Something look off? Start with the symptom.
Skip the guesswork — pick what you're seeing, then answer three quick questions to get the likely cause. Each one also links to every possible cause if you'd rather read it all.
- Yellow leavesOne of the most common issues, and one of the most ambiguous — the location and pattern of yellowing matters more than the color itself.
- Brown spotsUsually a sign of nutrient burn or a localized deficiency rather than disease, though pattern matters.
- Curling leavesDirection of the curl (up vs. down) is the fastest way to narrow this down.
- Not growingStalled growth is frustrating specifically because it can mean almost anything — the fix is ruling out the basics before assuming something's seriously wrong.
- Bugs or pestsCatching pests early is the difference between a minor annoyance and losing a plant — check the undersides of leaves, not just the tops.
- Strong odor indoorsNot a plant health issue, but the top practical complaint for indoor growers — flowering stage is when this becomes noticeable.