Nerve plant leaves curling can be a cause for concern. People adore nerve plants for their attractive leaves covered with vein-like structures. Still, Fittonia plants are tropical members of the acanthus family, and may be difficult to grow and maintain.
Your plant may experience leaf curling issues if certain conditions aren’t favorable for healthy development.
Continue reading to understand how to treat Fittonia correctly and how to fix the curling issue.
Contents
- What Causes Fittonia Leaves to Curl?
- – Not Receiving Enough Water
- – Providing Fertilizer to Fittonia in Excess
- – Lack of Nutrition
- – Temperature Stress
- – Root Decay Caused by Excessive Watering
- – Quality of Water
- – Exposure to too Much or too Little Light
- – Infestation of Insects
- – Low Humidity
- – Type of Soil
- – Pot Size
- How Do You Fix Nerve Plant Issues to Avoid Leaf Curling?
- – Ways to Fix Underwatering Issues
- – How to Fix Overfeeding Issues
- – How to Fix Nutritional Issues
- – How to Fix Overwatering Issues
- – How to Fix Temperature Issues
- – How to Fix Water Quality Issues
- – How to Fix Light Requirements Issues
- – How to Fix Infestation Issues
- – How to Fix Low Humidity Issues
- – How to Fix Soil Type Issues
- – How to Fix Potting Issues
- Conclusion
- References
What Causes Fittonia Leaves to Curl?
What causes fittonia leaves to curl consists of several different factors. Your plant could be suffering because of one or several of these reasons. The factors are not receiving enough water, too much fertilizer, lack of nutrition, temperature stress, root decay, quality of water and insect infestations among others.
– Not Receiving Enough Water
You should pay attention to watering Fittonia since it natively inhabits damp woodlands with frequent rainfall. Fittonia roots cannot supply the top sections of the plant with enough water if the soil is dry.
Turgor pressure is a physiological mechanism that provides plants their firmness and rigidity. It is characterized as the force pushing the cell membrane against the cell wall. Lack of water causes the turgor pressure to drop, which causes the leaves to wilt and curl downward.
– Providing Fertilizer to Fittonia in Excess
Fertilizers include drawbacks resulting from over-fertilizing along with the benefits of plant nourishment. Salts and extra nitrogen build up in the soil due to fertilizer overuse. High salt concentrations reduce water absorption, which causes leaf dryness and, as a result, curling leaves.
When the environment is extremely salty, root cells are under plasmolysis because salt particles tend to absorb water. Due to this, the plant’s upper portions and the root system cannot get water. As a result, in addition to the leaves becoming yellow and possibly withering away the entire plant, you also have curled leaves.
– Lack of Nutrition
Your Fittonia leaf curling may occasionally be the result of a nutritional deficit. Several minerals, including potassium, magnesium, manganese, iron, and sulfur, are essential for the plant’s healthy growth and development. Their lack can impede the plant’s essential metabolic activities, causing leaf margins to curl and turn yellow.
After the plant uses the soil for a while, it may become depleted. Additionally, a pH outside the ideal range can prevent the root and, as a result, the entire plant from accessing the regularly present nutrients in the soil.
An environment that is too acidic produces free nutrients and complicated chemicals that the plant ordinarily cannot absorb. Nutrients are, in other words, “stuck” in the soil. Since the leaves don’t receive them, chlorosis also causes the leaves to curl downward. So, you should consider providing your plant with nutrients in such cases.
– Temperature Stress
The coldness is intolerable to Fittonia. Since this plant is acclimated to tropical temperatures naturally, it is detrimental for winter temperatures to drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Cold weather increases the viscosity of the water in leaf cells. The permeability of the cell membrane is also compromised. Cold temperatures stop the production of proteins – these circumstances cause damage to the leaf tissue, which is seen in the Fittonia’s crusty and curled foliage.
– Root Decay Caused by Excessive Watering
More harm than underwatering can be done to the Fittonia by large amounts of water. The root stiffens from wet soil, which leads to anoxic conditions. The root tissue is broken down by fungi that can grow in this environment.
The consequence of the aforementioned is a rotten root, distinguished by its vile smell and moldy, blackened look. Fittonia leaves will start curving downward and getting smaller.
