It’s a sad truth that not every plant we fall in love with and bring home is going to thrive.

But there’s no blame here: Not every flower, shrub or bit of greenery is the right fit for your home. “Plants are living things tied to their environments,” says Justin Hancock, horticulturalist with Costa Farms. “There may be subtle changes in our homes that we don’t notice but that can affect them, such as a draft from a heating vent or lower light levels as the seasons change. You may be able to save your plant if you catch problems early.”

But don’t berate yourself if things suddenly aren’t looking good. “It’s OK to give up if more than half the plant is dead,” says Lisa Eldred Steinkopf of The Houseplant Guru and author of Bloom: The Secrets of Growing Flowering Houseplants Year-round.  “I decide if a plant is worth my time and energy to try to bring it back to life.”

It’s also about how you feel. “It’s time to toss a plant if it doesn’t make you happy,” says Hancock. If you’ve tried to remedy the situation but the plant doesn’t seem to be recovering after a few weeks, it’s time to call it quits and get rid of it. Ditto if you can’t seem to get ahead of a pest outbreak because you risk infecting your other plants. To be honest, there’s no reason to keep struggling with a plant that doesn’t bring beauty and joy to your space. Toss it, chalk it up to experience and try again.

Ahead, the most common problems with houseplants and what you can do about them: