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Why Are My Croton Leaves Drooping – 3 Possible Reasons

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Crotons are amazing for planting because they have delightful colors in their foliage. However, they can be a little hard to deal with and might cause some problems. Some might leave you wondering, ‘Why are my croton leaves drooping?’

Croton leaves can become shaky and start to droop as soon as they’re exposed to overwatering and dry soil. There are some other problems as well which are discussed in this article.

Let’s get right to the point!

Why Are My Croton Leaves Drooping
My sad, sad Croton is drooping like crazy 🙁 – via Reddit

Why Are My Croton Leaves Drooping?

The croton’s glossy, thick, and pleasantly multi-colored leaves are a sight to behold. However, you should be concerned if you notice them suddenly drooping. I’ll go over the most common causes of leaf drooping and how to deal with each one in the sections below.

Dry Soil

Crotons have a bad reputation for being difficult to grow. This is largely due to the difficulty of maintaining a constant watering schedule. The truth is that if you maintain the soil continuously moist but not damp or soggy, your croton will reward you with beautifully coloured foliage.

You’ve probably allowed the soil to grow quite dry if your croton leaves have begun to droop. The leaves are dry, crunchy, and wilting, as you can see.

Another indicator of underwatering is brown, crusty leaf margins and tips. Chronic dehydration causes the leaves to curl and eventually fall off.

Solution

Fill a bathtub, sink, or large container with your croton in it. Fill it up to the 3 to 4-inch mark with room temperature water. Allow 45 minutes for the soil to become saturated with water through the drainage holes in your croton.

Tilt the pot to drain the soil properly once the dirt is evenly damp. Q-tips can be inserted into the drainage holes. This will assist in draining as much water as possible from the perched position. Crotons do not like standing water in the soil, so keep that in mind.

Maintain a consistent watering plan to keep the soil from drying up completely. When the top two to three inches of soil have dried up, water again.

Overwatering

Drooping croton can be caused by both too little and too much water. Overwatering, on the other hand, is a much more prevalent and dangerous issue for your plant. In fact, if the soil is saturated with too much water, your croton is more likely to perish.

How can you tell if your croton is drooping because it’s been overwatered?

  • One of the first signs of overwatering is leaf edema. If your croton absorbs more water than it can use, edema will develop. Water-soaked blisters appear on the leaves as a result of this condition.
  • Yellowing of the leaves – The lower/older leaves begin to turn yellow. Overwatering may have resulted in root rot if the leaves are turning yellow and wilting haphazardly.
  • Root rot has set up camp due to overwatering if you notice a rotting stench coming from the soil or the base of the plant. Roots that are rust-brown or black and mushy are most likely to be found.
  • Watery brown spots – A croton that has been overwatered is susceptible to bacterial leaf spot infections. They’ll seem as damp dark patches with a yellow halo around them. These spots will get larger and form larger brown or black patches.
  • Leaves falling off – If both new and old leaves are drooping and dropping off, your croton may have been overwatered.
  • Wilting leaves — This is a sure sign that root rot has taken hold. Lower and higher leaves, old and fresh, are usually damaged.
Why Are My Croton Leaves Drooping 2
My croton drooped suddenly today. What happened? – via Reddit

Solution

You’re in luck if the soil is damp but root rot isn’t present. Simply wait until the top 2-3 inches of soil are completely dry before watering again. You should also fix any faults that are causing the overwatering. These are some of them:

Low light – If your croton isn’t getting enough light, it will take longer for the soil to dry out. Move to a location with a lot of bright, indirect light.

Your croton’s watering needs will be determined by the time of year, whether it’s dormancy or slow growth. During the winter, the growth will slow. As a result, you should water less frequently.

Make sure your croton is unpotted and checked for root rot. You should aim for healthy roots that are white and firm. Unfortunately, root rot has set in if you notice soft, mushy, black, or rusty brown roots. Here’s how to bring your croton back to life:

  • Remove as much soil as possible from the root system by gently washing it away.
  • Remove any roots that are dead or infected.
  • Dip the remaining healthy roots in a fungal solution to treat them.
  • Repot your croton with a new batch of potting mix that has been treated with hydrogen peroxide.
  • As your plant recovers, provide ideal conditions.
  • Maintain a consistent watering schedule as a preventative measure. Between waterings, allow the top two to three inches of soil to dry out a little.

Low Humidity

Crotons are endemic to the jungles of Southeast Asia, where they thrive in humid conditions. Remember that your croton is quite sensitive to environmental changes.

If the relative humidity around your croton goes below 40%, your plant will suffer from drooping and leaf shedding. This frequently occurs when the central heating is turned on in the winter. Your home’s air will become extremely dry and crisp.

Low humidity will also affect your croton’s appearance. Browning of leaf tips and edges, crisped-up leaf surfaces, and leaf curling are some of these symptoms. This will be more noticeable on tender, new leaf edges, particularly those farthest from the roots.

Your croton enjoys relative humidity values of 70 percent or higher. However, humidity should be kept between 40 and 80 percent. Using lukewarm or room temperature water, spritz the foliage on a regular basis.


Conclusion

Your question of why are my croton leaves drooping will be answered in this article. Make sure you follow these instructions thoroughly to ensure that your plant grows to the best of its capacity.

Best of luck!