– Quality of Water
Household tap water may contain contaminants and harmful mineral deposits for Fittonia, like complex salts. These include limescale, fluorides, and chlorides.
Dissolved salts alter the chemical composition of the soil in the water. Ions from the salt accumulation displace the necessary nutrients, resulting in a deficiency of these elements in the leaves. Additionally, salts suck water from the root, thus “stealing” it. But, it is possible to increase the quality of your tap water easily!
– Exposure to too Much or too Little Light
For Fittonia to flourish, the right lighting conditions are crucial. On foliage, direct sunlight can result in sunburns. Additionally, by weakening the photosynthesis electron chain, too much light affects the photosynthesis process.
Small amounts of light also disrupt photosynthesis when there is minimal light. This process’ photochemical phase cannot occur without enough light to trigger the reactions. Fittonia leaves lose their vibrant green hue and develop crusty, curled edges.
– Infestation of Insects
Fittonia, like the majority of plants, can receive unwanted visitors like mealybugs, mites, aphids, caterpillars, etc. They harm the leaves by nibbling and sucking on them.
These wounds act as a doorway for infections and infectious bacteria that assault the inner tissue of the leaf. The margins of the leaves eventually turn yellow and crust over, and they start to curl up and down.
– Low Humidity
Given that the rainforest is its native environment, Fittonia enjoys taking baths in the humid air. The transpiration rate rises in dry air, which causes the leaves to dry. The leaves are primarily curled downward, and the plant as a whole appears to be drooping. The entire leaf surface then becomes wilted.
– Type of Soil
You must be careful when selecting the potting soil for Fittonia growing. Clay and other compact soils tend to hold onto water. These soil types have poor drainage, so if you choose them, you’ll probably have issues like waterlogging and root rot.
Poor potting soil selection results in an anoxic root environment, poor tissue aeration, etc. This shows leaf damage, including curling and sometimes even decaying of the leaves.
– Pot Size
You must pay attention to this problem even though it may not seem significant. Fittonia is a rather small plant; therefore, overwatering can be an issue in large containers. You are well aware of the effects of excess water in the soil.
This does not imply that you ought to cultivate your Fittonia in a smaller pot because doing so can result in root entanglement and a lack of room for root elongation. Additionally, the plant will need more water in a little pot.
Fittonia foliage curls and loses its glossy, green color due to overwatering (caused by planting Fittonia in a big pot), underwatering (caused by cultivating Fittonia in a small pot), and stunted roots.
How Do You Fix Nerve Plant Issues to Avoid Leaf Curling?
To fix nerve plant issues in order to avoid leaf curling has a few elements to it. What you change will obviously depend on the diagnosis you made and it will show the way forward. The underwatering issues should be fixed, as well as overfeeding, nutritional issues and overwatering, etc.
– Ways to Fix Underwatering Issues
The soil surface cannot be allowed to become dry and crunchy. You can examine the soil’s moisture level by sticking your index finger partly into the ground. It’s time to water if you notice dryness at this depth.
Remove the yellow leaves to save the plants from squandering nutrients on damaged tissue. Make sure the sun doesn’t shine directly on your plant.
– How to Fix Overfeeding Issues
You may flush the extra salts away if the plant isn’t too damaged. Because it doesn’t contain substances or pollutants, distilled water is the finest choice for this application. Let the soil in the pot leach. It should stay dry on the ground. Establish a sound drainage system to prevent this. The pot’s bottom must contain holes to ensure that water can drain.
You should use organic compost instead of chemical fertilizers. Keep the peel after peeling a potato or breaking an egg. You may use those to produce incredibly nutritional meals for your Fittonia while avoiding soil salinization. Fittonia that is severely injured should be transplanted in new, fresh soil if you want to save it.
– How to Fix Nutritional Issues
- Parched soil
You should add a suitable fertilizer, or even better, handmade compost or vermicompost, to the potting soil. If there is insufficient moisture – sometimes due to the substrate – the plant cannot absorb the necessary nutrients.
