Relatively recently, exotic plants on window sills in apartments were rarely seen. Today, the situation has changed dramatically. These flowers are amazingly transform the appearance of the room. Orchids look especially attractive, which create an atmosphere of a tropical corner. At home, these types of plants are often found: phalaenopsis, cattleya, dendrobium, paphiopedilum. Of course, exotic flowers require special care. Often flower growers ask why the orchid turns yellow? How to help the plant cope with this trouble? So, what can provoke a change in the color of the leaves of a plant?
Natural aging process
If suddenly your favorite orchid leaves turn yellow, do not immediately panic. A logical question should be asked: “Why does the orchid turn yellow?”. The first thing to think about is the natural aging process. After all, each leaf has its own life cycle. All plants experience this kind of “generation change.”
Often mass hybrids are characterized by drying outone bottom leaf. Less often, the death of two processes occurs. New, strong and bright leaves grow to replace them.
Be careful, because the orchid dendrobium nobile (dendrobium noble) can dry out and the upper leaves of the bulb, which has faded already. On this plant, all leaves can also fall off, even from a living bulb.
Why the lower leaves of an orchid turn yellow, we have already learned. Something is not worth doing. The leaf itself should dry completely and separate from the total mass on its own. It is not recommended to pluck or cut yellowed shoots so as not to injure the plant once again.
But remember that the orchid needs to be inspected regularly. Yellowing can occur quite quickly - from 1 to 4 days.
You should also pay attention to the age of the flowers. Leaves rarely remain viable for several years. It is normal for all orchids to shed their leaves each year during dormancy or during flowering.
Many experienced flower growers do not worry about why the orchid turns yellow. Everything must take its course. But if there were any omissions, then the plant will immediately respond to them. Often the flower slows down in development or changes its color.
Sunburn
Plants on the windowsill are always pleasing to the eye. But what to do - the leaves of the orchid turn yellow. Why is this happening? The answer is simple - plants often suffer from an overabundance of sunbathing. This is especially true in the summer. After all, standing on the sunny sideall summer, a flower can get more than one burn. These lesions can be seen with the naked eye. The leaves begin to turn yellow in places where the sun has hit the most.
This problem is easy enough to solve - you just need to move the plant to another place. If this is not possible, the flowers must be shaded. You can stick special solar-reflective films on the glass. You can also simply surround the orchid with plants with more developed foliage, which will create a shadow.
These rules are best applied immediately, without waiting for burn marks to appear on the leaves. After all, most hybrids are not adapted to prolonged exposure to direct sunlight.
Over time, the area around the burn dries up. It is not worth removing such a leaf completely.
Insufficient lighting
Another reason why orchids wither and turn yellow leaves may be insufficient lighting. This problem is relevant in the cold season. Therefore, at such a time it is recommended to use additional light - fluorescent lamps, phytolamps. Remember that they must also be enabled according to certain rules (a few hours are enough). Otherwise, you may overheat the sleeping flower.
Light-loving orchids include such orchids as Lellia, Wanda, Cattleya. They are not recommended to be placed on the north side. After all, a lack of lighting can lead to the fact that the leaves of the plant completely fall off.
Plentiful watering of the plant
Many growers have more than one orchid on their windowsillphalaenopsis. Why do the leaves turn yellow, what to do in such a situation? After all, the plant needs to be saved! Often this is due to abundant frequent watering of the plant. The harm from such actions is obvious - the soil does not breathe, it is compressed, the wet bark becomes a breeding ground for the spread of microorganisms and fungus. The bark may begin to rot, and with it the roots.
Experienced flower growers recommend paying attention not only to the condition of the topsoil. After all, the top of the bark dries quickly. Literally a day later, the surface of the pot becomes dry, while at a depth the substrate still remains moist. This must be remembered when starting each time you water the plant.
Many orchid lovers know that these plants need transparent pots. Through them you can see how moist the soil is over the entire area. If your pet grows in an opaque pot, you need to take a wooden stick and carefully place it near the rim. If it becomes damp after a few minutes, watering should be delayed.
True orchid lovers can tell when a plant needs to be watered by picking up a flower pot. Indeed, when watering, the substrate absorbs moisture and becomes much heavier compared to dry.
When the plant is overwatered:
- changes the color of all processes (both upper and lower);
- leaves feel moist, soft;
- black spots appear on the surface of the leaves or on the trunk;
- roots darken, covered with dark spots;
- planteasy to get out of the pot.
You should look closely at the plant. If the plant or substrate began to rot, the orchid urgently needs to be transplanted. In this case, you need to carefully study the root system of the plant. The affected areas are removed, the plant is transplanted into a new container with new soil. After such events, the plant needs special care.
Why does the orchid wither and turn yellow yet? It is necessary to pay attention not only to the schedule and abundance of watering, but also to the quality of the water. After all, water with various impurities and increased hardness can provoke salinization of the soil. In this case, it is necessary to immediately change the soil. And the leaves must be treated with liquid fertilizer.
