12 Reasons Why Red Log Plant is Losing Leaves | Red Log Peperomia Dropping Leaves
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Red Log Plant may lose it leaves due to cultural faults like overwatering, poor lighting, extreme temperature, pests and diseases among others.
Red Log Peperomia is an easy-care plant which thrives in bright light away from direct sunshine, warm and humid conditions and moderately moist, fertile, well-drained soil coupled with monthly feeding during the growing season.
However, if the growing conditions are wrong, it may begin to lose its leaves. Here are 12 reasons why Red Log Plant may drop leaves and how to solve them.
Reasons why Red Log Peperomia leaves are dropping and Remedies
1. Underwatering
When Red Log Plant is underwatered, there is little moisture in the soil. As such, the plant cannot take up nutrients and water needed for photosynthesis (food making process).
Since the plant does not get adequate food for growth and energy, it begins to lose its leaves inorder to save energy.
Remedies
Feel the top 2-3 in. of soil with your fingers. If it feels dry, thoroughly water the Red Log Peperomia immediately until water comes out through the drainage holes.
Thereafter, water the Peperomia plant liberally during the growing season and allow the top 2-3 in. of soil to dry out between waterings.
Water less during the cold season as growth is reduced at this time but do not allow the soil to dry out completely.
2. Overwatering
Overwatering results in soggy soil (excess water in the soil). Too much water in the soil reduces the oxygen concentration in rootzone and this causes the roots to die.
When the roots die, they cannot take up water and nutrients needed for the food making process. Therefore, the Red Log Plant does not make enough food for growth and energy. In a bid to save energy, it begins to drop its leaves.
Remedies
Check the state of the soil; insert your index finger into the top 2-3 in. of soil. If the soil feels wet, the plant is overwatered. Stop watering it and repot it in fresh soil.
To avoid getting soggy soil, ensure that the pot for your Red Log Peperomia has a drainage hole and that the soil is free-draining.
In addition, cut down on watering the plant during the cold season to maintain the soil barely moist as growth is minimal at this time.
3. Low Humidity
Red Log Plant requires a humid environment for for lush growth. When the temperatures are too high, they cause the air to become excessively dry which leads to low humidity.
Too low humidity for Red Log Peperomia affects photosynthesis and thus the plant cannot make enough food for growth and energy. To save on energy, it drops the leaves.
Peperomia Red Log thrives in above average humidity between 50& and 80%. Use a hygrometer to monitor the humidity for the optimum growth of the plant.
Remedies
To raise humidity for your Red Log Plant, set the pot on a wet pebble tray or use a cool mist humidifier.
You can also grow the Red Log Peperomia in the moist areas in the home like the bathroom and laundy area if the lighting is adequate.
Red Log Plant can also be grown in a terrarium as high humidity can be maintained in a terrarium.
4. Extreme Temperatures
Red Log Peperomia requires an average room temperature within the range of 15-260C inorder to thrive.
If the temperatures are extreme; either too high or too low (outside the above range) they will affect the normal functioning of the plant systems.
Too high temperatures will cause excessive loss of water leading to wilting and leaf drop while at too low temperatures Red Log Plant stops growing and begins to die. Leaf drop is one of the signs of a dying plant.
Remedies
Keep the Peperomia away from cold draughts like drafty winds, air conditioning, open doors and others to avoid low temperatures or place it in a warmer place.
Ensure that the Red Log Peperomia is not near hot surfaces, hot vents and other hot areas to prevent extremely high temperatures.
Maintain an average room temperature within the range of 15-260C. Usually, a room temperature that is comfortable for you is ideal for Red Log Plant.
5. Overfeeding
Overfeeding Red Log Peperomia will cause the roots to die due to fertilizer burn. When the roots die, they cannot take up nutrients and water required for photosynthesis.
Without, adequate food for growth and energy, the Red Log Plant will begin to lose its leaves inorder to save energy.
Remedies
Feed Red Log Peperomia with a balanced, liquid fertilizer every 4 weeks during the growing period for a lush growth.
Take care not to overfeed the Red Log Plant. Follow the instructions on the label of the plant food to avoid overfeeding.
Do not feed it during the cold season as growth is reduced as feeding at this time can result in fertilizer burn and death of the plant.
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.
6. Accumulation of Salts in the Soil
Excess soluble salts and chemicals in the soil from the water and fertilizers used will cause the Red Log Plant leaves to dry, shrivel and drop.
Remedies
Regularly flush out the excess salts from the soil by running a stream of water through the soil until it comes out through the drainage holes. Repeat the process several times to flush out as much salts as possible.
7. Too Little Light
Red Log Plant requires enough light for making food that is required for energy and growth. Insufficient light implies that the plant cannot make enough food for energy and growth.
In an attempt to save energy, the Red Log Peperomia begins to drop its leaves. This way, it saves the available energy for the vital functions inorder to remain alive.
Remedies
Cut back the bare stems to rejuvenate growth and move the Red Log Plant to a brighter spot where it will receive bright light away from direct sunshine.
Instal a grow light if you do not have adequate lighting in your home. Check out this link to Amazon for full spectrum grow lights.
Regularly clean the leaves by damp wiping with a soft cloth to ensure that it absorbs enough light for photosynthesis (food making).
8. Root-rot Disease
Red Log Peperomia is prone to root-rot disease. Root-rot disease is prevalent in soggy soil. The disease is characterized by wilted, discolored leaves, corky swellings under the leaves and leaf drop.
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. The leaves begin to wilt and eventually drop.
Remedies
Take the Red Log 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 fungicidal solution.
Disinfect the pot 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 resuming watering.
9. Pest Infestations
Red Log Plant is prone to scale insects, whiteflies, mealy bugs and spider mites infestations.
These sap-sucking insects attack the new growth from where they suck the plant sap and will cause wilting, yellowing and leaf drop.
Remedies
Regularly inspect the Red Log Plant under the leaves and between the branches for these pests and take timely control measures.
Isolate the affected Red Log Peperomia and treat it with appropriate products like neem oil and insecticidal soap among others to get rid of the pests.
To discourage pests infestation, regularly clean the by damp wiping with a soft cloth.
Heighten humidity for the plant to minimize pest infestaions by setting the pot on a wet pebble tray, grouping the plants together or grow the plant in a bathroom or other humid areas in the home.
10. Root Bound Plant
A root bound plant is one whose roots have filled the pot and there is very little soil to hold water when the plant is watered as most of the space is occupied by the roots.
As such, there is little or no water for the plant to take up to the leaves. Theerefore, the leaves lose their stiffness, they wilt and drop.
Remedies
Check the bottom of the pot, if you find roots growing through the drainage hole, repot the Red Log Peperomia into a pot one size larger than the current one. Check out these Ceramic Plant Pots with Drainage Holes and Saucer on Amazon.
Divide the Peperomia plant into several sections and plant the sections in individual pots to propagate new plants.
Ensure that the pot has a drainage hole and that the soil is free-draining to prevent it from getting soggy.
11. Repotting Shock
Repotting a Red Log Plant will cause it some shock which may cause some leaves to wilt and drop before it can adjust to the new growing conditions.
Remedies
To minimize repotting shock, water the Red Log Peperomia thoroughly one day before repotting. A well hydrated plant experiences less repotting shock and is easier to divide.
Do not make too many changes at once. For instance, after repotting, maintain the Red Log Peperomia in the same location until it is well established before moving it to a new location.
12. Aging
As the Red Log Plant ages, it naturally drops the lower older leaves to spare energy for the growth of new leaves. Therefore, do not be alarmed when your plant loses one or two leaves once in a while.
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