Brown Spots on Money Tree Leaves (Ways to prevent brown spots)

When I grew a money tree, it was blooming perfectly. However, after a few months, brown spots began to appear. I initially thought these might be old leaves dropping, but upon closer inspection, I discovered pests on the leaves that were causing the brown spots.

Although I was aware of these pests, I made the mistake of not taking action. I addressed the issue, and now my plant is thriving once again.

If you’re also dealing with brown spots on your money tree, don’t worry. Here, I have explained the common causes and preventive measures to help save your money tree.

Common culprits Brown Spots:

The money tree leaves have brown spots which is a problem but it will not lead the plant to die. Brown spots on the money tree leaves are the signal plant giving that something is wrong with it. 

Here are points that will help to know the common reasons behind brown spots on money tree leaves such as overwatering, underwatering, excessive sunlight, and pest infestations.

Explanation:

Overwatering:

• Overwatering happens when the gardener doesn’t know when to stop. 
• The overwatering results in plant roots drowning in water and leading to root rot causing brown spots on money tree leaves which is a sign of distress. 

Underwatering:

• Talking about underwatering it happens because of your forgetting habits. 
• Underwatering makes the plant get thirsty and results in brown spots on money tree leaves requesting to give more plants. 

Too Much Sunlight:

• Sunlight is like a party pooper as money tree love to get indirect sunlight but too much direct exposure will cause sunburn. 
• Too much sunlight does result in sunburn which results in brown spots on money tree leaves. 

Pest Infestations:

• Here comes the unwanted guest: pests that are tiny party crashers causing a lot of damage, leaving their signature sign of brown spots which is done as they are munching on the plant leaves. 

Identifying and Spotting the Differences of brown spots:

Don’t get confused about making a difference to figure out these brown spots because each cause leaves does have a unique signature such as:

• Brown spots on money tree leaves due to overwatering and root rot are dark brown, mushy spots.
• Underwatering will result in crispy, dry spots on the leaves. 
• Brown spots on leaves due to sunburn spots are large and flat and cover all areas of the leaf getting most of the sun. 
• Pest infestations result to have small, irregular spots, with some visible pests or their residue.

All these identification ways will help you to differentiate the types of brown spots on money tree leaves. You must feel like playing detective, searching for clues, and complaining about them together to get the main reason behind the cause. 

After knowing the reason let’s learn about the solution to save the money tree.  

Ways to prevent brown spots on money trees:

Here I’ve explained all preventive measures for stoping brown spots on money tree leaves.

Watering Techniques for Brown Spot Prevention

The Art of Watering:

• Watering money trees is not like dumping a jug of water on the plant and claiming you have done watering.
• Watering is an art, a science, and a little bit of fun. 
• The plant suffering from overwatering or underwatering are the main two steps that can lead to brown spots on money tree leaves. 

Overwatering:

• Overwatering is like a silent killer in which the gardener doesn’t know when to stop. 
• Overwatering does result in drowning, leading to root rot and hence resulting in brown spots. 
• To get rid, you need to let the soil dry out between waterings.
• Before watering check the soit using the finger test and if the soil feels dry it’s time to water. If it feel damp, just hold for some time to water them. 

Underwatering:

• Underwatering the plant might figure you once or twice but for a longer time forgetting to water the money tree will result in pooping up brown spots. 
• Having the leaf tip turn brown is a clear sign of the plant crying due to hydration. 

The Goldilocks Principle:

• According to the Goldilocks principle which says not too much, not too little, but just right.
• Before watering make sure to check the soil first.

The Right Water:

• Tap water seems convenient because it contains minerals that are harmful to your money tree. 
• Instead of providing tap water, you should opt for filtered or room-temperature water which feels like serving the plant a glass of the best wine instead of using a cheap wine.

Bottoms Up:

• Watering from the bottom is a technique to pour water into the tray underneath the pot, making the plant drink water from the roots. 
• In this method, the lower roots are used to get enough moisture and boost deeper root growth. 

