What's Wrong With My Plant? Free Symptom Checker
Answer two quick questions — your plant's main symptom and how the soil feels — and get the most likely cause plus an exact fix. Free, no signup.
How this plant symptom checker works
Most houseplant problems trace back to watering. The identical symptom — yellow or drooping leaves — means the opposite thing in wet soil versus dry soil, so feeling the soil is the fastest way to tell overwatering from underwatering. It covers yellow leaves, brown crispy tips, drooping, brown and black spots, curling, mushy stems and root rot, pests, leggy growth and leaf drop.
Frequently asked questions
Why are my plant's leaves turning yellow?
The most common cause is overwatering — soggy soil suffocates roots so they can't move nutrients, and older leaves yellow first. If the soil is bone dry instead, it's usually thirst.
How do I know if my plant is overwatered or underwatered?
Feel the soil. Wilting or yellowing in wet soil almost always means overwatering and early root rot; the same symptoms in bone-dry soil mean underwatering.
What does root rot look like?
Mushy, dark brown or black roots and stems with a foul smell, often with drooping leaves despite wet soil.