Caladium is a well-known houseplant grown for its attractive multicolored foliage. Although they are famous as easy to care house plants, there are many growth factors, which are if not taken care of, then you will end up dying your caladium plant.
There are many reasons why your Caladium plants are dying – issues like root rot, and overexposure to sunlight are some of the many things that cause Caladium to die. Other reasons are overwatering, underwatering, being affected by pests, soil, and over-fertilization.
If the Caladium is suffering from root rot, the damage becomes visible in the upper part of the plant and turns yellow. Caladium roots with the rot appear brown and flaccid.
A careful inspection of your plants will let you know what is the exact reason your plants are suffering for. This is because Caladium gives distress signals and signs when something or the other is wrong with them.
So knowing these signs and attending to your plants accordingly will prevent your plants from dying and revive your already dying lot.
Here are some ways to save a dying Caladium:
- Cutting out the affected root is the easiest way to stop the spread of rot in the Caladium plants.
- Dry the root ball and re-pot in a new sterile pot using a new potting soil.
- Don’t water the plant immediately after re-potting. Give the soil time to dry below the surface.
- After that water and keep it in place with bright indirect sunlight.
Caladium should be dug when several leaves turn yellow and foliage begins to look tired and ragged. Dig with a shovel or trowel, being careful not to damage them. You leave the foliage attached to these tubers, brush off the soil, and lay them out in a dry location that is sheltered from the rain.
Caladium plants die if they are not receiving a steady supply of water, their leaves will wilt. After a period of time without water, they will go dormant and drop their leaves. Optimal conditions are the soil that is moist to the touch and well-draining. Never allow caladium to sit in pooled water, as the tubers will rot.
How much should I water caladium?
Space them 8 to 14 inches apart, depending on the ultimate size of your plants as listed on the tag. Always water caladium regularly. Keep the soil slightly moist.
Causes for caladium plant to die
1. Watering Habits
Leaves die because of improper watering habits. Overwatering or Underwatering can lead to wilt and dying of Caladium plants. And if the leaves of your plants are affected same goes with the stem and its growth.
Caladium strives best in moist soil that is neither too watered nor dry. therefore, striking an appropriate balance for water is essential if you want the plant to grow with beautiful leaves.
One of the reasons is underwatering, it comes to play when your plant does not have the required measure of water they need for survival. When this goes on for a long time, Caladium leaves turn dormant and finally die due to drought.
The next reason is overwatering, almost all plants get affected by this. Overwatering makes the soil to be over logged with water. It stops the flow of air in the soil and chokes out the roots by denying them air. Prompting root rot and Caladium leaves turning brown, which further hinders the growth of your plant and eventually they die.
2. Fertilizer Salts
High fertilizer usage can lead to the deposition of salts on the soil that causes Caladium leaves to turn yellow. Fertilizer salts can hinder the growth of the plant. Both the overuse and underuse of plants food can stunt the growth of your Caladium.
So extra care is needed when applying fertilizer. Regardless of whether you use a lot of fertilizer, only what’s needed by the plant will be utilized. So then, where does the excess go?
The excess gathers in the soil as salts and blocks the ability of the plant to absorb water. Along the line, it can result in leaves drooping and yellowing of the Caladium stem.
Furthermore, a lower amount of fertilizer might not be enough for your plant needs leading to malnourishment and poor growth. As a result, eventually, the plant dies.
3. Temperature
Caladiums are tropical plants native to brazil. These plants have no tolerance for low temperatures. When the air around the plant is cold, it takes its toll on your Caladium plants.
A fall in temperature below 65 degrees Fahrenheit will cause your Caladium to droop. A further fall in temperature can lead to the death of your plants.
4. Overexposure to sunlight
Caladiums prefer to grow in shady places. To grow the better, make sure that, you are planting them in a shadier area of your garden if you are planning to grow them outside.
The main reason for this is that when these plants’ leaves are exposed to direct sunlight, they get sunburned. This makes the plants lose their colors and eventually kills the foliage. Blotches will appear on the leaves if this occurs. This is an adding problem to plants becoming yellow. And in long run, they lose their nutrients and die.
5. Natural Aging
As many plants age, caladium also ages naturally. As they grow older, the leaves will turn yellow and fall off. This is just a natural aspect of their development. This is more or less out of your hand. But you can protect your caladium in a way till the next spring by storing the tubers.
6. Improper potting soil
For plants to grow healthy, you’ll need to use a suitable potting soil mix with all the necessary features. If the potting soil lacks nutrients and other attributes, your plant is bound to suffer which will cause the plant to naturally die. It loses the capacity to store moisture and drain excess water.
7. Pest and Diseases
Caladium plants are rarely bothered by insects. Yet, caladium plant pests do occasionally nibble on their leaves or cell sap. Aphids and caterpillars can be an issue. Some others can trouble your caladiums, such as mealybugs, aphids, spider mites, scales, and thrips. If not detected and cured at the earliest the plant will eventually die.
Caladium plants are made up of tubers, and the illnesses that affect them are tuber diseases. Typically, fungal infections such as Rhizoctonia and Pythium species cause this illness. These are sometimes seen in the dormant tuber. If these tubers are not discarded at the right time they will spread to the whole plant and the plant will die due to these diseases.
Final words
Caladium plants are easy to maintain even if it seems quite intimidating. All you need to do is look for distress signals, spot the reason, and tend to it immediately. And if you can do it right your dying plant will be revived in no time.