The Soak and Dry Technique:

• The soak and dry technique is another method for preventing overwatering which is like a spa day for money tree. 
• The plant needs a good soak followed by a period of drying out. 
• The soaking and drying method prevents waterlogging and boosts healthy root circulation. 

Note:

Watering is the chance to save money tree by understanding the need and making it to survive. So, make sure whenever you water the money tree take a moment to check the soil which does result in lush and spot-free leaves. 

Light Conditions for Brown Spot Prevention

The Goldilocks Principle of Lighting:

• To stop and prevent brown spots on money tree leaves you need to nail the lighting conditions. 
• Remember too much direct sunlight will turn the leaves into crispy critters whereas too little light will leave the plant to stretch and struggle for sun rays. 

Indirect Sunlight:

• Keeping the money tree in indirect sunlight is the sweet spot of the plant. 
• You need to provide the plant with a kind of light that fills a room but doesn’t directly hit the plant. 
• It should be like giving the plant a warm hug without the squeeze by which the plant gets all nutrients without having any scorch on leaves. 

The Perils of Overexposure:

• Yes, indirect light can also harm the plant if it’s overdone. 
• Providing the plant with too much indirect light will lead to droopy leaves, yellowing foliage, and leaf loss. 
• If you have too much of a good thing that too will harm the plant. 

Winter Woes: 

• Yes, the winter season is tough for indoor plants because, with shorter days and less sunlight, the plant can have brown spots. 
• Here to make the plant survive you need to supply the plant with artificial lighting.

Acclimating to Light Changes:

• A sudden change in any light condition will be a shock for Money Tree which feels like throwing a plant into a cold pool.
• Here you need to acclimate the plant to any light changes to prevent further leaf damage.
• In this, you need to move the plant closer to a window or increase the time of plant spends under artificial light. 
• Managing the light conditions does mean finding the bright spot or the darkest corner rather than keeping the plant in the right conditions that make a money tree brown spot-free. 

Pest Management for Brown Spot Prevention:

Identifying Common Pests:

• Having pests in the money tree feels like having uninvited or unwanted guests that are munching all the money tree leaves resulting in having brown spots and when you don’t check it will result in a big problem. 
• Some common pests include mealybugs, scale insects, spider mites, and aphids which are tiny vampires that suck the sap from the plant and live behind a brown damaged area.

Effective Pest Management Techniques:

• The first wave to get rid of pests is to take the money plant outside or shower indoors.
• You need to wash away all the bugs gently without damaging the plant.
• In case of having spider mites, just remember, they don’t like humidity, so increasing the air moisture can get rid of them, or you can use the humidifier as a secret weapon.
• When the plant is infested with pests you need to remove all the affected leaves which is like performing surgery on the plant.
• If the situation is worse, you might have to say goodbye to the plant goodbye, but for that ensure it to disposed of separately in a bag in the outdoor garbage because no one will like the pest to get transferred to other plants, also.

Keeping Pests at Bay:

• Yes, prevention is better than cure, so always inspect the money tree regularly in order to find any signs of pests.
• Finding it early will prevent the infestation from spreading.
• Always maintain a clean environment all around the plant and a good weeding will keep unwanted insects to a minimum.
• Pests are like party crashers who are just looking for an opportunity to attack.
• Maintaining the health of the money tree will result in lush, green leaves free of brown spots.

Soil Examination for Brown Spot Prevention

Unearthing the Root of the Problem:

• The soil around the money tree is like lifeblood don’t consider it just dirt.
• It is the only way by which the plant gets water, nutrients and oxygen, and if you make any mess around the soil, it will lead to brown spots on money tree leaves.
• The plant dealing with drainage issues and route rot are the most common soil-related problems.
• When the plant soil is waterlogged, it will suffocate the roots which will lead to root rot conditions.
• This will be like a plant having a bad hair day, but actually here the plant is trying to breathe through a straw when it’s underwater, which is not a good situation.

The Art of Soil Aeration:

• Ensure the soil is well aerated which means it does have plenty of tiny ear spaces, which will allow the water to drain away, resulting in oxygen reaching the roots.
• To achieve good aeration make sure to use a suitable potting mix that includes ingredients like perlite and vermiculite which do result in improving the soil structure, promoting better drainage and aeration.

