Why do the bottom leaves of gardenias turn yellow?
This article introduces some gardening tips about why the bottom leaves of gardenias turn yellow and the reasons for yellowing leaves, as well as the knowledge of caring for gardenias. Let's take a look together.
Three must-know reasons for yellowing gardenia leaves: proper treatment is the best solution.
Many people enjoy growing gardenias, but it's common to encounter yellowing leaves and dried, fallen leaves when growing them at home. What causes this? How should we prevent and treat it?
Actually, the first reason for yellowing leaves in gardenias is due to the alkalinity of the potting soil. Gardenias are flowers from the south and prefer acidic soil. When growing them at home, it's best to keep the soil acidic. We can add some well-fermented pine needles to the soil mixture to avoid problems. We can also regularly water with iron sulfate, once a month or every two months, to prevent the new leaves from turning yellow except for the green veins. This is the best solution.
The second situation is when the bottom leaves turn yellow and fall off in large numbers. The main reason for this is a lack of fertilizer. Especially when gardenias are flowering, many gardeners stop fertilizing or barely supplement any nutrients during the care process, sometimes even using garden soil, which leads to a nutrient deficiency. It's normal for the bottom leaves to turn yellow and fall off. During both the growing and flowering seasons, fertilizer is indispensable. Generally, a balanced multi-element fertilizer, such as a multi-element nutrient solution or compound fertilizer, should be used at a low concentration, twice or three times a month. Before the flowering season, as spring approaches, start using phosphorus-potassium fertilizers, ensuring an adequate supply of phosphoric acid and potassium to prevent yellowing leaves.
The third situation is due to improper watering. Gardenias love water, and many gardeners water them excessively. If the soil is not dry before watering, it can lead to poor ventilation indoors and soil compaction, causing some roots to rot. Rotting roots, along with the yellowing of the bottom leaves, can even result in blackened and dried new leaves at the top. This is a situation where excessive watering causes root rot. If you lack water for an extended period and the leaves wilt, they can recover after watering, but the bottom leaves will also turn yellow and fall off. If this happens repeatedly, the entire plant may dry up and die. Therefore, it's crucial to control the watering of gardenias properly. Generally, well-draining soil and not using too large a pot are important. The watering principle is to water thoroughly when the soil surface is dry, which will prevent problems.
When growing gardenias at home, the most common reasons for yellowing, drying, and falling leaves are these three. Analyzing your situation accordingly will prevent issues. When growing gardenias, always choose a pot of the appropriate size and not too deep. Water promptly when the soil surface is dry, place it in a well-ventilated area, provide sufficient sunlight, and don't let the fertilizer run out. This way, the gardenias you grow will grow and bloom normally without any problems.
Have you understood the detailed introduction of the reasons for yellowing gardenia leaves and the methods to deal with them provided in this article?