- A decreased soil pH
Use the calcium and bicarbonate-rich water for a while. This kind of water is sold in many supermarket stores. It will aid in balancing the environment’s acidity and the breakdown of complicated molecules. Avoid using humus for a while because humic acids will exacerbate the issue.
– How to Fix Overwatering Issues
Take the entire plant from the pot, then run gentle water over the root. Trim the plant’s decayed parts, then wrap it with newspaper. Discard the contaminated potting soil, then wash it with detergent to make it sterile.
Repot the plant in the new, nutrient-rich potting mix after a few days. Liquid fertilizer can be added to aid in the healing process. Cut the healthy portion of the plant with a stem and submerge it in the water if the entire root is rotten. It should be transformed into potting soil after it grows adventive roots.
– How to Fix Temperature Issues
The temperatures wherever you keep Fittonia should be raised. About 20oC (70oF) is the ideal temperature for Fittonia development. Don’t water it with water that is too cold. It lessens the soil’s microbial activity.
– How to Fix Water Quality Issues
Before watering your Fittonia, filter the tap water to ensure it is clean. After coating it with filter paper, put a regular funnel atop the watering can. Wait for the water to drain before lightly pouring in some tap water. Throw away the precipitate. For this use, you can purchase a commercial water filter to water your plants. Additionally, you can save rainfall and utilize it to irrigate your plants.
– How to Fix Light Requirements Issues
Fittonia prefers direct, bright sunlight. Put a curtain over the windowpane to block out direct sunlight if you wish to keep Fittonia there. You can use an LED bulb to improve the lighting because it doesn’t generate heat and is safe for plants.
– How to Fix Infestation Issues
To lessen the number of pests, consider showering Fittonia. This can significantly lessen the issue, but you must use a pesticide appropriate for the pest species when a plant is overrun with bugs.
Make a 1:1 solution of water and enough insecticide to avoid the phytotoxic effects of the pesticides. Spray the pest-infested regions with the solution after pouring it into a spray bottle. Ensure the drainage system is in good working order before applying pesticides to the soil.
– How to Fix Low Humidity Issues
Keep the Fittonia away from heaters and air conditioners. The air humidity can be reduced by anything that mimics windy circumstances in some way. Leaves are occasionally misted. To enhance the humidity around the plant, place a pebble tray there or use a humidifier. Dry your washing in the area where you store the Fittonia or place it in the bathroom.
– How to Fix Soil Type Issues
Select airy, loose potting soil before planting. Good options include fertile soil, loam, and silt. If you are already experiencing this issue, you can prevent repotting by amending the soil with vermiculite or peat. Trim away the harmed leaves.
– How to Fix Potting Issues
Every two to three years, move the Fittonia to a little bigger container. You must water the plant sparingly if the pot is too big to prevent overwatering. You have to change the pot and replace the potting medium of your Fittonia because a little pot should be swapped out for a larger one.
Conclusion
To successfully grow Fittonia, several considerations need to be made – try to replicate the conditions in the rainforest.
Mostly, exercise caution with the following items:
- Regular watering. Each species of plant needs to consider this factor. The important factors are water quantity and frequency. As soon as you detect the earth getting dry, water your Fittonia.
- The best light is indirect sunlight. In the rainforests, Fittonia dwells in the soft shade of a large tree. Fittonia cannot thrive in the dark, although it is not exposed to the sun’s rays in its native environment. Allow for bright, indirect sunlight.
- Favorable chemistry-related environmental factors. Acidic or salty soil wouldn’t be appealing to Fittonia. Fertilize sparingly. Use pure water free from hard substances that could upset the pH equilibrium.
On the Fittonia plant, curled foliage is a common sign of stress. Thankfully, lowering the amount of direct sunshine and raising humidity usually resolve this problem.
References
https://extension.arizona.edu/sites/extension.arizona.edu/files/pubs/az1106.pdf
(Source: Agriculture and Natural Resources Department, University of California)
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FAQs
Nerve Plant Leaves Curling: Reasons and What You Can Do? ›
Nerve plants prefer a higher humid environment, so when they're not getting sufficient moisture in the air, they will work harder to transpire, often leading to dehydration and leaf curl.
Why are my nerve plant leaves curling? ›Nerve plants prefer a higher humid environment, so when they're not getting sufficient moisture in the air, they will work harder to transpire, often leading to dehydration and leaf curl.
