Why Your Plants Are Dying (And How AI Can Help)
August 17, 2025
If you already own a pH pen, glance at PPFD charts, run sticky traps, or log irrigation intervals, this post is for you. Beginner tips won’t save a plant trapped by root‑zone hypoxia, chronic high VPD, or nutrient lockout at pH 7.6. Advanced plant care is pattern recognition + constraints + measurement. This is a practical framework to move from symptoms to falsifiable hypotheses, then to interventions you can verify.
TL;DR for advanced growers
- Treat symptoms as signals, not answers. Form 2–3 competing hypotheses and try to falsify them with quick measurements: substrate pH/EC, VPD, DLI, moisture, and a root inspection.
- Use the differential matrix and guardrails below to constrain likely causes fast.
- Run an AI‑assisted pass: capture 1–3 targeted photos (macro symptom, whole plant/pot, context) and get a diagnosis with confidence and a stepwise plan. If confidence < 0.6–0.7, collect more data or reframe hypotheses.
- Close the loop: add time‑boxed reminders (24h checks, 72h reassessments, 14d outcomes) so changes are attributable.
From symptoms to hypotheses: a quick differential matrix
| Symptom pattern | Leaf age | Likely causes (ranked) | Measure/inspect next | Bias check |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interveinal chlorosis (green veins, pale lamina) | New growth | Fe/micronutrient lockout from high pH; species light stress; over‑watering reducing uptake | 2:1 slurry pH (target 5.8–6.5), EC (0.8–1.5 mS/cm), DLI | If older leaves affected first, consider N/Mg deficiency instead |
| Uniform chlorosis (older leaves) | Old growth | N deficiency, leaching, insufficient feed | EC; feeding cadence; media CEC | If EC high (>2.0) with chlorosis, think salt imbalance, not deficiency |
| Necrotic margins, “crispy” edges | Any | High VPD (low RH), fertilizer burn (high EC), root damage | VPD (kPa), EC, root exam | If VPD normal (0.6–1.0) and EC normal, look at cold drafts/stratification |
| Yellowing with brown water‑soaked lesions | Any | Bacterial leaf spot; early root rot | Cross‑section petiole/roots; smell; isolate | If concentric rings present, fungal leaf spot more likely |
| Fine stippling, bronzing; webbing | New leaves | Spider mites; also thrips (silvery patches) | 10× loupe underside; sticky cards | If only lower leaves affected, check mechanical rub/sun scorch |
| Sudden leaf drop after relocation | Any | Photoinhibition or DLI/VPD step change | DLI estimate; VPD | If media was repotted simultaneously, rule out root disturbance first |
Notes:
- 2:1 slurry pH: 2 parts distilled water to 1 part media, stir 30 min, measure supernatant.
- EC ranges are maintenance targets for most tropical houseplants; species vary.
Quant the environment: targets that prevent 80% of problems
| Plant group | VPD (day) | VPD (night) | DLI target (indoor) | Substrate pH | Feed EC (mS/cm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aroids/tropicals (Monstera, Philodendron, Anthurium) | 0.6–1.0 kPa | 0.3–0.6 kPa | 6–12 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹ | 5.8–6.5 | 0.8–1.4 |
| Herbs/leafy houseplants | 0.8–1.2 kPa | 0.4–0.8 kPa | 12–18 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹ | 5.8–6.5 | 1.0–1.8 |
| Succulents/cacti | 1.2–1.8 kPa | 0.8–1.4 kPa | 15–25 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹ | 5.8–6.8 | 1.0–2.0 (lean) |
- DLI ≈ PPFD(µmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹) × 3600 × hours ÷ 1,000,000. Example: 300 PPFD for 12 h ≈ 13.0 DLI.
- In most homes, DLI is the limiting factor; RH control (and therefore VPD) is next.
Root‑zone physics and media that actually breathe
Over‑watering isn’t “too much water”; it’s “too little oxygen in the root zone.” Media that compacts (peat/fine coco without structure) raises perched water tables, suffocating roots and inviting Pythium/Phytophthora.
- Structure: Aim for ~30–40% chunky amendment (orchid bark, pumice, perlite) for most aroids. This lowers the perched water table and increases gas exchange.
