From the living room to nature scenes, plants with green and fresh leaves will brighten your day and present a more beautiful world to your eyes. Sometimes, despite the efforts you make to protect the plant, their leaves turn yellow. Houseplant leaves turn yellow can be caused by various conditions. Sometimes the cause of the problem is obvious, meaning you can diagnose and fix it right away. But in some cases, this issue may be similar to a puzzle. In this case, you should change one thing at a time until the condition of the plant improves and check its effect on the plant. Therefore, in this article from TooPlant, we will examine the reasons for houseplant leaves turning yellow and the prevention method and the best treatment for them.
Why Are My Houseplant Leaves Turning Yellow?
One of the most common scenes that we all face in the maintenance of plants is houseplant leaves turn yellow.
The first question that comes to us is, why is my plant going bad? Yellowing of houseplant leaves can be caused by various conditions.
Sometimes the cause of the problem is obvious, meaning you can diagnose and fix it right away. But in some cases, this issue may be similar to a puzzle. In this case, you should change one thing at a time until the condition of the plant improves and check its effect on the plant.
Even after you correct the problem, there is still a chance that the yellow leaves will fall over time, but don’t worry. If the plant regains its health, it is possible for new leaves to fill in during the next growing season. If the plant regains its freshness, it may be replaced by new leaves in the next growing season.
Maintaining and caring for houseplants requires patience. You should do your best to address the cause of the yellowing leaves, then wait and see what happens.
House plants yellow leaves occur for various reasons. In some cases, lack of adequate light and in others too much light causes the leaves of plants to turn yellow.
Needless to say, the needs of each plant are different from each other. With this account, the reason for yellow leaves on houseplants is different in each of them.
Reasons why houseplant leaves turn yellow, get started soon!
The first half of the year is an important time for people who have houseplants because this is when houseplants enter their growing and budding season. But you may find some yellow leaves on the plants and get upset.
Note that each of the leaves of the plant expresses the condition of the plant, so you should pay attention to the signs.
When a leaf turns yellow, the plant is not producing chlorophyll as well. With this account, why does this happen and why do houseplant leaves turn yellow? Be a little more careful and search the soil of the plant and its surroundings.
At this time, you may notice over-watering, under-watering or even the appearance of pests in your plant. In the following, we describe some of the signs and reasons for yellow leaves on houseplants so that you can solve the problem more easily.
If you have a houseplant and you have been worried about the yellowing of the leaves of your plants for some time, we suggest that you continue with us; Because we will tell you how to treat your houseplant.
10 reasons why houseplant leaves turn yellow, which are more common than other reasons, are as follows:
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10 Reasons Why Houseplant Leaves Turn Yellow |
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| 1. Moisture stress | 6. Nutrient deficiency |
| 2. Normal aging | 7. Viral disease |
| 3. Lack of light | 8. Pests |
| 4. Cold draft | 9. Soil acidity |
| 5. Hot and dry weather | 10. Repotting |
1. Stress caused by low or high humidity
Watering is one of the most important reasons why houseplant leaves turn yellow. Both overwatering and underwatering are the most common causes of houseplant leaves turning yellow. It is very important to give your potted plants enough water. If you have a plant with yellow leaves, check the potting soil. Is the soil dry or wet? If the plant does not receive enough water, its leaves drop to prevent transpiration (the exit of water and soluble substances from the pores) and to conserve water; But they usually turn yellow before falling. If the soil of the pot is dry and the leaves of the plant are turning yellow, it is better to water it according to a regular schedule.
Overwatering can be as harmful to the leaves as underwatering. When the soil does not drain well, overwatering causes the soil to become waterlogged and plant roots literally drown in water. Without oxygen, the roots die and the plant loses its vitality.
Does watering affect yellow leaves on houseplants?
The shortest answer to this question is yes, but in the following I will explain how too much or too little watering causes yellow leaves on houseplants, when our plant is very dry (if your plant leaves completely dry and besides this drying It twists and hangs, it is a sign that the soil of the pot is drying. You see, we can help it by watering.
One of the ways to save it in such cases is watering from under the pot. We can make it better by watering from under the pot. Fill a container with water and put your pot inside like this. The roots will be watered and the leaves of your plant will not turn yellow. Dehydration of the plant causes the organs of the plant to lose water, which causes yellowing and wilting.
The relationship between overwatering and houseplants leaves turn yellow
There are times when your plant suffers from overwatering (gradual yellowing of the leaves and eventually blackening of the stems), and most of the time, the plants suffer from yellowing and leaf fall due to overwatering.
To avoid this, be sure to know the amount of water your plants need and let the pot soil dry between two waterings. To determine the exact time of watering, remove the soil of the pot and if it has dried to the depth that your plant needs moisture, start watering. For example, in many houseplants, the drying of the soil to a depth of 2-3 cm is the best time for watering.
