Indoor plants delight their owners with their beauty and flowering. But sometimes they get sick. It is often possible to observe that the leaves of the orchid have turned yellow. What to do in this case? It all depends on the reasons for the change in the color of the leaves. This topic is discussed in detail in the article.
Natural process
When you find the yellowing leaves of a plant, do not panic. This is how the natural aging process proceeds - each leaf has its own cycle. This happens in all plants. In mass hybrids, 1 lower leaf dries. Rarely 2 shoots die. Nobile specimens from the bulb may experience complete shedding.
Our orchid leaves turned yellow, what should I do? If this happens to the bottom, do not immediately panic. They dry out completely and separate on their own. Their pruning or tearing is not required so as not to injure the plant. It needs to be checked regularly. Yellowing can occur quickly, in 1–4 days.
The age of orchids also affects - the leaf cover in rare cases remains severalyears. Annual shedding of leaves (during flowering or dormancy) is considered normal. If competent care is performed, then such a problem rarely appears. If there are any omissions, the plant immediately reacts to them: it changes color or lags in development.
Lack of watering
This is one of the reasons why the orchid leaves turned yellow. What to do? It all depends on the type of problem - overdrying or waterlogging. This leads to a metabolic disorder and is a consequence of a change in the color of the foliage.
Lack of watering, though rare, does happen. For example, phalaenopsis. The stem looks he althy and the roots are normal and the foliage is yellow. This also happens with regular watering. This is due to the method of moisturizing - when water is supplied from a watering can, the bark is not sufficiently moistened. Nutrients will be lacking, and young shoots seem to take them from the old ones.
To do this, use submersible watering so that there is no rapid waterlogging. Within 1-2 weeks after changing the watering regime, the plant is restored.
Lots of moisture
The reason may be an excess of moisture, which often leads to diseases of the foliage. Because of this, rotting with bacteria appears. Florists recommend focusing not only on the top of the bark. It dries quickly, and in depth the substrate retains moisture for a long time. This must be taken into account before watering. In this case, transparent pots are convenient. If the container is opaque, then you need to take a woodenstick and place it near the rim, and after a few minutes it will be clear if watering is required.
Flower growers learn about the dryness of the soil "on weight", raising the container - a wet substrate is usually heavier than a dry one. If yellowing arose from excessive watering, then there will be the following signs:
- Change the color of all branches.
- The appearance of black spots on the leaves.
- The leaves are soft and moist.
- Root darkening and dark spotting.
Hard water is neutralized by peat in the substrate. Its content in this composition reaches up to 20%. If there is a process of decay, then the orchid must be removed from the pot and replanted, paying attention to the roots. After that, the flower needs special care.
In addition to the watering schedule, moisture itself is also important. Hard water with impurities leads to salinization of the soil. Having determined that the leaves of the orchid have turned yellow, it is necessary to change the soil. Foliage is washed with liquid fertilizer. During flowering, it is advisable not to perform this procedure.
Drying from the rays of the sun
We continue to figure out why the leaves of the orchid turned yellow and what to do. If the plant has stood for a long time on the hot side, it can get a sunburn. This is another reason why orchid leaves turn yellow. What to do in this case? You need to change the location of the flower. If there is no extra space, the plants are shaded by furnishing others. You should not wait for the foliage to turn yellow and begin to wither. Many hybrids are not adapted to prolonged exposure to direct sunlight.
The area around the burn is gradually drying up. Eliminating the entire leaf is not required - a he althy plant has the strength to feed a he althy area. And if, due to lack of lighting, the leaves of the orchid turned yellow and fell off, what should I do? In the cold period, additional light is used (phytolamps, luminescent devices). They must be turned on for several hours so as not to overheat the flower. Light-loving lines are Wanda, Lelia, Cattleya. It is desirable to keep these plants further from the north side. Otherwise, the foliage falls off the orchid, and it will be necessary to urgently eliminate it.
Fertilization violations
If the leaves and stem of the orchid turn yellow, this may be due to fertilizer errors. Flower nutrition is important. A lot of fertilizers are sold now, which are not suitable for some varieties. When buying, you must consult with the seller, naming the name of the variety.
If there is a suspicion of pests, the flower should not be fertilized - this can lead to the death of the orchid. A separate nuance is the dosage.
Excess fertilizer
If the orchid turns yellow and the leaves fall off, then the reason may be an excess of fertilizer. Often sellers perform pre-sale preparation using stimulants and recharges. This improves the appearance of the flower. Such mistakes are made by beginners as well.
An overfed plant will last 1-2 years, and then yellowing of the foliage occurs. It is desirable to fertilize the plants after the "shop" flowering, when the flower has settled in a new place. When fertilizing, keep in mind that:
- Fertilizer applied during growth.
- Feeding is combined with watering. Every second watering is the right time. First, moistening the soil and shaking the container is required.
- When the leaves have formed, no fertilizer is needed.
- In the cold, top dressing decreases, this should be done once a month. Some flowers survive the absolute lack of nutrition at this time.
- Don't fertilize weak or diseased orchids. Top dressing in the first month after transplantation is not worth doing.
