Ask The Plant Expert:

I water my plant every 2 weeks, when the soil is dry, but not completely dry. My plant, at first, was so beautiful; then when it started to turn cold. It became wilted and yellowing, then brown… I always baby my plants, and I do talk to them… I mist them all daily, but not a lot… I have it sitting in a low light area… no sun or direct sun, just a low light area. Can you tell me what I’m doing wrong? – Carol

Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply:

Carol,

• Was the plant left outside as the temperatures turned cold? If so, this could be a case of cold damage. Remove any of the brown or yellow leaves, and make sure the plant is in a warm environment. You should be able to continue with your normal care procedures.

• If the plant has been in the spot and not moved, check the air vent flow in the room. If the air flow blows directly on the plant, and you recently turned your heat on, the hot air might have damaged the plant. In this case move the plant out of the air flow and remove the damaged leaves.  Once you have done this simply continue with your normal care procedures.

• If neither of the above cases fit, it may be time to re-pot or trim your plant.  Re-pot the plant if it looks as if there are more roots than soil. Your new container should be 1 1/2 times larger than the current one. As you re-pot the plant, make sure the top of the current root-ball is not covered with soil in the new container. It should still be the top of the potted plant.

Trim the plant if the tendrils are long and sparse. This encourages new growth, and allows for a better concentration of nutrients. Hope this information was helpful. Please let me know if I can help with anything else.