BROWN TIPS: If the leaves are scorched, browned on the edges, and crisping, the odds are you’ve let the soil dry out completely. If this goes for long, the leaves will go limp, start drooping, and perhaps fall off. This is the most common problem among forgetful houseplant parents.
DROOPING LEAVES: As is mostly the case, the leaves will wilt, go soft, and become floppy. This is a sign that you’ve overwatered your peperomia. You may also be staring at a serious case of root rot. In either case, your peperomia will soon die if you don’t execute a fast, fully-fledged rescue mission.
Other telling signs of dying due to overwatering include overly wet, soggy, or waterlogged soil. If root rot disease has found a home in your plant, there’ll be a boggy or rooting smell wafting from the potting soil. When things are all good and dandy, you’ll get an earthy musk emanating from the soil.
Roots will bear the biggest brunt of overwatering. Otherwise white and firm, you’ll find sad-looking roots that appear black and feel mushy to the touch. Keep reading, as I’ll discuss how to fix a peperomia affected by root rot.
BROWN LEAVES: Leaf browning is another sign that should worry you. If there’s fungal or bacterial disease ravaging your plant, you may notice black or brown spots that may be ringed with yellow circles. Likewise, brown leaf tips & edges are not good news about your peperomia’s health.
NO NEW GROWTH: if your peperomia isn’t putting out new growth or failing to thrive, you may be dealing with a disease or pest infestation. Sap-sucking insects like mealybugs and scales will manifest as scabs on the foliage, then drain the life out of your plant.
YELLOW LEAVES: One of the earliest signs of a possibly fatal problem for your peperomia is usually yellowed leaves. This can happen because of overwatering, critical light shortage, nutrient deficiency, root rot, disease infection, and other ills that may kill your plant.
A moldy cover on the surface of the potting mix is another tell-tale sign of overwatering or too little light. The mold or mildew growth may be harmless, but there’s usually a more serious underlying issue. Think root rot, waterlogged soil, etc.