![]() Misting not only cools the plant but also helps to moisten the soil. The right time to do this would be in the afternoons. Spray water gently over the leaves and stems. Under hot and dry weather conditions, mist the leaves to naturally create a moist atmosphere. By doing so, you will wash away the salts into the soil. If the crust is hardened and severe, repot the plant. Once every six months, leach the plant if it is potted. Also, prevent salt build-up with deep and long watering sessions instead of frequent and short watering. Limit the use of fertilizers to avoid this build-up. – Avoid Excessive Use of FertilizerĪs mentioned earlier, salt accumulation can damage the caladium significantly. This will ensure that the leaves and stems do not get damaged due to sudden exposure to the sun. ![]() Start with an hour of sunlight a day and increase it gradually over five to six days. The plant struggles to cope when they are abruptly moved to higher temperatures. If you are relocating your caladium plant after the winter months, or from indoors to outdoors, do so slowly. Hardening is the process of progressively getting a plant acclimatized to sunlight and the outdoors, especially during the post-winter months. If the plant is outdoors in the soil and can’t be moved to warmer areas, cover it with garden sheets to retain heat and protect it from icy winds. – Tackle Cold Wind Conditionsĭuring the winter months when the temperatures are low and the wind velocity is high, move the caladium plant indoors. If the soil is not at this level, adding some mulch will help turn it acidic. Test the pH level of the soil you are growing the plant in, and make sure it measures around 5.5. – Keep It AcidicĬaladium plants thrive in acidic soil. ![]() You can alternatively apply a few inches of mulch to retain some moisture in the soil. Where a dry soil can wilt the plant, sogginess can also lead to root rot and fungi growth. Ensure you never let the soil go completely dry or let it sit in a water pool. – Maintain the Optimal Soil ConditionĪs discussed, caladium soil needs to be moist. You can easily prevent caladium leaf problems by avoiding the most common gardening mistakes. Maintaining proper soil conditions and laying off on the fertilizers will help prevent caladium plants from developing leaf problems. The plants over time can lose their vigor and appear wilted. They react by making the caladium plant droop. Take note that if they are placed in dry soil, these water-loving plants will definitely struggle to adapt. Moist, well-drained soil is essential for caladiums to thrive and be happy. ![]() This is a commonly overlooked aspect of growing caladium plants. The build-up of salts over time can even lead to the caladium dying. You can spot salt build-up in the form of a white crust on the top layer of the soil. These salts gather at the roots, inhibiting the absorption of water as well. – Accumulation of Fertilizer SaltsĮxcessive use of fertilizers can result in salt accumulation in the soil, which the caladium will not be able to take in. Excessive and direct sun’s rays can harm the plant, giving them a completely weary and wilted look. If low temperatures are not an issue, caladium leaves can droop due to overexposure to sunlight as well. Temperatures below 65 degrees Fahrenheit makes the leaves droop and the plant collapse. Under this stress condition, you may find a caladium plant drooping. – Low Temperaturesīeing tropical plants, caladiums detest extremely cold weather. At the same time, overwatering the caladium can make them drop their leaves and go dormant. If the plant isn’t receiving adequate water to keep the moisture intact, the leaves will droop and eventually wilt. The plant will not fare well with overwatering as well as underwatering. – Underwatering or OverwateringĬaladiums require the soil to be just perfectly mois t. Here are the details and the causes for caladium leaves falling over. From being in an unsuitable environment to soil issues, the plant can be vulnerable when it has this symptom. Aside from these, caladium leaves can also droop due to various other reasons. Underwatering, overwatering or low temperatures are some of the most common reasons why caladium leaves droop.
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