How do you bring a nerve plant back to life? ›If your nerve plant isn't getting enough water, it will droop dramatically. Keep an eye on it, and give it a drink of water by soaking the soil evenly, allowing excess moisture to drain from the planter. That should help your nerve plant perk up again.
Why are my red veined nerve plant leaves curling? ›Humidity is an especially important factor when it comes to growing healthy nerve plants. If you notice the plant's leaves beginning to curl at the edges, it's likely that the air is too dry.
Can plants recover from leaf curl? ›While no one wants to see their plant looking miserable, curled leaves are relatively easy to fix – so you don't need to panic if you've noticed your plant's leaves starting to turn. In fact, unlike, many of the other problems your plant can face, curled leaves are often completely reversible.
Should I remove leaves with leaf curl? ›If leaf curl infection builds up and is left uncontrolled for several years, the tree may decline and need to be removed.
Should I spray my nerve plant? ›Should I mist my fittonia? Yes, fittonias thrive in humid environments. Mist your plant every few days to keep the leaves moist.
What deficiency causes curling of leaves? ›Phosphorus deficiency commonly causes older leaves to curl, distort, and remain smaller than normal. Unusually purple leaf veins and tip dieback from phosphorus deficiency.
What conditions do nerve plants like? ›Nerve plant thrives at temperatures around 70 F but will tolerate a range from the low 60s F to low 80s F. These plants prefer humid conditions similar to those found in rainforests. Regular misting will keep the plants from drying out.
How often should you water a nerve plant? ›Watering Nerve Plants
In a right-sized container with good soil and high humidity, the nerve plant should be able to go 4 to 7 days between waterings. Water when the soil surface begins to dry, but do not wait for it to become crusty.
Can you restore a nerve? ›
Sometimes a section of a nerve is cut completely or damaged beyond repair. Your surgeon can remove the damaged section and reconnect healthy nerve ends (nerve repair) or implant a piece of nerve from another part of your body (nerve graft). These procedures can help your nerves regrow.
Does nerve plant need sunlight? ›With too little light, the colors of the leaves and veins are not as intense. Consider it a low- to medium-light houseplant. The best window exposure for a nerve plant is an east- or west-facing window or a few feet back from a south-facing window where it receives bright light but not direct sun throughout the day.
How do you save a curling plant? ›CAUSE: Heat stress causes rapid evaporation, so plants curl up to conserve moisture. Plants too close to high-intensity lights are prone to heat stress, but it can be a problem in any room where temperatures are persistently above 80 degrees F. QUICK FIX: Set up fans to blow out hot air and bring in cooler fresh air.
What does an overwatered Fittonia look like? ›Overwatering can cause yellowing and discolored leaves, as well as wilting. When you notice wilting Fittonia plants, check the soil with your finger.
How do you get rid of leaf curls naturally? ›Vinegar Solution. Live apple cider vinegar to the rescue! (Live meaning the wispy bits of the 'mother' are visible in the bottle.) This solution works well, but is probably better suited to smaller gardens because you need to spray often.
Can too much sun cause leaves to curl? ›One of the most common signs of too much sunlight on houseplants is leaf scorching. This is when the leaves of the plant turn brown or yellow, and they may even start to curl up at the edges.
How long does it take for a leaf to uncurl? ›When soil is evenly moistened and healthy roots are taking up the moisture, leaves should take 2 or 3 weeks to fully open. Leaves staying closed for longer than this occurs when there is inadequate moisture in the soil.
Do leaves curl from over or watering? ›When leaves curl or 'cup' at the tips and the margins, the plant is trying to retain moisture. Any form of downwards curling usually indicates overwatering or overfeeding.
Should I spray water on the leaves? ›Misting houseplants is a very simple and effective way to boost humidity. "Misting is also an easy solution to the risk of overwatering your plants," he adds, instructing to, "pay attention to the color and texture of the leaves on your plant. Plants with brown or dry leaf tips will benefit from regular misting."
Does spraying on the leaves help the plant? ›Even on regular plants, the act of misting can help dislodge dust and dirt to keep the plant leaves clean, boosting not just their appearance but their efficiency as living, breathing solar panels.
