Around 6 months ago I planted some guava seeds and I'm happy to say that they sprouted and have began to grow well! However, some of the small leaves have started to turn brown at the tips and dry out. Some have curled up first then gone completely dry! I've been watering them well without keeping the soil too moist, and I'm growing them on my bedroom window so they're kept warm.
Does anyone have any suggestions as to why this could be happening? Thanks!
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rainbowgardener
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 25279
- Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
- Location: TN/GA 7b
I was hoping one of our tropical growers would respond to this. Since no one has, I will take a stab at it:
it always helps to tell us where you are located. There are hardly any garden questions that can be discussed without regard to location/ climate. I looked at your other two posts about the spearmint, but couldn't see that you have ever told us your location. Guava is very sensitive to cold and will brown like that if it gets too cold for it (doesn't have to actually freeze, any where down near freezing could do it, especially for a seedling). Please change your profile to reflect your location.
So your guava seedling is in a pot, sounds like pretty small one, if it is on a window sill. What is the potting mix like? Re the cold issue above - plants that are next to a window can freeze if they touch the glass. Even if they don't touch, if they are very close to the window they can be getting very cold drafts from it. Wait until it is a cold night and then put your hand between the plant and the window and see what it feels like. Just because your room is warm doesn't mean the window sill area is. What direction does your bedroom window face and how many hours of sun a day is your little tree getting?
But all that said, leaf tip and edge browning is usually a water issue. Indoor air is very dry. Guava is a tree of the tropics and rain forest and likes lots of humidity. I would put it on a humidity tray AND mist it daily. Have you been fertilizing it? Over fertilizing leaves salts in the soil, which can interfere with water uptake. Looking dry like that can be an under watering issue or an over watering one. Or it can be an issue of the roots being unable to take up the water, if they have been damaged or gotten root rot.
it always helps to tell us where you are located. There are hardly any garden questions that can be discussed without regard to location/ climate. I looked at your other two posts about the spearmint, but couldn't see that you have ever told us your location. Guava is very sensitive to cold and will brown like that if it gets too cold for it (doesn't have to actually freeze, any where down near freezing could do it, especially for a seedling). Please change your profile to reflect your location.
So your guava seedling is in a pot, sounds like pretty small one, if it is on a window sill. What is the potting mix like? Re the cold issue above - plants that are next to a window can freeze if they touch the glass. Even if they don't touch, if they are very close to the window they can be getting very cold drafts from it. Wait until it is a cold night and then put your hand between the plant and the window and see what it feels like. Just because your room is warm doesn't mean the window sill area is. What direction does your bedroom window face and how many hours of sun a day is your little tree getting?
But all that said, leaf tip and edge browning is usually a water issue. Indoor air is very dry. Guava is a tree of the tropics and rain forest and likes lots of humidity. I would put it on a humidity tray AND mist it daily. Have you been fertilizing it? Over fertilizing leaves salts in the soil, which can interfere with water uptake. Looking dry like that can be an under watering issue or an over watering one. Or it can be an issue of the roots being unable to take up the water, if they have been damaged or gotten root rot.