That the leaves of the plants turn yellow is something that happens relatively frequently and that has happened to all of us at some time with some of our plants, both indoors and outdoors. Seeing yellow spots on the leaves of plants is usually, in most cases, a sign that something negative is affecting the growth and development of the plants. It is important to know why they get like this to find the solution to this problem that affects the health of the plant, its flowering and that can even end up killing the plant if it is not attended to.
If with the arrival of good weather you have made a thorough review of your plants and you have detected that their leaves turn yellow, in a HOW TO tell you what do yellow leaves mean in plants and solutions effective to regain their green color.
What do yellow leaves mean on plants?
When the leaves of the plants turn yellow, whole, at the tips or spots, it means that the leaves are losing their chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is a substance that the plant has and that is necessary for it to carry out the photosynthesis process. This substance is green in color and is the reason why plants are generally green. Thus, when for some reason the plant reduces the production of chlorophyll, the green parts of the plant, such as the leaves and the stem, begin to change color and turn yellow.
This process of chlorophyll loss and yellowing of the leaves is called chlorosis and it can be due to several different causes. Next, we detail the causes of the most common yellow leaves and what you can do to make your plant improve and to prevent it from happening again.
Natural cycle of some plants
Although it is obvious, it is important to remember that yellow leaves on plants are not always a red flag. It is essential to know the natural cycle of the plants that adorn gardens and interiors and to know that some lose their leaves in summer or autumn.
The leaves start to turn yellow, eventually drying out and falling off, but this is totally normal in the deciduous plants. If you know your plants, you know not to worry, because those fallen leaves will give way to new leaves the following spring.
Inadequate watering
It is one of the most frequent causes, especially when plant leaves turn yellow at the tips. Each plant has very specific water needs, so there may be yellow leaves due to excess watering or lack of it. Watering them excessively is as bad as not providing them with enough water they need for their survival and proper development. If your plant has yellow leaves with a dry and rough texture, it urgently requires water.
Insufficient water drainage
Sometimes the problem is not in the amount of water that we provide to the plants, but in an inefficient drainage that does not fulfill its mission of avoiding the water puddling at the base of the pot, which can cause the root to weaken and even begin to rot, causing the leaves, little by little, to turn yellow and also die, as the rest of the plant will eventually do if the rot that begins in the roots keep moving forward.
If you detect that the pot or the substrate does not let out excess water when watering the plant, you will have to change them for others. It is necessary to know the needs of the plant species that we have at home to know if they need more or less water on the ground and, thus, a substrate that drains more or do it a little less, and / or a pot with more holes or less.
Bad location and lighting
Some leaves that begin to yellow or that tend to gradually turn brown can be a clear sign that the place where you have put that plant is not the most suitable. There are plants that cannot stand direct exposure to the sun, because the sun’s rays burn their leavesOthers, on the other hand, need them more directly for their survival and there are also those that need to be in semi-shade or even in shady environments to be able to grow. The greater or lesser luminosity of the environment can affect the presence of yellow spots on the leaves of indoor and outdoor plants.
Therefore, check the needs of the species you have and how much direct sunlight it needs, so if necessary you can change it to a better place so that its leaves stop yellowing and burning.
Unsuitable soil type
Substrate lacking in nutrients
It is another likely cause of yellow leaves on plants. A substrate with adequate nutrients the type of plant we have is essential to keep them healthy and with the green that characterizes them. The iron, phosphorus, or nitrogen deficiency in the soil that the plant feeds on it may be behind the worrying yellow of the leaves.
Therefore, review these concepts with your trusted gardening professional, from whom you usually buy the plants and tools necessary for their care, about the needs of that plant that you see yellowing and about the type of soil and nutrients that it needs and can be lacking or may have in excess.
Plagues and diseases
They should not be ruled out as a possible trigger for the progressive deterioration of the leaves and that they appear yellow in their entirety, only at the edges or only at the tips. The presence of fungi such as mildew, from diseases such as rust or from insect pests and parasites It can cause plant leaves to yellow or spots to appear on them.
Extreme temperatures and drafts
They are also possible causes of yellow leaves in those plants that do not tolerate low temperatures or frost and in indoor plants that are located at some point in the house where sudden changes in temperature and drafts are frequent. The problem occurs because in these situations the plant suffers stress to adapt and this is reflected in the yellowing of its leaves, in which it remains weaker or other symptoms.
If you see that your plant is in a drafty area or very close to an air conditioner or radiator, move it around and put it in a more stable place in terms of these factors.
How to avoid yellow leaves on plants
Knowing the characteristics of your plants and detecting in time the cause that causes their leaves to turn yellow is essential to restore them to health and keep them beautiful and in good condition. You have effective remedies for each specific problem, but they also serve as aspects to take into account to always take good care of the plants and avoid this problem, except that of the aging of the leaves. So what does it take for plants are green and not yellow?
- Control irrigation: It is important to adapt the amount of water you give your plants to each time of year and temperatures. It may be that with the arrival of the summer heat, the leaves of your plants begin to yellow because they need you to increase the frequency of watering. If, on the other hand, you water them daily, they may be receiving an excess of water. In this case, try to do it one day and one day, or every other day.
- Pay: If the problem is a depleted substrate, enrich it by fertilizing according to the specific needs of your plants. A fertilizer that contains iron and phosphorus can help provide the nutrients your plant requires.
- Fungicidal treatments: As we have indicated, yellow leaves are frequently the result of the attack of some fungi. Applying a specific fungicide or even a homemade fungicide is a good solution. Here we show you how to make a homemade fungicide.
- Change the location: lack of light or, conversely, direct sun may be causing this problem. Especially in indoor plants, it is easy to change the place of the pot and check if this move to a place with more shade or, on the contrary, with more light, manages to stop the process that yellows the leaves of your plants.
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