Are your houseplants struggling in summer despite receiving enough sun? While lighting issues are one of the most common causes of houseplant problems, houseplants that receive enough light can still become discolored, drop their leaves, or even stop growing if they’re stressed by other factors in their environment.

Here’s a look at the most common reasons why houseplants fail even when they receive enough light, and easy fixes to save your plants.

Watering Issues

The most common reason why houseplants struggle when they’re getting enough light is due to watering. Overwatering or growing plants in pots without proper drainage holes can lead to root rot. But plants can also develop leaf discoloration and other problems if they’re underwatered or watered inconsistently.

“Just like us, plants suffer from dehydration if they don’t get enough water,” explains plant expert Justin Hancock. “But if they get too much, their roots may suffocate and die.”

To avoid this, Hancock suggests testing the soil with your finger or a moisture meter before watering, and keeping a careful eye on your plants. You may also want to repot your houseplants into new pots with fresh soil if their potting mix dries out too quickly or stays soggy too long.

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Nutrient Deficiencies

Unlike garden plants, houseplants are entirely reliant on humans to meet their nutrient needs and they may develop discolored leaves with visible leaf veins or stop flowering and growing if they don’t get enough fertilizer.

Exactly how much fertilizer houseplants need varies depending on the plants you’re growing, but most houseplants will appreciate a little compost mixed into their potting mix at planting time. Feed your plants with fertilizer stakes, a slow-release granular fertilizer, or regular applications of liquid fertilizer from spring through early fall according to the application instructions on your fertilizer packaging.

Pests

Indoor pests, like spider mites and aphids, can affect houseplants at any time of the year, but they’re more likely to occur if you keep your windows open in summer or have recently purchased new plants.

Some pests bore holes in plant leaves, while others cause leaf discoloration or leave a sticky honeydew on plants after feeding. If you suspect that pests may be damaging your plants, check your houseplants over carefully and apply organic soap spray weekly until all signs of pests have vanished.

Cold Drafts

During winter, houseplants can dry out and develop crispy leaves if they’re positioned too close to fireplaces and space heaters. But cold air from air-conditioning units and other drafty spots can affect houseplants in summer, too.

“In nature, plants aren’t usually exposed to air that’s noticeably warmer or cooler than the ambient air temperature,” Hancock says. “So it can be quite stressful when they’re blasted with hot or cold air.”

According to Hancock, this issue is particularly common in plants with thinner leaf textures like calathea and peace lilies. But it can affect other houseplants, too.

The good news is you can prevent this problem by locating houseplants away from cooling vents, air conditioners, and any other location where temperatures fluctuate widely throughout the day.

Low Humidity

While humidity levels tend to be naturally higher in summer than winter, humidity-loving houseplants can suffer from humidity problems in summer if your home gets too dry. This can cause plants to develop dry, brown leaves and make plants more vulnerable to pests like spider mites.

The best solution for humidity issues is to keep houseplants near a humidifier or on top of a pebble tray, and potentially grow plants like ferns in terrariums where humidity levels can be carefully monitored.

Rootbound Roots

If your houseplants aren’t growing quickly or their potting mix is drying out too fast or staying soggy, you may be dealing with another houseplant issue: rootbound roots.

“Most common houseplants have a high tolerance for being rootbound,” notes Hancock. “But being rootbound can, and eventually does, cause stress to a plant.”

If plants become rootbound, their roots won’t be able to absorb nutrients or water properly and the plants may droop or display other signs of stress. To fix it, simply repot your plants into well-draining pots with fresh soil and commit to repotting them again once every 1 to 3 years.