Spindly Growth

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If your plant has spindly, stretched growth, this may be indicative of a wider problem, so it’s worth checking on your plant’s health to see what’s going on.

WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN?

Spindly, leggy growth can be the symptom of a number of different issues. The most common causes are unsuitable lighting conditions, stress, imbalance in the amount of fertilizer and being pot bound.

If your plant is kept somewhere that is too dark, it will stretch itself out to try and reach any available light source nearby, leaving it looking sparse. This is called etiolation. Additionally, if your plant isn't getting enough light then it won't have sufficient energy to grow healthy foliage, which is why it can start to look leggy.

Etiolation is especially common among cacti and other succulent plants. If they are grown in dark growing conditions or being watered or fertilized too much during their dormant period they will become etiolated.

While spindliness isn't always necessarily a problem, it can affect the appearance of your plant and, if left unchecked, could eventually cause your plant to become top-heavy and at risk of toppling over. The etiolated growth won’t revert so you should consider pruning back and/or propagating your plant.

Keep in mind that some plant types may actually become spindly regardless of their health. For instance, plants that die back in the winter can become spindly when they experience a growth spurt in springtime. Succulent plants such as Echeveria will eventually become leggy as this is how they grow naturally. When that occurs, you can go ahead and prune it back.

Note that vining plants may also appear spindly if they're not given something to climb on. This is easily fixed by providing your vine with a trellis or other suitable surface that it can climb on. It will start to look healthier and fuller in no time!