- Repot triggers: circling roots, sour anaerobic smell, hydrophobic peat, or EC drift >2.5 mS/cm. Root‑prune and reset structure.
- pH/EC practice: Use a cheap EC meter for trendline control. Flush if EC > 2.0–2.5 without new feeding and leaves show burn; re‑establish with balanced feed at 0.8–1.2.
Pests vs. pathogens: fast heuristics that save hours
- Mites: stippling, bronzing, webbing on undersides; populations explode in high VPD. Confirm with a 10× loupe.
- Thrips: silvery scarring, distorted new growth; check flowers/new leaves.
- Bacterial leaf spot: water‑soaked halos, rapid spread, blackened petiole vascular tissue; isolate immediately.
- Fungal leaf spot: concentric rings, slower spread; increase air movement; remove heavily infected leaves.
- IPM cadence: isolate → mechanical removal → targeted product rotated by mode of action (follow label) → re‑entry checks at 7 and 14 days.
An AI‑first diagnostic workflow for pros
AI Plant Doctor is designed to slot into the workflow above—measure, hypothesize, verify.
- Capture targeted evidence
- Macro of the lesion with a size reference (coin/ruler).
- Underside of a symptomatic leaf and petiole/root cross‑section if rot suspected.
- Whole plant + container + situational context (window direction, grow light).
- Provide context (optional but powerful)
- Irrigation interval, last repot and medium, feeding product/rate, ambient temp/RH, light schedule.
- The app accepts 1–3 photos; context helps disambiguate similar phenotypes.
- Submit and interpret
- You receive: species prediction (when helpful), conditions list, severity, and a confidence score.
- Confidence guardrails: at ≥0.7, proceed with the recommended plan; at 0.4–0.7, collect one more measurement (pH/EC/VPD) and resubmit.
- Execute and close the loop
- Plans are stepwise and time‑boxed (24h, 72h, 14d) with reminders so you can attribute outcomes.
- Offline? The app queues your actions and syncs when back online.
Accuracy note: Our Phase‑1 target is ≥85% perceived diagnosis accuracy across common issues, with higher performance on well‑represented diseases. Confidence is surfaced explicitly to guide your next step.
24h / 72h / 14d triage checklist
-
0–24h
- Stabilize VPD (humidifier or airflow changes), adjust photoperiod/PPFD if severely off.
- Flush media if EC is high; correct pH; remove worst infected leaves.
- Isolate suspected infectious issues; sanitize tools/surfaces.
-
24–72h
- Re‑assess symptoms; inspect roots for turgor/color; confirm no new lesions on isolated plants.
- Implement IPM step 1 (if pests) or cultural control + labeled product (if disease).
-
Day 14
- Look for new healthy growth; adjust feed EC upward gradually if growth resumes.
- If no improvement with normal confidence, reopen hypotheses (environmental misfit vs. physiological disorder).
Mini case study: Monstera with chlorosis and marginal burn
- Initial: PPFD 180–220 (DLI ≈ 7–9), VPD 1.3 day/0.9 night, slurry pH 7.4, EC 0.5 mS/cm. Symptoms: interveinal chlorosis on new leaves; crispy margins.
- Hypotheses: Fe lockout (high pH), high VPD‑driven transpiration stress, underfeeding.
- Interventions:
- Lowered VPD to 0.8 day via RH + airflow tuning.
- Repotted to bark/pumice‑forward mix; corrected pH to 6.2; resumed feed at EC 1.0.
- Removed worst leaves; set 72h/14d reminders in app.
- Outcome (Day 14): New leaf fully green with normal venation; no marginal burn; confidence score 0.82 on “micronutrient lockout resolved.”
Data hygiene, privacy, and limits
- Privacy: Images are EXIF‑stripped; data is owner‑scoped. See our Privacy Policy.
- Limits: Follow product labels for any treatments. Indoor environments vary—guardrails above are starting points, not absolutes.
How AI Plant Doctor fits your bench
- Diagnose quickly, treat deliberately, and document outcomes without spreadsheets.
- Works offline with queued actions; credits ensure fair usage without subscriptions in Phase 1.
- Learn how it works: How it works • Explore features: Features • Pricing model: Pricing
Ready to turn symptoms into signals and signals into decisions? Get early access and put an AI‑assisted workflow behind every “what’s wrong with my plant?” moment.
