11 Reasons Why String of Hearts Plant is Dropping Leaves & How to Fix Them
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String of Hearts Plant may drop its leaves due to wrong growing conditions like insufficient lighting, incorrect watering, improper feeding, wrong temperatures, poor quality soil, being root-bound, pests and diseases among others.
String of Hearts Plant (Ceropegia woodii) blossoms in bright, indirect light away from direct sunlight (filtered light), average warmth of 16-250C, moderate humidity of 50-55% and moderately moist, fertile, well-drained, succulents potting mix coupled with monthly feeding in the growing season. Read more on how to grow and care for String of Hearts Plant.
Failure to give it these conditions may cause the the leaves to fall. Below we have outlined for you 11 causes of leaf drop in your String of Hearts Plant and how to fix them.
11 Causes of Leaf Drop in String of Hearts Plant with Remedies
1. Being Root-bound
A root-bound String of Hearts Plant is one whose roots have filled the pot and there is very little soil to hold water when you water the plant. As such, there is no water for the plant to take up to the leaves, therefore, the leaves loss their stiffness, they wilt and drop.
Solutions
Check the bottom of the pot for roots growing through the drainage hole. Repot the String of Hearts Plant into a pot one size larger than the current one. Ensure that the pot has a drainage hole and the soil is well-drained.
Use a shallow rather than deep pot as the plant has a small (shallow) root system. A clay pot is preferable as it is porous, thus allows the soil to dry out faster to prevent waterlogging of the soil. Check out these succulents pots available on Amazon.
2. Poor Quality Soil
Poor quality soil does not drain easily, therefore, it easily becomes compacted and soggy which can negatively impact the growth of the plant.
String of Hearts Plant requires loose, well-drained potting soil that does not hold excessive amounts of water as soggy soil can lead to root-rot which is characterized by yellowing and leaf drop.
Solutions
Pot your String of Hearts Plant in good quality soil that is loose, free-draining and rich in organic matter. Cactus and succulents mixes are ideal for this plant. Buy quality cactus and succulents soil from Amazon.
3. Pest Infestations
String of Hearts Plant is prone to spider mites, aphids and scale insects. These sap-sucking insects attack the new growth from where they suck the plant sap which may cause wilting and leaf drop.
Solutions
Regularly inspect your String of Hearts Plant for the pests and take timely control measures. Keep the plant well pruned at all times by removal of yellow and dead foliage to minimize pest infestations.
Treat your String of Hearts Plant appropriately for the pests with quality products like neem oil and insecticidal soap as per the manufacturer's recommendations.
4. Root-rot Disease
String of Hearts Plant is prone to root-rot disease which is prevalent in soggy soil. The disease is characterized by wilted, discolored leaves, corky swellings under the leaves and dropping leaves.
Soggy soil reduces oxygen concentration in the soil which causes the roots to die. Once the roots die, they cannot take up water and nutrients to the leaves, therefore, the leaves begin to wilt and eventually drop.
Solutions
Slip your String of Hearts Plant out of its pot and inspect the roots. Brown-black mushy roots indicate root-rot, trim them off and treat the healthy roots with a copper-based fungicidal solution.
Disinfect the pot with the fungicidal solution or use a fresh pot to repot the plant in fresh free-draining soil. Do not water the plant and keep it dry for some time before you can resume watering.
5. Too Little Light
The String of Hearts Plant requires bright indirect light away from direct sunlight (filtered light) to flourish. Light is needed for making food that is required for energy and growth.
Inadequate light implies that the plant cannot make enough food for energy and growth. In an attempt to save energy, the plant begins to drop leaves. This way, it saves the available energy for the vital functions to keep alive.
Solutions
Cutback the bare stems to rejuvenate growth and move your String of Hearts Plant to a brighter spot where it will receive bright, indirect light. If you do not have sufficient lighting in your home consider investing in grow lights. Check out these full spectrum grow lights on Amazon.
Regularly turn the pot to ensure that the plant absorbs enough light for photosynthesis on all sides for uniform growth as well as prevent legginess. Check out this guide on understanding light for houseplants.
6. Underfeeding
Underfeeding your String of Hearts Plant implies that the plant will not get enough nutrients need for growth and energy. Inadequate nutrients in the actively growing tips causes nutrients to be withdrawn from the older lower leaves which begin to yellow and drop.
Solutions
Feed your String of Hearts Plant with a balanced, liquid fertilizer monthly during the growing period to promote a lush growth. Do not feed the plant in the cold season as growth is minimal at this time.
7. Overfeeding
Overfeeding your String of Hearts Plant will cause the roots to die due to fertilizer burn. When the roots die, they cannot take up nutrients and water required for photosynthesis to make food for growth.
Lack of adequate food for growth and energy will cause the plant to drop its leaves to save energy necessary for the vital functions.
Solutions
Be careful not to overfeed your String of Hearts Plant. Follow the manufacturer's instructions on the label of the plant food to avoid overfeeding.
Flush out accumulated salts from the soil regularly by running a stream of water through the soil until it comes out through the drainage holes and repeat the process several times. Learn more on how to feed houseplants.
8. Too Cold Water
String of Hearts Plant grows best in constantly warm conditions. Therefore, watering it with too cold water will shock the plant and it will respond with dropping its leaves.
Solutions
Water your String of Hearts Plant with water that is at room temperature. Avoid watering it consistently with too cold water to prevent reduced growth and leaf drop.
9. Extreme Temperatures
String of Hearts Plant requires average room temperatures of 16-250C to thrive. Extreme temperatures; either too high or too low (outside the above range) will affect the normal functioning of the plant systems and thus will cause leaf drop.
Very high temperatures will cause excessive loss of water leading to wilting and leaf drop while too low temperatures will cause the plant to stop growing, drop leaves and begin to die.
Solutions
Keep your String of Hearts Plant away from cold drafts like drafty winds, air conditioning vents, open doors and others or place it in a warmer spot.
Make sure that the plant is not near hot surfaces, hot air vents and other hot areas to prevent extremely high temperatures. Maintain an average temperature of 16-250C. Usually, a room temperature that is comfortable for you is ideal for the plant. Check out this guide on understanding temperature for houseplants.
10. Underwatering
If you underwater your String of Hearts Plant, there will be too little moisture in the soil. As such, the plant cannot take up nutrients and water needed for photosynthesis (food making process) to the leaves.
Therefore, the plant will not get adequate food for growth and energy, thus, it drops its leaves inorder to save energy.
Solutions
Water your String of Hearts Plant immediately. Thereafter, water the plant liberally during the growing season while allowing the top 2-3 inches of soil to dry out between waterings.
Cut down on watering in the cold season to maintain the soil slightly moist but do not allow the soil to dry out completely. Learn more on how to water houseplants the right way.
11. Overwatering
Overwatering your String of Hearts Plant will result in soggy soil (excess water in the soil). Too much water in the soil reduces the oxygen concentration in the rootzone and this causes the roots to die.
If the roots die, they cannot take up water and nutrients needed for the food making process. Therefore, the plant does not make enough food for growth and energy. In a bid to save energy, it begins to drop its leaves.
Solutions
To prevent the soil from getting soggy, ensure that the pot has a drainage hole and that the soil is loose and free-draining. In addition, decrease watering in the cold season to maintain the soil slightly moist as growth is minimal at this time.
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