Houseplant Somehow Dying And Growing New Leaves At The Same Time

Many have found solace and comfort in caring for houseplants during the pandemic. Their needs are simple. They add a touch of vibrancy that can make working from home just a little bit more tolerable. They don’t pee on the carpet or interrupt Zoom meetings, and leaving them home alone over a holiday weekend is no problem. To learn more about Portlanders’ experiences caring for plants, we caught up with new plant mom Nadja Zelinski at her condo in Lents.⁣
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“Now listen here you ungrateful little shit,” she scolded, glaring at her ficus. “I just cleaned up a pile of dead leaves last weekend. I can clearly see you’re growing new leaves, yet shedding perfectly good ones – you need to stop being a little prima donna and make up your mind. Are you a succulent now? The clerk at Portland Nursery said to wipe your leaves so that you don’t get aphids, is that part of this? Am I a leaf masseuse now? What is it you want?!“⁣
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As of press time, Zelinski had narrowed the cause of shedding down to either too much water, too little water, too much sunlight, or too little sunlight.