How To Fix It:
If you notice that the leaves of your houseplant are turning yellow, you should check for signs of stress. The most important cause of stress in plants is lack or excess of watering. To find out how much water your plant is getting, dip your knuckle into the soil. Touching the surface of the soil is not enough at this stage.
Note that excessive watering and the continuation of this work will cause the roots of your plant to start rotting, as a result, you will have to witness the death of your plant. To solve the problem, be sure to reduce the amount of watering and do the next two waterings with fungicide.
One of the things that can happen from watering your pot too much is the appearance of worms in the soil of the pot, in these cases you have to destroy the worms and change the soil. If you let the soil dry, the worms will also be destroyed. If you want to change the soil You should also wash the roots and plant them in the new soil very quickly.
Too much watering causes the air around the roots to decrease, and this causes your plant’s roots to rot, even in many cases, too much watering causes blisters on the stem of the plant, which are called edema. A large amount of water around the roots can cause the growth of fungi that are not at all useful for your plant and even cause fungal disease in the roots of your plant. The good news is that all these things can be solved by adjusting the water.
2. Normal Aging
If you are looking for the cause of houseplant leaves turning yellow, it is better to know that maybe your plant is old. As many plants age, their lower leaves turn yellow and fall. This is actually a natural part of their development. In this case, if the plant is very rooted, you can help the plant to grow and bloom again by picking the main stem.
3. Lack of Light
Often due to the lack of light, the lower leaves of the plant start to turn yellow before falling. If this is your concern, there is a clue you can follow. A plant that turns yellow due to lack of light usually changes color on the side away from the light source. For example, leaves near a window receive all the light and block light from reaching the other side of the plant.
For example, the leaves near the window receive all the light and block the other side. If this is the case, move the plant to a sunny location and see how it changes. If the light from the window is difficult to enter the house, especially in winter, you may need to install one or two artificial lamps.
A great solution to this problem is to rotate the pot a little once a week so that all the leaves have access to natural light. You can also move the plant to a sunnier location and see how it does. If your house is not sunny and the light hardly enters the building, it is necessary to use artificial light to take care of the plant, especially in the winter season.
If you see large yellow spots on the leaves of your plants or the yellowing of the stems of the leaves, know that the problem is due to lack of light for growth. Be sure to move the plant to a place with a lot of filtered light.
Note that you should never expose the plant to direct sunlight at once. In the absence of light, the chlorophyll or greens in the plant, which cause the color in your plant, lose their efficiency, and if they do not work well, the plant is no longer green and fresh. So, remember to give your plant the right amount of light. Of course, never forget this point that receiving a lot of direct light can cause many problems in your plant, so the best light for plants is filtered light.
Most species of houseplants belong to tropical regions and therefore do not like cold weather. If you have placed your houseplant next to a window that is bothered by heat and cold, don’t be surprised if its leaves turn yellow. A cold location in tropical plants often causes leaves to turn yellow and fall off. This is different from short periods of exposure to extreme cold, which causes obvious browning of the foliage or pale spots to appear between the veins.
Another factor that causes yellow leaves on houseplants is the presence of cold winds in the environment. If tropical plants are exposed to cold and dry winds, the leaves of the plant will turn yellow. Also, if the plant is placed in front of air coolers, it will have problems. Therefore, if you have placed your plant in a place that is exposed to cold wind or in front of air coolers, it is better to move it to a place with warmer air after transferring the plant to its previous state in a suitable environment. It returns itself.
5. The effect of hot and dry weather on houseplant leaves turn yellow
The effect of hot and dry weather is another thing which we need to inevitably pay attention to when talking about reasons why houseplant leaves turn yellow. The relative humidity of the air means the amount of humidity in the air of your house is also important for the plant. In the seasons when the air is dry and the humidity is low, you can use incense for your sensitive plants, or the simpler way is to use a container of water next to the pot of your plants. To deal with the dryness of the air, you should spray your plants from time to time.
Do not spray too much, only to the extent that the humidity of the plant is maintained. Of course, not all plants need to be sprayed, and pouring water on the leaves will cause spots on the leaves. Be sure to know the type of plant and study its needs well.
In addition, do not spray at noon. You can use island mode to provide moisture. Dry air causes the plant to lose more water, which causes damage to the internal organs of the plant. By moving the plant and adjusting the temperature and humidity, the plant will produce new leaves.
Be careful to spray with cooled boiled water and use the smallest spray, and the best time to spray is in the morning and evening, when direct light falls on the plant, do not spray in any way.
In the rest, concerning the tips of reasons why houseplant leaves turn yellow, it is better to know that if a plant does not receive all the nutrients it needs, its leaves may turn yellow. This may be caused by too much calcium in the hard water (contains mineral salts such as bicarbonate compounds, calcium ions, magnesium, etc.) that you use, or by a lack of nitrogen.
If this is the problem, the top leaves of the plant will probably turn yellow first. In other cases, you may see an unusual pattern in the plant’s yellowing. For example, streaks may remain dark while the tissue between them turns yellow.
