If you’ve read Part 1 of our Plant Problems series, you’ll know we’re big fans of getting the basics right before things turn dramatic. Once you’ve nailed the potting mix, drainage and general care, the next step is figuring out what your plant is trying to tell you when something still isn’t quite right.

This round, we’re diving into three of the big troublemakers: temperature, light and water.

The good news? Once you know what different symptoms usually mean, it gets much easier to tweak the environment instead of panicking and dragging your poor plant from room to room like a hostage. The catch? A lot of symptoms overlap. Yellow leaves, leaf drop, wilting – they can point to a few different things.

So think of this as a guide, not a strict diagnosis. You might need a little trial and error, but once you crack it, your plant will absolutely repay you with better growth and fewer dramas.

1. Temperature Troubles

Temperature is sneaky. A room can feel “fine” to you and still be a bit off for your plants – or one corner of a room can be a completely different microclimate to another. And no, the answer isn’t always “move it to another room”. That cold room might actually have perfect light. That bright, warm room might be too intense at certain times of day.

Instead of playing musical chairs with your plants, it’s often easier to adjust the room they’re already in:

• Block cold drafts with door snakes or thicker curtains
• Open blinds more to capture daytime warmth
• Add a rug to reduce cold coming up from the floor
• Actually use the room more – your body heat helps a tiny bit too

For hot rooms:

• Open windows or doors to encourage airflow (but avoid direct drafts on leaves)
• Use sheer curtains to soften harsh sun while keeping light levels good
• Close the room off from extra heat sources like kitchens in the middle of cooking chaos

Once you’ve steadied the room, look at what your plant is showing you.

Problem: Newer adult leaves are smaller than older leaves
Likely cause: Temps are too hot for that plant
What to try: Shift it to a slightly cooler position away from direct heat sources (heaters, west-facing windows, fireplace mantels).

Problem: Wilting, even though soil feels okay
Likely cause: Too hot or too much direct light stressing the foliage

• Move the plant out of any harsh direct sun
• Check the soil – in hot rooms, plants can chew through water quickly, so you may need to water more often
• Aim for bright, indirect light plus steady, moderate temperatures

Problem: Yellow leaves or dark leaf spots on newer growth
Likely cause: Too cold – especially nights, drafts or being against a cold window

• Move the plant to a slightly warmer spot away from cold glass and door drafts
• If you’re using artificial heating, avoid putting the plant right in the path of dry, hot airflow

2. Light: Too Much, Too Little, Just Right

Light and temperature are mates – they often cause problems together. Again, the answer isn’t always: “just put it in another room”. You chose that spot for a reason: maybe it looks great there, or it’s in a room you actually use.

The trick is to modify the light, not your entire house layout.

Easy light tweaks you can try:

• Open blinds/curtains earlier in the day to extend light exposure
• Use sheer curtains to soften harsh midday or afternoon sun
• Add or remove mirrors to bounce light into darker corners (or away if it’s getting a bit intense)
• Use grow lights to top up light in darker rooms
• Use plant hangers or stands to move plants in or out of bright zones without changing rooms

Then match the symptoms to what the light is doing.

Problem: Burnt, crispy or bleached patches on leaves
Likely cause: Too much direct sun hitting the foliage

• Shift the plant back from the window or off the sill
• Use a sheer curtain to diffuse strong midday or afternoon sun
• Remember: most classic “indoor plants” prefer bright, indirect light, not full blasting sun all day

Problem: Leggy, stretched or thin growth
Likely cause: Not enough light

• Move the plant closer to a bright window (but not into harsh direct sun)
• Open curtains fully during the day
• Use mirrors to bounce light deeper into the room
• Consider a proper grow light if the room is naturally dim – especially in winter

Problem: Slow growth (outside of winter)
Likely cause: Light levels are a bit too low for that plant

• Same as leggy growth: increase overall light availability
• If it’s already in good light, then look at feeding and potting mix next

Problem: Yellowing foliage and leaf drop, particularly on the side facing the window
Likely cause: Too much light or heat stress from intense exposure

• Move the plant to a spot with bright, indirect light rather than hard direct sun
• Rotate the plant every few weeks so all sides get an even share of light

3. Water: Reading the Soil, Not the Calendar

Watering is where a lot of plant problems really kick off. Not because you’re “bad at plants”, but because the right watering schedule is constantly changing with:

• Season (winter vs summer)
• Light levels
• Room temperature
• Pot size and potting mix

What worked perfectly in winter will almost never be enough in summer, and a plant that was happy in one room might suddenly dry out faster in another.

Whenever you move plants or the seasons shift, assume your watering pattern needs a reset. For a few weeks, pay closer attention: check the soil moisture, lift the pot to feel how heavy it is, and watch how fast it dries out. Moisture meters can be really handy at the start, but try not to outsource your entire brain to them – use them as training wheels, not a forever crutch.

Now, the big water-related red flags:

Problem: Root rot (mushy stems, soggy soil, black or smelly roots)
Likely cause: Plant sitting in water or being watered too often

• Never let the pot sit in a full saucer or cover pot long-term – if there’s still water in the tray a few hours after watering, tip it out
• Let the top layer of mix dry out before you water again (how deep depends on the plant species)
• Check that your potting mix actually drains well – indoor plants generally prefer a free-draining mix rather than heavy, muddy soil

Problem: Brown leaf edges, crispy tips or curling leaves
Likely cause: Not enough water and/or low humidity

• Water more consistently and don’t let the soil bone-dry for long periods (again, depending on the plant)
• Increase humidity around the plant with grouped plants, humidity trays or a room humidifier
• Avoid blasting plants with hot, dry air from heaters or air-con

Problem: Sudden leaf drop
Likely cause: Watering extremes (way too much or way too little) and/or exposure to drafts

• Check the soil: is it swampy, bone dry, or swinging wildly between both? Aim for a more consistent pattern
• Don’t let plants sit in water, but also don’t let them dry to dust between drinks (unless they’re true desert plants)
• Move the plant away from cold or hot drafts – doors, windows, air-con vents, heaters and even leaky old floorboards can all be culprits

Bringing It All Together

Most plant problems aren’t caused by one single villain. It’s usually a combo of light, water and temperature all nudging each other. The trick is to:

1. Observe the symptoms clearly (yellow leaves, crisp edges, slow growth, etc.)
2. Check the basics: light, temperature, soil moisture, drafts
3. Change one thing at a time so you can see what actually helps

Once you start to read those signs, your plants stop feeling “fussy” and start to make a lot more sense.

That’s Part 2 done – temperature, light and water in the bag. Next up in the series: we’ll dive into pests and diseases – what’s normal, what’s a problem, and when to reach for the leaf shine and other tools in your kit.