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The Chinese Money plant has glossy, round, deep green leaves which look very pleasant. Sadly, dropping leaves is a common problem with this plant. You may have wondered, because of poor soil drainage and over watering, Chinese money plants drop their leaves. Moreover, the problem could be caused by a lack of nutrients in the soil, an absence of bright light, infestation with pests, frosting and aging plant leaves.
This one isn’t available as much as we know from other plants. While widely distributed worldwide, Chinese money plants are rare. That is why you must ensure that it is well cared for so that it stays with you for a long time. It’s a fragile house plant. This article will help you know what you can do to fix your plant when something is wrong.
Main causes of a drooping Chinese money plant leaves
1. Underwatering
Underwatering is a frequent cause of the fall of a Chinese Money Plant. Even though its leaves look pretty thoughtful and succulent, it is a plant that does not tolerate underwatering.
If the soil dries out, the leaves will begin to go south, creating a drooping and sad looking plant until they are stalked away. The loss of the leaves may also lead to losing many leaves thus affecting the older leaves. This is a very simple problem to spot and fix since the soil is dry and you will probably realize that your plant has been drinking for some time now.
How to fix the cause of underwatering
- The solution is to completely water the soil, to ensure that excess water is drained. Try to develop a control routine for your plant every couple of days and feel the soil wet, watering as soon as your top 2-3 inches of soil gets dry. Check the soil right next to the plant with your finger and feel how deep you need to go before you feel your damp soil.
- The weight of the potting container is another great tip. Wet soil makes the container feel heavy, but the pot will feel ever lighter when it dries. You will quickly learn how light the potting container is supposed to feel before you water your Chinese Money Plant.
When you water your plant, in a matter of hours it should come up again. Occasionally, a plant which is repeatedly underwater does not return to its former appearance, with stalks and leaves continuing to grow much more droppingly. Certainly, prevention is much better than cure.
2. Overwatering the plant
If you leave your plant for a long time in soggy soil, it will develop root rot. The plant initially has plenty of water, but when the roots begin to die due to the water, your plant won’t be able to gain access to the water and nutrients it needs to survive.
The generalized yellowing of the lower leaves will begin with an over-watered Chinese Money Plant, which then leads to marked leave- and stem wilting of your plant. This means that the root rot has been established and your plant is in deep distress. You can detect the smell of rotting soil, the leaves can develop brown disease patches, and newly emergent foliage can turn brown/black, or die entirely.
How to fix the overwatering problem
Easy steps to follow:
- Remove your plant from the pot so that the roots are inspected. The black/brawn, mushy and aggressive scents will be the root-red roots.
- Lose the soil from the roots and try to see if healthy roots are still present. The colors are light brown/white, they are firm and slightly spongy. It won’t survive if your plant does not have any healthy roots.
- Run the old soil gently off roots and use sterile cutting shears to remove all rotten roots, leaving only healthy roots when certain healthy roots remain.
- Select a new pot, which is only large enough and not larger. Ensure that the drainage holes are adequate.
- Put your plant carefully on new ground. Ensure a good draining mix has been chosen. A regular mix of houseplants with 1/3 additional perlite or pumice is the right choice.
- Moisten the ground lightly instead of drenching it completely.
- Set your plant to high moisture and give it moderate temperatures and light. Every 1-2 days, check your soil and keep moist for the first six weeks very slightly.
3. Attack by pests
A pest infestation is one cause of a drop in Chinese money plants that is dreadful for the hearts of indoor gardeners. The Chinese Money Plants are loved by a number of pests such as mealybugs, spider mites and fungus gnats. You would like to suck the sap from the plump, juicy leaves, which damage the leaves and dehydrate the plant to wilt.
Any infestation with pests can be treated if they are caught early so I would strongly advise you to check your plants regularly. Check the undersides of the leaves, the stalks, and even the soil. Isolate any plant immediately and spray the pests repeatedly using appropriate pesticides.
4. Low light
Even though not a direct cause of a Chinese Money Plant fall, low light is one of the most common causes of overwatering and sad, wilting Pilea. Low light caused slow growth, water consumption and water evaporation to decrease and soil remained longer in the wet.
If you want to prevent root and then drop Pilea, move your plant into a place that is full of light. Make sure that you avoid direct sunlight, which will ruin the look of your beautiful plant.
5. Temperature chang
A sudden change in temperature or a cold drain can result in your China Money Plant falling rather dramatically. You may suffer a cold shock, and if you expose your plant to under 55°F (13° C), the whole plant will fall.
It could happen if you keep the plant outside in summer and forget to put it in during the cooler nights. Alternatively, the same outcome can be achieved if you keep your plant near a drawer or air conditioning unit. Keep it comfortable and in a couple of days it should be back at its best. Take care to keep your plant away from drafts, which could lead to this reoccurrence.
6. Old foliage
As the Chinese money plant grows, older droppings can begin to die down on the stem. Normally it begins with a little yellow turning the leaf, then falling down and finally falling off the plant. If one or two leaves are produced at a time and new leaves at least as soon as they are lost, it is not a matter of concern.
In autumn, this behavior is more likely to happen, as light and temperature levels decrease, and the plant makes sacrifices to maintain the plant’s health in winter.
Conclusion
A falling appearance is often normal, especially in indoor cultivated Pilea peperomioides. Overwatering and subsea treatment also are common causes of a drop in a Chinese money plant. There is too little irrigation that causes wilting. Excessive water, or soggy soil, leads to root redness which also causes wilting. With the stems of this plant, it is very common to curve gently downwards, giving a drooping appearance.
For the rest of the plant, if the leaves feel and look healthy, is in good shape, then it is considered normal. This habit of growth is most likely if the light source from the plant comes from the side. This is a very frequent indoor situation, where the main light source is from a window. By positioning the plant where the light comes most from above, you can reduce this appearance.