Do nerve plants like shade? ›
Fittonia nerve plant can tolerate bright light as well as shade but will truly flourish with bright but indirect light of 1-2 hours daily. Low light exposure will cause these plants to revert to green, losing the veins vibrant splashes of colour.
Can I bottom water my nerve plant? ›Bottom watering will not wash away salts and other minerals from the soil, so make sure to also give water over the soil every now and then.
What are the symptoms of leaf curl disease? ›Symptoms of TYLCV
The most obvious symptoms in tomato plants are small leaves that become yellow between the veins. The leaves also curl upwards and towards the middle of the leaf (Figure 1). In seedlings, the shoots become shortened and give the young plants a bushy appearance.
It's getting too much light.
Not all plants want direct sunlight. In fact, many thrive without it. If your plants' leaves are looking scorched, curled, and crispy, and it's in direct sunlight, there's a chance it might want a little shade.
Symptomatology. The symptoms of leaf curl disease are very complex, and the typical symptoms include leaf curling, puckering of leaves, vein yellowing, stunting, excessive branching, from pale yellowing to deep yellowing, and smalling of leaves [6].
What pots are best for nerve plants? ›Planting. To help improve drainage, be sure to use pots with a drainage hole instead of closed pots. Do try to avoid unglazed terracotta, which loses moisture quickly and can cause your Fittonia's soil to dry out. Plastic nursery pots are known to work well for plants like these that need to be kept moist.
How do you make a nerve plant bushier? ›If you have a standard nerve plant (Fittonia albivenis), you can prune it lightly anytime during the growing season. Simply remove any dead or damaged leaves, and trim back any long or unruly stems. If you want to encourage your plant to branch out, you can cut the main stem back by a few inches.
Do nerve plants like coffee grounds? ›Any type of coffee grounds will work well for snake plants. However, just sprinkling coffee grounds onto the soil of your snake plant might cause problems. Adding too many coffee grounds at once can make the soil too acidic, which will damage your plant.
How do you know if a nerve is regenerating? ›How do I know the nerve is recovering? As your nerve recovers, the area the nerve supplies may feel quite unpleasant and tingly. This may be accompanied by an electric shock sensation at the level of the growing nerve fibres; the location of this sensation should move as the nerve heals and grows.
What promotes nerve healing? ›Magnesium promotes the regeneration of the peripheral nerve.
How do you tell if a nerve is permanently damaged? ›
To find out, conclusively, if your nerves are damaged, you need to see a neurologist. He or she will perform tests to determine the health of your muscles and nerves. If there is a problem, the doctor will explain the reason for the damage and its extent. They will follow up by devising a treatment plan.
Where do you cut nerve plants? ›To do this, cut off roughly 10cm long shoots in spring. Prune all leaves from the lover half of the shoot and then plant it in moist soil. Place the pots with the cuttings in a bright place out of direct sunlight.
Do nerve plants like shallow pots? ›It may take six weeks or even two months for the new plantlet to be ready for its new home. The nerve plant has shallow roots, so don't bury them too deeply. You can even get away with using a shallow pot (like the ones you would use for bulbs) for a young plant.
What is the best light for nerve plant? ›Nerve plant grows best in low to medium light, though it also thrives in a sunny window if the light is filtered with a sheer curtain. If it gets too much hot sun, even indoors, the leaves may burn, turning brown and crispy. Water nerve plant when the soil surface just barely starts to dry.
Can you reverse leaf curling? ›Yellow leaf-curl virus, transmitted by whiteflies, prompts leaves to curl up and turn pale green. You cannot treat or cure infected plants, and they likely will not recover. Remove the plants from the garden and dispose of them.
How do you tell if a plant needs water or is overwatered? ›When plants have too little water, leaves turn brown and wilt. This also occurs when plants have too much water. The biggest difference between the two is that too little water will result in your plant's leaves feeling dry and crispy to the touch while too much water results in soft and limp leaves.
What is an early symptom of an overwatered house plant? ›If a plant is overwatered, it will likely develop yellow or brown limp, droopy leaves as opposed to dry, crispy leaves (which are a sign of too little water). Wilting leaves combined with wet soil usually mean that root rot has set in and the roots can no longer absorb water.
