The joy of evert gardener is seeing their plant sprout exceedingly and thriving in blooming color, imagine how frustrating it would be after all the stress and hard work youre seeing faint plants with yellow leaves on plants. Plant leaves can define the health status of your plant majorly through its color.
Generally, leaves are of green pigment usually called chlorophyll in plants. Just like humans, plants also react to some conditions thus yellowing leave is a symptom of ailment in your plant. Conditions that can cause your leaves to turn yellow include aging, Moisture stress (underwatering, overwatering), nutrient deficiency, environmental, pest problems, excess fertilizer etc.
In this article, we are not considering aging as this is normal condition to the plant life circle, when you see your leaves below the stem turning yellow, dont panic, its a normal thing. Let’s turn our attention to leaves that are not old and not on the bottom of the plant but newer leaves on the plant.
Causes of yellow leaves on plant
#1 Environmental condition
Plants feed from photosynthesis through there chlorophyll. Thats why temperature and weather condition has a lot impact on your plant growth and health. Environmental conditions affecting plant includes light, cold draft and heat. Light is paramount to plant growth; constant wetting cant replace light. Lack of light will cause some part of your plant leaves turn yellow as they need certain hours of direct sunlight.
Temperature also contributes to the color of your plants when its either too cold or too hot, cold drafts are on most tropical plants especially during winters or your plant is positioned near air conditions.
#2 Moisture Stress
The most common cause of yellowing leaves in plant is moisture stress, this is because of underwatering or overwatering. Plant leaves turns yellow when the soil is dry or saturated. When plant lacks water, they find alternative way to conserve water (prevent transpiration) by dropping leaves, however, poor drainage leads to excess water too in plants causing yellow leaves.
#3 Nutrient deficiency
Plant needs iron, magnesium, calcium, zinc, nitrogen, and potassium to thrive ang bloom perfectly in your garden. Plant leaves may turn yellow if it lacks one or two of this nutrients or excess of one. For example, excess calcium in water plus lack of nitrogen is unhealthy for a plant and can cause plant leaves turn yellow.
PH Conditions –High soil PH can also lead to yellow leaves in plant. The soil pH may be too high, causing a condition called chlorosis.
#4 Pest Problems
Sucking insects are also common cause of yellowing leaves in plant. Mites, aphids, thrips, mealybugs are others are common pest that suck out juice from leaves and deposit disease on plant mostly through their fecal. The aftermath of their attack also leads to yellow leaves.
#5 Excess Fertilizer
Adding to much nutrients to your soil results to excess salt causing yellow leaves on plant. Excess fertilizer altars your soil pH which is the measure of acidity and alkalinity.
Possible Solutions
If youre having yellow leaves issue in your garden and still so worried, keep calm. Well be sharing tips on how to fix yellow leaves on plant, below;
- Firstly, in case of light issues or weather conditions, the best solution is to relocate your plant. If some sides of your leaves are yellow, quickly relocate to where the plant will have direct sunlight.
- Regular watering can combat dehydration
- Introducing soil drainage, garden beds and adding soil are best solution to overwatering.
- Spray plant with neem oil or insecticidal soap to fix pest issues
- Perform soil test to know when your plant needs fertilizer, this will help you determine what type of fertilizer needed and when to apply.
So, when some of your leaves suddenly turn yellow, thats a symptom of distress in your plant. Now you have the reasons depending on several factors, you can determine the exact cause in your garden and proffer solution as directed.
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