests could pick up trace amounts from the pesticide spray onto their bodies and then eat them because they taste good to them! Another way of preventing pests from eating your succulent plant’s leaves is by using insecticidal soaps like Safer® Brand Insecticidal Soap on your plants’ leaves before the pests get to them.
How Can I Stop My Succulent From Turning Brown?
1. Water Your Succulents Enough
The most important thing that you can do to help prevent browning is to ensure that you water your succulents enough. You should make sure that your succulents are getting at least an inch of water every week and if they aren’t getting it then you should be watering them more frequently. If you keep them in a pot, then make sure that the soil is moist but not soaking wet. If the soil is too wet, then the roots of your succulent plants will rot and die.
2. Use A Soil Drench
If watering isn’t enough for your succulent plants, then another way to prevent browning is by using a soil drench (also known as a root stimulator). A soil drench can be used on any type of plant, but it works best on succulents because they have very short roots which means that they can’t get water from their roots deep enough into their soil to allow it to penetrate down into the root zone where it needs to be for them to grow properly. When using a soil drench, there are some things that you need to do:
Make sure that you only use a drench when absolutely necessary! There are many other ways of watering your succulent plants without using one or if you are using one make sure that it is always kept away from other parts of your plant’s leaves so as not to damage them as well!
3. Use A Watering Can
If you are still having problems with your succulents turning brown and you have tried everything else, then another way to prevent this from occurring is by using a watering can. A watering can allow you to water your succulents more frequently because it allows for better distribution of water. You can also use a watering can to help control the amount of water that you are giving your succulents so that they don’t get too much or too little.
4. Keep Your Succulent Plant Cooler Than Normal
Another way to prevent browning on your succulent plant is by keeping it cooler than normal! If you keep your succulent plant at a temperature higher than what it is used to, then the leaves will begin to wilt and turn brown which means that they won’t be able to absorb sunlight properly and they will begin to burn which results in them turning brown in order not to get damaged. You should keep your succulent plant in an area where it is cooler than usual, but not cold because cold temperatures can cause the roots of your plants’ leaves to freeze which can cause them to die as well!
5. Use Humidity Control
Another way that you can keep your succulents from turning brown is by using humidity control devices like foggers or desiccants (also known as dehumidifiers). Using these devices will ensure that the air around the leaves of your succulents doesn’t become too dry, which will prevent them from turning brown. You can also use a humidity control device to help prevent your succulents from becoming diseased as well.
Tips For Keeping Your Succulent From Turning Brown
1. Make Sure That You Don’t OverWater Your Succulent
If you are watering your succulent plant too much, then it is possible that you could be causing your plant’s leaves to turn brown. If you are using a soil drench, make sure that you only use it when absolutely necessary.
2. Keep The Air Around Your Succulent Plant Cooler Than Normal
If the air around your succulent plant is too warm, then it is possible that the leaves of your succulents will begin to wilt and turn brown which means that they won’t be able to absorb sunlight properly and they will begin to burn which results in them turning brown in order not to get damaged.
3. Use A Humidity Control Device For Your Succulents
Using a humidity control device for your succulents will help prevent them from becoming diseased as well.
4. Don’t OverWater Your Succulent
If you are watering your succulent plant too much, then it is possible that you could be causing your plant’s leaves to turn brown. If you are using a soil drench, make sure that you only use it when absolutely necessary.
5. Make Sure That The Air Around Your Succulent Plant Is Cooler Than Normal
If the air around your succulent plant is too warm, then it is possible that the leaves of your succulents will begin to wilt and turn brown which means that they won’t be able to absorb sunlight properly and they will begin to burn which results in them turning brown in order not to get damaged. You should keep your succulent plant in an area where it is cooler than usual, but not cold because cold temperatures can cause the roots of your plants’ leaves to freeze which can cause them to die as well!
Summary
If you are new to succulent ownership, you might be wondering why your succulent is turning brown. Luckily, this isn’t the end for your plant. With a little TLC and some knowledge on how to care for succulents, they will grow back to their original state. If your succulent is turning brown, it could be due to over watering, underwatering, or not enough light. To stop this from happening, make sure you are giving your plant the right amount of water and giving it enough light. You can also speed up the process by placing your succulent near a window for ample sunlight.
