How to fix leaning plants (2024)

If your houseplant is looking a bit lopsided, it’s not because it’s tired. It’s usually a sign something is wrong. Let’s work out what’s wrong and get it fixed.

A happy, healthy houseplant should grow straight up. If your plant is leaning over to one side, it’s a sign it’s got a bit of an issue. There’s usually a simple solution to getting it growing back in the right direction. Read on for some straight-talking plant advice.

Lack of light

Indoor plants will always grow toward the light. If the light source, i.e. the window, is too far away, it may make your plant lean a lot as it desperately reaches for more rays.

Solution: Simply move your plant closer to a window.

Needs more support

As plants grow taller, they sometimes need a bit of support (physical, not emotional). This is especially true of plants like monstera, which would grow as vines in the wild and use trees to support them.

Solution: Put a moss pole in the soil and lightly tie your plant to it, to help it hold itself up. Moss poles are widely available. Plant outgrown its moss pole? Add another one on top.

You can also use bamboo canes and plant clips on small plants.

Pot is too small

Another thing that happens as your plant grows taller is that it can outgrow its pot. If its root system fills the pot and the pot isn’t heavy enough to take the plant’s weight, it might start to lean and eventually tip over.

Solution: Repot it into a slightly larger pot. This is best done between March and September, i.e. ‘the growing season’ because your plant will have plenty of energy to establish new roots.

All growth is on one side

This is another thing that can happen due to plants growing toward the light. If all the light is coming from one side, that side of the plant will grow vigorously while the opposite side barely grows at all.

Solution: So simple. Just rotate your plant 90 degrees every couple of weeks. That will ensure even growth on all sides.