You have a peperomia plant because everyone has told you how easy it is to grow. They don’t need a lot of light, they don’t need frequent watering, and they don’t need constant petting to get through the next day (I’m looking at you orchids).
But then he noticed something was wrong with the sheets. they curl Peperomia leaves aren’t supposed to curl, are they?
Before you curse the day when you thought you could take care of a houseplant, take a deep breath. Your peperomia is not on its deathbed. These sturdy little plants can bounce back immediately if you correctly identify the problem.
The most common reason why peperomia leaves curl is waterlogging. Lack of sufficient moisture causes the leaves to curl inwards, as they cannot continue their physiological functions properly. In addition to heat stress, low humidity, excess water, or insect infestations can cause this problem.
Causes of Peperomia leaf curl
Rolled up leaves are a classic sign of flooding. If they don’t have enough water, peperomia (and most other plants too) draw water from their leaves to their stem to stay alive, so the leaves curl.
To see if this is your problem:
Check the ground. Stick your finger into the top thumb of the soil to see if it’s wet. If it seems dry, gently lift the plant out of the pot to see if the soil is completely dry and crumbly.
Smell the leaves. Do they feel very thin, like there’s nothing on them?
Remember when you last watered it. Has it been over a week? Or did you forget the last time? (No judgement. I also sometimes forget to water until my plants have settled in.)
If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, congratulations, your problem is underwater! And that’s an easy problem to solve.
But I water my Peperomia every week!
This may not be enough water for the conditions your peperomia is facing. You may need to water larger amounts or more frequently, especially in very hot weather, as peperomia needs more water to withstand higher temperatures.
How to Repair Underwater
So what do you do now that you’ve determined that your peperomia is underwater? Should I water it every day until it cheers up?
If you try to do this you could end up in the opposite realm of too much water and it’s much harder to fix.
The main problem with dry land is that it is very annoying to get completely wet again. The dry soil separates from the edge of the pot, so if you just pour water, the dry topsoil will float and the water will run down the side of the pot through the drainage hole.
Instead, we take advantage of the capillary action of the soil. Capillary action is what happens when you place a drop of water on a paper towel.
At first, the place is soaked. The water is then spread and moistens the surrounding paper towel until it is evenly moist. The ground works the same way.
Here are some simple steps to get your peperomia feeling better again:
- Spray the top layer of soil until it is damp. (I think this helps the water in instead of flowing out.)
- Add ½ cup of water and let drain.
- Repeat step 2 until water drains from the bottom AND you can poke a wooden toothpick, knife or stick into the soil and it starts to look completely wet .
How to Avoid Water
So how often should you water? Peperomia likes to dry out between waterings.
Set reminders to check and water your plant. You can do this by setting a reminder on your online calendar that pops up twice a week, or you can download an app like Planta and Gardenia that helps you know when to water, fertilize, and do other plant care tasks. .
Stick your index finger into the ground up to the knuckle. If the soil looks wet, wait a few days. If it’s dry, water it.
Water until a little comes out of the bottom of the pot. This is the best way to tell if you’ve watered your plant enough (unless your soil is very dry, in which case you’ll need to follow the steps above). If the soil is moist enough, the excess will run off and your plant will stay perfectly watered.
Water more frequently in warm weather and less frequently in winter. As I mentioned earlier, plants need more water when the house is hot because they use that extra water to cool themselves through transpiration. In winter, the house is generally cooler and there is less natural light, so your plants stop growing and need less water. That’s why it’s best to set reminders, but also see how dry the floor is first.
Increase the humidity. If your house is very dry, your peperomia will need more water. Peperomia plants love moisture (although you can go too far too). Many people say that misting your plant or using a bowl of water will increase humidity, but science shows the effect only lasts for a few moments. The best solution is to use a real humidifier.
But I keep my Peperomia well watered—What else could it be?
If you are already doing the above, there may be other environmental factors, all of which can be easily corrected.
Your home is too dry/too hot
Peperomia loves humidity and if your home is too dry, its leaves will curl. Low humidity is a big problem in the winter when your furnace extracts even more moisture from the cold, dry air.
Many people recommend misting or placing a container of water under the pot to increase humidity, but the best solution is a humidifier.
Your light is too bright/too dark where the Peperomia is
Peperomia plants come from the rainforest where they receive only indirect light. So if you place your peperomia on a sunny windowsill, they will roll up their leaves for protection. The best place is in a window that doesn’t face south or has direct light.
But that doesn’t mean you have to stick your peperomia in the nearest dark corner. Peperomia needs little bright indirect light (sunlight does not hit the leaves directly). If you really like your peperomia from this angle, you can supplement it with a full spectrum grow light.
Your water has quality problems
It depends on where you live, as water treatment varies. High chlorine levels can be a problem. This type of chemical buildup in the soil will prevent the root system from absorbing nutrients and water.
And eventually the peperomia leaves will show curling symptoms. But if all else fails, try using filtered or bottled water in your peperomia and see if it straightens up again.
Root rot due to excess water
Overwatering can also cause peperomia leaves to curl. Too much water or standing water creates an environment conducive to mold growth. The system eventually gets root rot.
This fungal disease makes the root mushy, brown and mushy. You get an unpleasant smell coming from the floor. The disease can severely damage the root system and interfere with normal functionality.
The damaged root system cannot absorb the necessary moisture and nutrients from the soil.
Therefore, it cannot provide enough moisture or nutrients for the leaves to grow. Because of this, you may notice your peperomia leaves curling. Read my article on how to save overwatered peperomia.
Save peperomia from root rot.
If the disease can be detected early. Among other symptoms, leaf curl is a common symptom of this disease. You can take the necessary steps to save your peperomia.
- Move the pot to a well-ventilated, sunny location.
- Remove the entire plant from the potting soil.
- Wash the soil away from the root system.
- Cut off the damaged soft brown parts of the root with disinfected scissors
- Treat the roots with charcoal to disinfect and let the root dry completely.
- Transplant your peperomia into a new pot with fresh potting soil.
- Make sure the pot has a working water drain capacity.
Read this article to learn more about peperomia root rot and effective ways to save the plant.
You may also like: Brown spots on Peperomia (causes and how to fix them)
But what if my Peperomia leaves also fall off?
This, my friend, is the reverse problem. You overwatered your peperomia. Peperomias are semi-succulent, which means they like the soil to dry out a bit before watering them again.
When a peperomia receives too much water, the roots are damaged and the leaves curl up and begin to droop.
Read this article to find out what causes leaf drop and how to fix it.
New leaves are curved downward and have serrated edges.
So your peperomia probably has mites, large, reddish-brown or cyclamen. (If you find small cobwebs, they are spider mites.)
These mites are completely undetectable until they cause visible damage, so don’t worry. The most important thing is that once you know what you’re dealing with, act immediately.
You can combat them by controlling the predatory mites or by applying diluted neem oil. Both solutions are non-toxic and organic.
What about those light/dark rings?
If your peperomy disappears:
- light or dark circles,
- twisted or curled leaves, and
- growth retardation,
So I’m sorry, there’s nothing you can do. Your plant is infected with Peperomia leaf curl virus. The best thing to do is to throw the plant and the pot away, cry for a day, then start again with a new peperomia.
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