But remember that such an operation should not be carried out during the flowering period of the plant.
Insufficient watering of the plant
Watering is an important part of proper plant care. The main reason why the orchid turns yellow is non-compliance with the irrigation regime. If the plant is watered at the wrong time or, on the contrary, the soil is actively waterlogged, this negatively affects the metabolism. Such misses often cause a change in the shade of the leaves.
Phalaenopsis often have a he althy appearance: the roots are normal, the stem is strong. But at the same time, the leaves give off yellowness. This is possible even with regular, normal watering. Why do Phalaenopsis orchid leaves turn yellow in this case?
The problem may lie in the method of moisturizing. When watering a plant through a watering canthe bark may be poorly moistened. Only superficially it absorbs moisture, and the roots are not saturated with water. And good drainage contributes to the rapid removal of fluid. At the same time, the plant lacks nutrients, and young shoots pull them from old ones.
How to be? In this case, it is recommended to switch to submersible irrigation. In this case, the pot with the plant must be partially immersed in a container of water and left there for a few minutes. After changing the watering regimen, the plant will return to normal in a few weeks.
Feeding Features
Plant nutrition is an important component of proper flower care. But when fertilizing a plant, it is necessary to choose the right remedy. Before buying, it is better to consult with the seller, and choose the ideal option for a particular variety.
Remember, if there is a suspicion of pests in the plant, it is forbidden to feed it. Otherwise, the flower may die.
You should also pay special attention to the dosage. The most common mistakes are the following.
Nutritional deficiency
Both an excess and a lack of nutrients negatively affect the condition of the plant. Why do orchids turn yellow lower leaves? The upper parts of the leaves often turn yellow due to potassium deficiency. If the problem is not corrected, the inner plate is affected, in which the veins die off.
This happens because young leaves “pull” potassium from old leaves, which can laterfall off altogether. In this case, the orchid needs an urgent transplant into a new soil.
When fertilizing a plant, pay attention to the composition of the product. Phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium must be present in the composition. Experienced flower growers pay attention to labeling. The numbers next to the letters NPK indicate what this fertilizer is used for. For example, the code 4-3-3 is designed to gain green mass, and 4-6-6 - to stimulate flowering.
Over-fertilization
You need to think about plant fertilization immediately after purchasing an exotic beauty. Often, sellers stuff the plant with various nourishments and stimulants before selling. The motivation is clear - you need a beautiful product. Often such mistakes are made by novice flower growers, over-fertilizing the flower.
A plant that is over-fertilized often can only last a few years. After such care, many people ask the question: “Why do orchid leaves turn yellow? What to do? How to save the plant? So let's start over.
Fertilization rules
It is necessary to independently start fertilizing the plant after the orchid blooms and settles in a new place. You should also follow the rules for fertilizing:
- Feeding is combined with watering. First, the plant is watered, then fertilizers are applied in liquid form.
- Feed during growth.
- In the cold season and in the middle of summer, top dressing is reduced to 1 time per month.
- As soon as the leaves have formed, feeding can be stopped.
- Sick and weak plants should not be fertilized.
- After transplanting, the plant cannot be fed for 1 month.
Experienced flower growers do not recommend the use of growth stimulants for orchids. Excess calcium can cause leaf tips to turn yellow.
Here are the main reasons why the Phalaenopsis orchid turns yellow. Remember that proper care is the key to a beautiful, long and abundant flowering plant.
Pests and diseases
Often the cause of wilting or yellowing of the leaves is the presence of pests and diseases. An exotic flower is a tasty morsel for many household pests. As soon as a pest or disease is suspected, the plant must be isolated immediately.
Diseases spread on orchids with improper observance of temperature, watering, lighting. Often, orchids are affected by neighboring affected plants.
Viral, fungal and bacterial infections can be identified by the presence of dark yellow spots on the surface of the leaves or by fungal tubercles.
Orchid pests
Orchids can be affected by these pests:
- Aphids. Often placed on the inside of a leaf that becomes sticky.
- Spider mites can be detected by a thin cobweb placed on the shoots and under the leaves.
- The shield can only be detected with a magnifying glass. Often the activity of this pest contributes to the formation of growths.
- A sign of the appearance of nematodesis a stop in the growth of the plant and deformation of the leaves.
- Winged thrips leave a silvery layer on shoots, substrate, leaves. The plant is affected at low air humidity.
- Woodlice can attack a plant when kept outdoors.
Conclusion
Exotic plants - flowers of unusual beauty. Many flower growers love them for tenderness, sophistication, brightness and beauty. But sometimes the plant loses its attractive appearance. At such moments, the question arises, why do orchid leaves turn yellow and fall?
Often such a reaction of a flower indicates improper care, damage by pests or diseases. In this case, it is necessary to immediately proceed to active actions that will bring the plant back to life. But remember that a change in leaf color may indicate the course of natural aging processes and the replacement of old leaves with new ones.
