How to Fix Yellow Leaves on Plants
Yellow leaves on plants is one of the very common problems for every gardener. I have been gardening for almost ten years, and I have faced this common problem lots of times. There can be plenty of reasons why your plant’s leaves are turning yellow. Today I will show you a few reasons why your plant’s leaves are turning yellow and how to fix it.
Over Watering
Overwatering is one of the most common reasons for yellow leaves on plants. Many people might think too much watering is good for plants, but it is not. Too much water is just a bad thing for container plants. If you let the water sit in the container, you are basically drowning the plants. Oxygen really needs to get down to the root system. If the root system is not having enough oxygen, the leaves will start to turn yellow. So don’t overwater; check the soil before watering. Just check with your finger that the surface is dry before you water.
Lack of Water
Just like overwatering, lack of water is also a great reason for leaves turning yellow. Watering regularly provides plants with good health. In containers, water is a part of the nutrients. If you don’t water your plant for a week, your plant’s leaves will start to turn yellow. So the only solution for this problem is to water your plants regularly so that your plants can receive nutrients.
Nitrogen Deficiency
Nitrogen deficiency is one of the most common reasons for yellow leaves on plants. Nitrogen is known as the most important nutrient for every kind of plant. Lack of nitrogen can cause yellow leaves on plants. Nitrogen is responsible for the green color of the leaves; when there’s a lack of it, the plant’s leaves will start to turn yellow. So how will you know that your plant is lacking nitrogen? When you see the lower leaves turning yellow while the ones on top are green, it indicates a nitrogen deficiency. Nitrogen is a mobile nutrient, so the tree can move nitrogen around its body. When there is a lack of nitrogen, the tree pulls nitrogen from old leaves and stores it in new ones. To fix nitrogen deficiency, I recommend using organic fertilizer because it is the best source to address nitrogen deficiency.
Root Bound
Root bound is also a common reason for yellow leaves. If your house plant is severely root bound, then your plant will start to grow yellow leaves. What is root bound? When there are too many roots in the container, it causes root bound. Because of root bound, there might be a lack of nutrients and soil, and as a result, your plant will grow yellow leaves. So how do you fix it? All you need to do is cut the small container and check if your plant is root bound; just replace the small pot with a bigger container where the plant can get lots of nutrients and soil.
Disease
Disease can also be a cause of yellow leaves. Just like humans, plants also have various types of diseases. Diseased plants’ leaves also turn yellow, and the worst part is that diseases can spread from one plant to another. So how do you know that your plant is diseased? Well, diseases present themselves as patterns rather than natural blotchiness on the leaves. For example, you might see round small dots covering the leaves. If that happens, quickly remove the plant from others before the disease spreads.
Lack of Sunlight
Lack of sunlight can also be a reason for yellow leaves. If your plants are in a dark room in your house and have yellow leaves, it means your plants are lacking energy. Sunlight is an energy source for every kind of plant. Plants need sunlight to store energy; if plants are not getting enough energy, they cannot push out new growth, and as a result, the plant’s leaves start to turn yellow. The only solution for this problem is to place plants where sunlight can reach.
