12 Reasons Why Red Log Plant is Losing Leaves and their Solutions
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Red Log Plant may lose it leaves due to cultural faults like overwatering, poor lighting, extreme temperature, improper feeding, pests and diseases among others.
Red Log Plant also called Whorled Peperomia, Red Log Peperomia or Belly Button is among the popular Peperomia varieties and bears fleshy, cupped, dark-green leaves with red wine-colored undersides.
Red Log Peperomia thrives in bright indirect light (dappled light), average warmth of 15-260C, humidity of 50-55% and moderately moist, fertile, succulents potting mix coupled with monthly feeding during the growing season. Read more on how to grow and care for Red Log Plant (Peperomia verticillata).
However, if the growing conditions are wrong, it may begin to lose its leaves. Here are 12 reasons why your Red Log Plant may drop leaves and how to solve them.
12 Reasons Red Log Peperomia leaves are dropping with 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 to save energy for the vital functions.
Remedies
Feel the top 2-3 inches 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 plant liberally during the growing season and allow the top 2-3 inches of soil to dry out between waterings. Water less in the cold season as growth is reduced at this time but do not allow the soil to dry out completely. Read more on how to water houseplants the correctly.
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 inches of soil. If the soil feels wet, the Red Log Peperomia is overwatered. Stop watering it and repot it in fresh soil.
To avoid getting soggy soil, ensure that the pot has a drainage hole and that the soil is free-draining. In addition, cut down on watering the plant in the cold season to maintain the soil barely moist as growth is minimal at this time.
3. Low Humidity
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.
Remedies
Peperomia Red Log thrives in above average humidity of 50-80%. Use a hygrometer to monitor the humidity for the optimum growth of the plant. To raise humidity, set the pot on a wet pebble tray or use a cool mist humidifier.
You may also grow the plant in the moist areas in the home like the bathroom and laundy area if the lighting is adequate. It can also be grown in a closed terrarium as high humidity can be maintained in a terrarium. Check out these techniques on how to increase humidity for houseplants.
4. Extreme Temperatures
Too high temperatures will cause excessive loss of water leading to wilting and leaf drop while at too low temperatures plant stops growing and begins to die. Leaf drop is one of the signs of a dying plant.
Remedies
Keep your Red Log Peperomia away from cold drafts from drafty winds, air conditioning units, open doors and others to avoid low temperatures. In addition, ensure that the plant is not near hot surfaces, hot vents and other hot areas to prevent extremely high temperatures.
Maintain an average warmth of 15-260C. Usually, a room temperature that is comfortable for you is ideal for the plant. Check out this guide on understanding temperature for houseplants.
5. Overfeeding
Overfeeding your 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 plant will begin to lose its leaves inorder to save energy.
Remedies
Feed your 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 plant. Follow the instructions on the label of the plant food to avoid overfeeding. Do not feed in 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. Learn more on how to feed houseplants.
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
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 to remain alive.
Remedies
Cutback the bare stems to rejuvenate growth and move the Red Log Plant to a brighter spot where it will receive bright indirect light. Instal a grow light if you do not have adequate lighting in your home. Check out these full spectrum grow lights on Amazon.
Regularly clean the leaves by damp wiping with a soft cloth to ensure that it absorbs enough light for photosynthesis (food making). Rotate the pot regularly to ensure that the plant receives light on all sides for uniform growth and prevent leggy growth. Check out this post on understanding light for houseplants.
8. Root-rot Disease
Red Log Peperomia is prone to root-rot which 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
Slip 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 as per the manufacturer's recommendations.
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. Read more on how to treat root-rot in houseplants.
9. Pest Infestations
Red Log Plant is prone to whiteflies, scale insects, spider mites and mealy bugs 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 your Red Log Plant under the leaves and between the branches for these pests and take timely control measures. Isolate the affected plant and treat it with neem oil or insecticidal soap as per the manufacturer's instructions.
To discourage pests infestation, regularly clean the by damp wiping with a soft cloth. Heighten humidity to minimize pest infestations by setting the pot on a wet pebble tray, grouping the plants together or grow the plant in a well-lit bathroom and 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. Therefore, 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 your Red Log Peperomia into a pot one size larger than the current one. Check out these ceramic pots with drainage holes and saucer on Amazon.
You may divide the 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 your 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 plant 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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