When you see lush greenery turning yellow, you will feel anxious. Do you know what message the yellowing leaves are sending to you? Plants will appreciate a slight change. If the plant lacks light and turns yellow, using an LED light bar for growing plants to fill in the light gets a quick fix. If nutrients are lacking, simply add the right amount of fertilizer.
Growing plants always requires patience. Read on to learn about the causes of yellowing foliage on houseplants, how to fix yellowing houseplants, and how yellowing in different areas of the plant can help diagnose what’s wrong.
Lack Of Light
The first reason is self-explanatory. We know that plants need a light source to process photosynthesis and they can’t process their nutrients without a proper light source.
Because of the lack of light, yellowing starts on the lower leaves until the leaves fall. The yellowing speed is accelerated on the side away from the light source. Leaves near a window absorb all the light and block the opposite side. You need to rotate the pot once a week; doing so will allow the plant to have access to natural light on all sides.
If this is the case, move the plants to a sunny spot and see how it works. If you are having trouble finding the right window light in your home, install an LED light bar for growing plants. It will help you grow everything all year round.
Out Of Space
The second reason this happens is that the plant’s roots are being crowded a bit too much. I mentioned above that plant growth towards light. In fact, plants have a great demand for space. A plant with squeezed roots means that the plant is not getting enough space anywhere in the pot to grow its root system.
To check the container for damaged or compacted roots, gently slide the plant out of the pot. If compaction is the problem, trim the unhealthy roots and gently loosen the roots. Better yet, move it to another pot. To prevent this from happening again, you will need a larger pot or container for the plant.
Healthy plants have yellowish roots. Dark, rotting roots give off an unpleasant odor. If the roots are rotten, it’s time to plant another new one.
Low On Nutrition
In the third part, check that the plant is getting enough nitrogen in its system. Nitrogen is one of the most essential nutrients that plants need to function and it is obtained from the soil. Without it, plants lose their ability to grow and their leaves begin to turn yellow.
And plant growth to light only works when there is a sufficient amount of nitrogen. To solve this problem, you need a potting mix that contains enough nitrogen. This is because the plant can absorb all the remaining nitrogen from the potting mix, and houseplants have no way to get more nitrogen.
Another cause of the yellowing of the entire plant is the rotting of the rooibos. Unless the plant is small enough to jump out of the container, there is no easy way to deal with it. If the roots are white and firm, then the plant is fine. But if they are black and soft, then the plant has lost all hope.
Poor Drainage Or Improper Watering
The important reason behind yellow leaves is – too full of water or lack of water.
When plants are in too wet soil, the roots can’t breathe and they shut down and stop delivering the water and nutrients the plant needs. Conversely, if there is not enough water, the plant cannot absorb the necessary nutrients.
To solve or prevent water problems, choose a pot with good drainage holes and keep the saucer free of excess water. Before you water, give the soil a “finger test. As a general rule, water only occurs when the soil feels dry. Then water thoroughly and deeply. If the soil feels cool and moist, wait a few days.
Cold Draft
Tropical plants exposed to chilly winds can cause leaves to turn yellow and fall off. This is different from short exposure to severe cold, which can cause the leaves to brown completely or develop pale spots between the veins.
If your plant is near an air-conditioning vent in the summer or a drafty window in the winter, move it to an area with less airflow. Keep a close eye on it to see if the yellow foliage spreads further. Misting overwintering tropical plants to increase humidity is also a good idea.
Viral Infection
If it infected your plant with the virus, yellow patches will appear throughout the leaves of the plant. Deformed leaves may accompany this and stems, as well as discolored flowers.
A viral infection in a plant may not be curable and it can infect all susceptible plants in the vicinity. As soon as you find a sick plant, isolate it from other plants. Check nearby plants to ensure that you can control the spread.
You can take steps to save the plant. Some remedies may involve fungicides, while other remedies may require removing healthy parts and propagating them. It is even possible that you will have to discard any plant that cannot be restored to health.
Improper soil pH
If you grow container plants and feed them regularly with a quality plant fertilizer, soil pH may not be the cause of yellow leaves on your plants. But if we focus our foliage problems on landscape plants, soil pH may be the key.
Soil pH affects whether plants receive nutrients. As soil pH moves up and down, nutrient effectiveness changes. Most plants do best at soil pH in the neutral to slightly acidic range (near 6.0 to 7.0).
When soil pH is out of or above the optimal range for plants, some nutrients become unavailable to the plant and the leaves turn yellow.
Conclusion
This article explores with you the 7 causes of yellowing plant leaves. Please remember that yellow leaves are a fixable problem and not something to worry about. Your plants will appreciate a measure of your action.
- Use an LED light bar for growing plants in lack of light;
- Change to bigger pots if the roots are crowded;
- Add nutrients to plants regularly;
- Plants donot like too much water or lack of water;
- Tropical plants need to be kept away from chilly winds;
- Take fungicides to eliminate viruses if necessary;
- Observe the soil pH and adjust it optimally.