How do you tell if a plant is dehydrated or overwatered? ›Determine which by feeling the leaf showing browning: if it feels crispy and light, it is underwatered. If it feels soft and limp, it is overwatered. Yellowing leaves: Usually accompanied by new growth falling, yellow leaves are an indication of overwatering.
Why are my leaves facing down? ›There are a number of reasons why your plant's leaves might start to droop. The most common cause is a watering imbalance - either overwatering or underwatering, but it could also be due to exposure to cold draft, too much light or intense heat. Your plant's leaves and soft stems are held upright by cell turgor.
Why are my plants leaves facing down? ›Too much water is usually the main culprit for why your houseplant is drooping. When you have too much water, or sometimes soil that is too dense that doesn't drain effectively, the roots are smothered and are not able to draw in water properly.
Why won't my plant leaves uncurl? ›
The main reason behind leaves getting stuck and not unfurling properly is the lack of humidity around the plant. Every plant has their own personal humidity level in which they thrive. If the air in your home is too dry, it can cause the leaves to get stuck and growth will be stunned.
Why are my plant leaves pointing down? ›If your plant's leaves are drooping down, you first need to check how dry the soil is to get a bit more information; stick in a finger to the first knuckle to test it. If the soil is dry, the solution is simple — your plant needs water.
Does sugar water help dying plants? ›Since we now know that using sugar in our waterings won't help plants effectively, we must also consider the potential harm. The number one effect that most studies have found is that sugar can reduce the plants' ability to absorb or take in any water.
Do leaves curl when overwatered? ›When leaves curl or 'cup' at the tips and the margins, the plant is trying to retain moisture. Any form of downwards curling usually indicates overwatering or overfeeding.
Does overwatering cause leaves to curl? ›Overwatering. SYMPTOMS: Drooping leaves, curling downward from the stem to the tip. CAUSE: Overwatering is a more common problem in indoor gardens than underwatering, but it is not always the result of giving plants too much moisture.
How do you tell if a plant is overwatered or underwatered? ›Determine which by feeling the leaf showing browning: if it feels crispy and light, it is underwatered. If it feels soft and limp, it is overwatered. Yellowing leaves: Usually accompanied by new growth falling, yellow leaves are an indication of overwatering.
What are signs of root rot? ›Signs of root rot are slow growth, mushy stems, and wilting, yellow, distorted leaves (especially when the plant has been well watered, as wilting leaves can also be a sign of a dry plant). Usually the soil will smell rotten and the roots will appear to be reddish brown.
How do you know if a plant is overwatered? ›- New and old leaves are falling off at the same time.
- Leaves are brown, yellow, and wilting.
- Leaves, stems, or flowers are moldy.
- Leaf tips are brown.
- Root rot or foul odor.
- Grey and slimy roots.
It's getting too much light.
Not all plants want direct sunlight. In fact, many thrive without it. If your plants' leaves are looking scorched, curled, and crispy, and it's in direct sunlight, there's a chance it might want a little shade.
The most common reason for delayed leaf unfurling is lack of humidity. If you have ANY kind of issue with the growth rate of your plants the first port of call is to check for pests. After that, increase humidity (then light and temperature if there's still no change).
What does nitrogen toxicity look like? ›
Symptoms of excess nitrogen include thickened and sometimes cupped leaves with atypically deep green color. Overfertilization can cause leaves to turn brown, gray, dark green, or yellow at margins and tips or overall. Affected foliage may wilt temporarily or die and drop prematurely.
What are the symptoms of calcium deficiency in plants? ›Symptoms of calcium deficiency first appear on younger leaves and tissues, growth is inhibited, and plants have a bushy appearance. The youngest leaves are usually small and misshapen with brown chlorotic spots developing along the margins, which spread to eventually unite in the center of the leaves.
How do you know if a plant is unhealthy? ›- It's Wilting. ...
- The Flowers Aren't Lasting. ...
- There Are Discolored Leaves. ...
- It's Developed a Plant Disease. ...
- The Roots Are Rotting. ...
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