Why do the leaves of potted plants easily turn yellow?
Do you know these? Tips for home gardening, why do the leaves of potted plants easily turn yellow? Let's introduce to netizens by the editor.
Potted flowers are limited by the volume of the pot, and the roots cannot extend freely downwards and to the sides, thus hindering root development. If the management is poor, with improper watering and fertilizing, they are more likely to show yellow leaves than outdoor flowers.
Here are the causes of the disease and the corresponding remedies:
(1) Excessive watering leads to long-term moist pot soil, causing soil hypoxia, some fibrous roots to rot, and hindering normal respiration and absorption of water and nutrients, leading to yellowing and falling of leaves. Initially, the young leaves turn light yellow, followed by the old leaves gradually turning yellow. Immediate control of watering, suspension of fertilization, and frequent loosening of the soil to ensure good soil aeration is necessary.
(2) Drought and dehydration. Forgetting to water the plants or long-term watering only halfway (i.e., wet on top and dry below) affects nutrient absorption and can easily cause the leaves to become dull and lackluster, with the leaves wilting and drooping. Initially, the lower old leaves age and gradually turn yellow from bottom to top. A small amount of watering and spraying is needed, followed by gradual restoration before returning to normal watering.
(3) Long-term lack of fertilizer. Long-term absence of nitrogenous fertilizer or failure to repot can lead to a deficiency of nutrients like nitrogen in the soil, resulting in weak branches and leaves, and thin and yellow leaves. It is necessary to repot and replace with new, loose, and fertile potting soil and gradually apply diluted and decomposed liquid fertilizers or compound flower fertilizers.
(4) Over-fertilization. Excessive fertilization results in thick and uneven new leaves, and the old leaves dry and turn yellow and fall off. Fertilization should be stopped immediately, watering should be increased to allow fertilizer to drain out from the bottom of the pot, or the pot should be repotted and the soil mass rinsed before replanting.
(5) High temperature and heat. In summer, placing cool-loving flowers (such as cyclamen, fuchsia, and begonias) in high-temperature areas exposed to direct sunlight can easily cause the leaf tips and edges of young leaves to scorch or turn yellow and fall off. They should be moved to a well-ventilated and shady place.
(6) Excessive shading. Keeping sun-loving flowers in a shaded or poorly lit area for a long time can lead to excessive growth, thin and yellow leaves, and no or few flowers. Attention should be paid to moving the pot to a sunny location.
(7) Soil and water too alkaline. In most areas of the north, the soil and water contain more salt and alkali, and planting acid-loving flowers such as azaleas, camellias, laughing orchids, gardenias, orchids, white magnolias, and osmanthus can lead to gradual yellowing of the leaves due to the lack of soluble iron and other elements that can be absorbed. Acidic soil should be chosen for planting, and ferrous sulfate water should be frequently applied during growth.
(8) Poor ventilation. Excessive nitrogenous fertilization leads to lush growth of branches and leaves, combined with long-term lack of pruning, causing insufficient light inside the plant and easy yellowing and falling of leaves. Reasonable fertilization and pruning should be enhanced to ensure good ventilation and light.
(9) Dry air. When the indoor air is too dry, some moisture-loving flowers, such as spider plants and orchids, often show symptoms like dry leaf tips or leaf edge scorching. Methods such as spraying water or using plastic film covers should be employed to increase air humidity.
(10) Improper temperature. Low indoor temperature in winter can easily cause cold damage to high-temperature-loving flowers, leading to yellowing leaves, and severe cases can result in withered death. If the room temperature is too high, excessive transpiration can lead to insufficient water and nutrient supply to the roots, causing leaf yellowing. Room temperature should be adjusted promptly.
(11) Soil too acidic. The red soil in the south is too acidic, causing magnesium and other elements to easily leach out. Planting alkali-tolerant or slightly alkaline soil-loving trees such as oleanders, boxwoods, and forsythias can lead to interveinal chlorosis and yellowing of old leaves. Calcium magnesium phosphate fertilizer or magnesium sulfate solution can be applied.
(12) Pest and disease damage. Leaf spot disease caused by fungal and other pathogens can cause local necrosis, yellow spots or patches, and severe cases can lead to yellowing and falling of the entire leaf. Leaf mosaic disease caused by mosaic virus infection results in yellow-green mottled patterns on the leaves. Scale insects and spider mites can also cause local yellowing and withering of leaves, and timely application of pesticides is necessary.
(13) Strong stimulation. Using excessive concentrations of pesticides for pest control, exposure to toxic gases in the atmosphere, or suddenly watering with cold water at high temperatures can easily cause yellowing and scorching of leaf tips or local areas, and even the entire plant can wither and die. Therefore, the use of pesticides should be reasonable, air pollution sources should be eliminated, and avoid watering flowers with cold water around noon in the summer. Lastly, it should be mentioned that yellowing of potted plants is sometimes caused by a single factor, but it is often due to multiple factors, and a correct diagnosis should be made to apply the right treatment.
The above-shared content about why the leaves of potted plants easily turn yellow is for reference by green plant enthusiasts and is hoped to solve your problems in green plant management.