Why Is My Philodendron Not Growing? (Causes+How To Fix)

Philodendrons are fast-growing houseplants that are ideal for both beginners and experienced gardeners. You will be worried if your philodendron doesn’t grow fast. If it is not growing, it indicates that the plant is missing out on something or having some problem.

So in this article, we will find out why your philodendron is not growing and how can we fix the same.

Inadequate water, lack of light, and lack of nutrients are primary problems due to which your philodendron is not growing. Winter is the dormant season for philodendron, so it might not grow much at that time. Fertilize the plant every month in the growing season to boost its growth.

We have mentioned the possible reasons that can affect the growth of your philodendron. To make it easier for you, we have also mentioned the solutions to these problems as well. Just keep reading the article till the end to learn all about it.

If you provide the ideal living conditions to your philodendron, you will start noticing growth in it.

How fast do philodendrons grow?

Philodendrons are fast-growing plants. They can grow fast if you provide all the ideal conditions to them.

On average, Philodendrons can grow up to 10 cm every week during the growing season. If you don’t control its growth, it can grow bushy and be all over the place.

However, without the right living conditions, the philodendrons will not be able to grow fast. You might not see any growth in the winter as the plant goes dormant due to low temperatures.

My philodendron is not growing

Although philodendrons are fast-growing plants, you can’t expect growth if the plant is not getting the right living conditions.

Your philodendrons might have a pest infestation, or they might not be getting the proper care from your end.

If you can make out what is wrong, you can fix it and make the alterations in the care routine that will boost the growth of your philodendrons.

Your philodendron is not getting enough light

Although philodendron can survive in low light conditions, its growth rate will slow down if it doesn’t have enough light. It needs sufficient indirect light for optimum growth.

Philodendron thrives best when it gets bright filtered light throughout the day. It will not grow at its fullest in low light conditions.

However, you should be careful with sun exposure. If you notice sunburn or discolored leaves, your philodendron is affected due to direct sun exposure.

To ensure that your philodendron is away from direct sun, use sheer curtains or keep some distance between the plant and the window.

Place your philodendron near a window from which it will get indirect light all day long.

Use artificial lights that are also called grow lights if your philodendron is not getting enough light naturally.

Also read: What Kind Of Light Does A Philodendron Need? (Light Requirements)

You are not giving your philodendron enough water

If you follow a watering schedule for your philodendron blindly, you can mistake either overwatering or under-watering your philodendron.

We don’t suggest that you follow any watering schedule without understanding the water requirements of your philodendron.

Therefore, if you don’t notice much growth in your philodendron, you should reevaluate the watering routine.

You should water your philodendron only after ensuring that the top layers of the soil have gone dry. You can dig your finger inside the soil, and if the soil sticks to your finger when you take it out, you should refrain from watering and wait for a few days to let the soil dry. You can also use a moisture meter for the same.

If you water the philodendron without checking this, you will end up overwatering the plant that can cause root rot.

Water the philodendron till you notice water coming out of the drainage holes of the pot.

Also read: How Much Water Does A Philodendron Need? (Water Requirement+How Often)

Lack of nutrients

Lack of fertilizer can lead to a nutrient deficieny in the soil. If you are not fertilizing your philodendron during the growing season, you will not see enough growth.

Fertilizing is necessary to boost the growth of the philodendrons as the soil cannot do it alone. Therefore, you need to fertilize your philodendron to give it enough nutrients for growth.

Use a well-balanced 20:20:20 liquid fertilizer, dilute the prescribed dose to half-strength, and give it to your philodendron in the spring and summer seasons.

Avoid fertilizing in the dormant period as the plant rests during this time, so it doesn’t require any fertilizer.

Also read: What Kind Of Fertilizer For Philodendron? (Best Fertilizer+Fertilizer Ratio)

Pest infestation on philodendrons

Pests such as aphids, scales, mealybugs, and spider mites can attack your philodendron if it is overwatered or if it has got the infestation from a nearby plant.

These pests absorb all the nutrition from the plant and make the plant weak, because of which you will see stunted growth in it.

Pests populate very fast, so you must start the treatment as soon as you spot them.

You can start by handpicking the visible pests after isolating the plant so that other plants in the house don’t get infected.

Wash the philodendron twice or thrice under running water to get rid of as many pests as possible.

Create a neem oil solution by adding neem oil to water and pour it into a spray bottle. Spray this solution all over your philodendron to get rid of the pests. Continue this for at least 14 days.

You can also use commercial pesticides but ensure that it doesn’t contain harmful chemicals for the philodendron.

Low humidity level

Philodendrons prefer high humidity levels between 70 and 90%. However, some varieties of philodendrons can tolerate humidity levels of 50%.

If the humidity levels drop below 50%, you will notice stunted growth in your philodendron as it can’t grow in low humidity levels.

The philodendron will develop other problems due to low humidity levels, so you should take steps to increase the humidity for your plant.

Using a humidifier, placing the philodendron on a pebble tray, or relocating the plant to the basement or bathroom can help in increasing the humidity for your philodendron.

You can also mist your philodendron to increase the humidity around the plant.

Also read: Do Philodendron Like To Be Misted? (+Ways To Boost Humidity)

Growing philodendron at the wrong time of the year

Philodendrons grow fast in spring and summer. If you have planted your philodendron in winter, it will take more time for it to grow.

Most houseplants don’t grow actively in winter as autumn and winter are the dormant seasons. Summer and spring are the growing seasons.

You must reduce the watering and fertilizing in the dormant season as the plant slows down its growth due to the low temperatures.

However, you need to provide proper care to your philodendron during the growing season so that it remains healthy in the dormant season.

If you are taking proper care and still not seeing any growth in your philodendron in winter, you should not get worried.

Slow growth in winter as it is natural. However, you should change the care routine in the dormant season.

Wrong soil mix

Philodendrons can be grown in both soil and water. However, when growing them in soil, you need to take care of the soil you are using.

If you use heavy potting soil, your philodendron will not grow as the soil will hold excess moisture, due to which the roots will suffocate and will not supply enough oxygen or nutrition to the plant.

If the soil does not contain enough nutrition, the plant will not get enough energy for growth.

On the other hand, if you use soil with too many chunky elements, it will not hold enough moisture or nutrition.

Therefore, you should use soil that is well-draining and at the same time can hold the required moisture and nutrients that will help the philodendron grow fast.

A peat-based soil that has some perlite added to it is ideal for the philodendrons. This will let excess moisture drain out but also hold the required moisture. Philodendrons prefer the pH of the soil between 5.0-6.0.

Also read: What Type Of Soil Does A Philodendron Need? (Best Soil Mix)

Frequent repotting

Plants require repotting every 2-3 years when they outgrow their pot. However, if you repot your philodendron too often, you won’t see much growth in it.

If you think frequent repotting can boost the growth of your philodendron, you are wrong. Repotting too often stresses the plant that doesn’t let it grow properly.

You should repot your philodendron if you notice that the roots are coming out of the drainage holes. You should let the roots grow strong instead of repotting again and again.

You should prune the philodendron whenever you notice that the roots and the branches have grown too long to reduce the plant’s stress. This will also boost the growth of your philodendron.

Also read: Do Philodendron Like To Be Root Bound? (+When To Repot)

Your philodendron is stressed

The reasons that cause stress in your philodendron are:

• Overwatering
• Under-watering
• Low light
• Exposure to direct sun
• Over-fertilizing
• Lack of nutrition

Overwatering can cause severe damages to your philodendron if you keep doing it without taking any steps to cure it. This can lead to root rot and make the plant weak and vulnerable to pest infestation and fungal infections.

Under-watering will dehydrate the plant as the plant won’t absorb enough water or nutrients from the dried-up soil.

Both overwatering and under-watering can lead to stunted growth in your philodendron.

Light is essential for the plants’ growth, but too much or too little can hinder the average growth of the plants.

If your philodendron is getting excess direct sun, its leaves will get scorched, and with low light, the plant won’t be able to perform its daily functions properly, so you won’t see any growth.

You should be very careful while fertilizing as too much of it will build up in the soil that will cause root burn and leaf burn. The plant will be too stressed to grow.

If you don’t fertilize the philodendron, the plant will not get sufficient nutrition for growth as the soil alone won’t provide all the nutrition that the plant needs.

How can I make my philodendron grow faster?

If you want to make your philodendron grow fast, all you need to do is take good care of the plant. You need to follow a proper care routine without neglecting the plant.

1. Water your philodendron only after checking the top 2-3 inches of the soil and making sure it’s dry.
2. Don’t use regular tap water if it contains too much chlorine, as that will make the plant’s leaves discolored.
3. Provide 6-8 hours of indirect sunlight to your philodendron. Don’t place it under the direct sun, as it will get scorched.
4. Fertilize with a diluted dose of a well-balanced fertilizer once a month during the growing season.
5. The soil you are using must be well-draining to let the excess water pass out of the pot after each time you water the plant.
6. Maintain the correct temperature and humidity levels for your philodendron, as that will boost the plant’s growth.
7. Prune the plant from time to time as pruning boosts the growth hormones in plants.
8. Repot every 2-3 years so that the roots don’t suffocate due to lack of space and the plant can grow freely.
9. Mist the philodendron to increase the humidity for the plant.
10. Change the care routine in the winter by reducing the watering, avoiding fertilizing the plant, and keeping the plant away from the cold drafts and low temperatures.

---

Ref: Evaluation of Different Species of Philodendron Under Indoor Conditions, University of Florida, University of Vermont, ScienceDirect, Academia, Wikipedia, Britannica.