The nutrients required by the plant are different based on the plant species and some plants are more sensitive than others. It is very important that you try to diagnose the problem correctly, otherwise, you may destroy a plant that could have been rejuvenated. Buying small soil kits for home soil testing can be a good idea. An accurate diagnosis of the plant’s needs is of great help. This will help keep your plants happy and fresh.
7. Viral disease
Intending the reasons why houseplant leaves turn yellow, the other crucial matter is viral disease. If your plant has a viral infection, it will probably show up as yellow spots all over the plant. It may also lead to changes in the shape of leaves and stems and changes in the color of flowers. Viral infections in plants may not be curable and infect all nearby susceptible plants. Therefore, as soon as you see a sick plant, remove it from the rest of your plants and check other plants for the spread of the disease.
You can take the necessary steps to save the plant, but first you need to identify the virus. Sometimes you need to use fungicides, while in other cases the treatment of the plant requires removing the healthy parts and propagating them. Although you can hardly give up your favorite plant, you may have to throw away plants that cannot be saved. To prevent the spread of disease, be sure to wash and sterilize pots or pruning tools before using them for other plants.
8. Pest infestation by insects
The next reason for houseplant leaves turning yellow is the attack of insects on plants. Note that each plant may be sensitive to some insects and attract them.
Nutrient deficiency appears symmetrically and regularly in the whole plant, but plant blight may be seen in any part of the plant and be asymmetrical.
Insect attack, fungal and bacterial diseases may cause problems in plant foliage. Insect damage to plants causes yellowing of plant leaves.
To prevent these problems and the leaves of the plant from turning yellow, you can use non-toxic methods such as using plants that are resistant to pests, vegetable oil to trap insects, using insecticides that are safe and decompose in the soil.
The feeding of insects on the plant also sometimes causes yellow leaves on houseplants, for example, aphids are considered one of the most annoying pests. By carefully examining the plant, you can find out the presence of pests on the plant, for example, if you see many webs on the leaf, the spider mite has chosen your plant as its host. If white cotton-shaped spots are seen on the plant, the mealybug has made itself a guest in your house.
It is interesting to know that many of these insects that feed on your plant can themselves have viral or bacterial agents that they transmit to your plant by feeding, so you must quickly suppress the decline. For this, prune the damaged and withered leaves and stems and spray the plant with a special insecticide.
Too much poison will cause the plant to dry up, so be sure to pay attention to the dosage that is written on each poison and dilute the poison to the right amount. Pests that usually attack your plants include whiteflies, thrips, mites, and aphids, and depending on the type of insect, a special pesticide is used.
9. Soil acidity
Another thing to keep in mind why houseplant leaves turn yellow is soil acidity. The acidity of the soil can also cause yellowing and then brown spots on the leaves, so you should be aware of the type of soil used.
10. Repotting
Another reason for houseplant leaves turning yellow is repotting a plant that needs a new home. This can stress the plant and lead to yellowing of the leaves. In fact, this is a normal way for the plant to show that it is trying to settle in its new environment.
If you bring home a perfectly healthy plant and change its pot and notice that its leaves suddenly turn yellow and fall off, this happened because of the change of pot. The best thing you can do in this case is to give your plant time for the roots to settle in and find their source of nutrients in the new soil. Do not fertilize your plant during this time. If you’ve brought a new plant home, wait about a week and then repot it to give it time to acclimate to your home.
We suggest that you consider the following tips to prevent houseplant leaves from turning yellow and treat your beautiful plants:
- Before watering, remove a little soil surface and press it, if the soil is moist and cool, the plant does not need watering. To treat the plant, reduce watering and create proper drainage for the pot and soil.
- In summer, take some plant soil in your hand early in the morning or early at night. If the soil is dry and hot, the plant needs watering. In these cases, water the plants superficially and frequently. With this, the roots expand and have access to nutrients.
- One of the ways to treat house plants yellow leaves is patience! We suggest that you place your plants in front of the sun in cold weather. Sunlight leads to leaf revitalization and chlorophyll production.
- Remove yellow leaves and expose the plant to direct sunlight outdoors. Also, it is better to move your pots to the shade after noon.
- If you see white powder on or under the leaves, there is a possibility of a fungus attack on your plant. You should pick the infected leaves and it will be cured by using reliable fungicides and air conditioning.
- Checking the holes in the pot for better drainage can prevent root rot because the excess water will escape through these holes in the pot.
One of the problems you face when maintaining and caring for houseplants is houseplant leaves turning yellow, which can have various reasons. This problem can be solved only when the cause of its occurrence is determined. In most cases, too little or too much watering, natural aging of the leaves, cold air flow, lack of light, lack of nutrients and viruses, etc. cause the leaves to turn yellow.
In this article, we tried to provide you with the necessary information about the reasons why houseplant leaves turn yellow .
However, if you have any questions regarding this indoor plant or you need to get advice from our houseplant experts, please share your questions with us through the comments section below.