Growth stimulants are best not used for home flowers. If the orchid leaves turn yellow, what should I do? When the cause of this phenomenon is an excess of calcium, a dietary adjustment is required. The flower can be transplanted into a balanced substrate. When these rules are followed, the plant will receive a verified dose.
Lack of fertilizer
This phenomenon is dangerous, as is oversaturation. The plant usually suffers from a lack of potassium, which can be seen from the yellowing of the tops of the leaves. Then the affected inner plate with dead veins will be noticeable. The reason for this process is that the flower lacks potassium, and when it is deficient, young leaves draw the mineral from older "neighbors".
If the leaves turn yellow, how to save the orchid? To prevent them from falling off, the flower is transplanted into new soil enriched with potassium. One-time fertilizer is performed on the basis of half the dose indicated on the package. It is important that the composition contains potassium,phosphorus, nitrogen. Flower growers recommend paying attention to the labeling of the feed. Usually there are letters NPK, and numbers next to it. It is the code that indicates what the fertilizer is intended for. Code 4-3-3 - for a set of green mass, and 4-6-6 - flowering stimulants.
Pests
If the leaves of the Phalaenopsis orchid turn yellow, what should I do? When pests are the cause, their species should be identified. They lead to fading and yellowing of the foliage. First, the plant must be isolated from he althy ones.
The easiest way to identify a spider mite. Its presence is evidenced by a thin cobweb inside the leaf and shoots. It will be possible to eliminate the pest by washing with warm water (40–45 degrees). Then the flower is covered with a bag for 3 days, while it is important to control the condition of the soil.
Aphid settles on the back of sheets. These are green insects that sip the juices from the plant and also poison the cells. They are also considered carriers of fungi. If because of them the lower leaves of the orchid turned yellow, what should I do? They are washed with warm water, treated with soapy water. Then spraying with Fitoverm is required.
And you also need to prepare an infusion of citrus peel: 100 g is poured with water (1 liter). After infusion for 3 days, the solution is sprayed every 5 hours for several days in a row.
Other pests
If orchid leaves turn yellow from scale insects, what should I do? First, the infected plant is isolated. Eliminate the pest will allow a solution of olive oil diluted in water (1 tablespoon / 0.5 l). The agent is applied to the affected areas. Performedprocedure 3 times with a week break. If the plant has thick leaves, wiping with cotton wool soaked in ethyl alcohol is necessary. When washing with warm water, young scale insects should be removed. Then the plant is sprayed with Fitoverm. This is repeated every 7–10 days.
When orchid leaves turn yellow and fall off due to thrips, what should I do? They leave traces - small dots or a silvery coating. Get rid of them by washing with warm water and cutting off the affected areas to he althy places. Spraying with special preparations with a break of 10 days helps. The procedure is repeated 2 more times.
Usually, changes are immediately noticeable in flowers. You can verify this from the photo. The leaves of the orchid turned yellow, what to do? If nematodes are wound up, then Levamisole solution is used. The tablet must be dissolved in water (1 liter), and then the liquid is poured into the soil.
Woodlice do not leave a sticky coating on the flower. They form on plants kept outdoors. You can eliminate them by soaking the container in another container with water. It also helps to transplant with washing the roots. Other pests, in addition to those listed, can start in the substrate. It is advisable to engage in prevention.
Diseases
Yellowing and dropping of leaves also occurs due to the presence of infection. Fungal, viral, bacterial diseases can be obtained from a diseased plant. Such flowers must be isolated from he althy ones. Fungal infect the plant due to oversight. A sign is dark yellow spots on the leaves andstems. With these ailments, tubercles occur. If there are few, fungicide treatment is performed.
In advanced cases, cut off the diseased area or the entire sheet. In treatment, do not incise the tubercles themselves. Cuts are treated. Gray rot often appears, which must be treated with Immunocytophyte. Powdery mildew is eliminated by Antidote, anthracnose by Mikosan.
May have viruses. They occur during stress - when transporting a flower, sudden changes in temperature, changes in humidity. Infection can be during watering. The leaves take on dark rings, but there are other signs. Treatment with antibiotics and fungicides required.
Bacterial blotch appears on old leaves. They become softened, yellowness with a dark tint appears. Ulcers that secrete fluid are noticeable. Treatment involves cutting off the problem area, and the incision is treated with iodine. The use of tap water saturates the soil with chlorine. Filtered water is required to save the plant.
Care
In order for the plant to develop correctly, it needs competent care. Illumination is important. The main condition is diffused light, and there should be a lot of it. Therefore, the flower should be placed on a bright window (but not on the south), while providing protection from direct sunlight.
Very frequent and abundant watering can do harm. It is important to observe moderation. Between these procedures, the substrate should dry well. Foliage moisture is betterperform with a sprayer. In summer, you need to water more abundantly, which can be done through the pan.
Plants like high humidity, which should be at least 60%. Otherwise, you need to purchase a humidifier. To maintain normal leaf growth, warm settled water is needed. And with moderate humidity, systematic spraying is required.
Conclusion
Thus, the article shows the common causes of yellowing leaves, as well as methods to fix the problem. Thanks to careful care, the plant will develop correctly, and the risk of pests or diseases will be reduced to a minimum.