The Repotting Rumble:

• In case of having any sign of a root rot, then it’s time to take quick action and start the procedure of repotting.
• For this, you need to remove the plant from the pot and check thoroughly the roots of the plant.
• Finding any brown and mushy roots means the plant has root rot.
• To cure you need to cut off the affected roots and make the plant air dry for a day or two after which repot the plant again in fresh well running soil, which will feel like giving the plant a fresh start.

The pH Factor:

• To keep the soil right all around the plant, you need to check the soil pH level.
• Talking about the money tree I do prefer slightly acidic to neutral pH level.
• When the soil is too alkaline, it will prevent the soil from absorbing nutrients, hence resulting in nutrient deficiency and having brown spots on the leaves.

Now you know all the techniques for maintaining the right soil and preventing the plant from having brown spots on the leaves. 

Humidity Regulation for Brown Spot Prevention

When we talk about the humidity, it’s not just for tropical vacations or romance movies, but there are some plants who crave for it. For example, the money tree.

The Importance of Humidity:

• The money tree is tropical by nature, hence they do enjoy sauna sessions.
• They love to thrive, best in humidity levels around 50%.
• Don’t start changing their living room temperature, just listen that they love tropical nature because too much of good things can result in fungal diseases and insect infestation.

Boosting Humidity: 

Yes, to increase the humidity around the money tree, you need to follow some ways such as:

• Misting the money tree which will feel like eating potato chips because a single mistake will make you overdo it.
• Overzealous misting leads to soggy leaves and results in brown spots so always do misting sparingly.
• Using a humidifier is a good option, you can select.
• The money tree getting a humidifier will be like a VIP launch with a steady stream of moisture without any risk of over-watering.
• Make sure to always keep the leaves of the plant away from the humidifier to avoid leaves getting too wet.

Group Therapy for Plants:

• To increase the humidity around the money tree, you can try grouping plants together as they will release water vapor, which will create a mini tropical Paradise. It does feel like supporting a group of houseplants.
• Keeping the right humidity level is the best way because too little humidity will start sporting brown sports and too much feel like inviting unwanted guests, such as pests and diseases.
• Make sure to keep an eye on the money tree and make the adjustment accordingly.

Trust me, the money plant will thank you and will reward you for drooping out some extra green with healthy spot-free leaves.

Preventative Measures for Brown Spot Recurrence

Consistent Watering: 

• Yes, inconsistency is the root of all problems, especially here. I am talking about watering the money plant.
• Consistent watering is the secret to having a healthy money tree without any brown spots.

Now the main question is how to achieve this goal:

Don’t worry, it’s not rocket science. You need to stick to a regular watering schedule like watering the plant once every week or two. just make sure the soil doesn’t get too dry or too wet ever. For that, you can check it using your finger, and if it will dry water, the plant, and if it feels wet, don’t water.

Room Temperature Water: 

• Here comes an unforgettable thing: the temperature.
• Maintaining room temperature, water is a hero as the cold water will give a shock to roots resulting in brown spots. So always make sure to water the plant at room temperature for at least a day.

Regular Leaf Inspection: 

• Make sure to regularly inspect the leaves by which you can also spend more time with your money tree.
• Regularly inspecting the leaves will help you to see the brown spot signs early, which will make the chances of getting rid of the problem soon such as having any change in color or texture, look for any spot which will be time to take action.

Proactive Pest Management: 

• Here comes the unwanted guest, which comes and lives behind a great mess in the form of a brown spot.
• The best way to deal with them is to regularly. Check the plant for any sign of pests and treat it as soon as you see any infestation.
• Just remember, cleanliness is this way to a healthy plant, so make sure to keep the area around the money tree clean.

So following consistent watering, maintaining the room temperature, regular leave inspection and proactive pest management will make your plan to grow happily and healthy.

Conclusion:

I can see that after reading the article, you will know all the reasons behind the formation of brown spots on money tree leaves and the ways that will help you to prevent the growth of any condition, that will make this situation get worse.