Causes and Solutions for Yellowing and Rotting Leaves on Philodendron selloum

Yellowing, dropping and rotting leaves are all common problems that occur during plant growing. Generally speaking, such problems mainly stem from one part of the plant's growing environment, so we need to rule out and confirm the causes one by one, so as to solve the problem in a targeted way.

What to do when Philodendron selloum leaves turn yellow

1. Water-induced yellowing: mainly caused by improper watering and fertilizing; too much watering makes the soil too poorly aerated, which in turn causes the roots of the Philodendron selloum plant to rot. In this case, reduce the amount of watering, loosen the soil and improve soil aeration.

2. Fertilizer-induced yellowing: mainly caused by too much fertilizer. Old leaves turn yellow and drop off, while new leaves are thick and do not spread out. In this case, you can sow a layer of cabbage or radish seeds on the plant, and pull them out after they sprout to consume the excess nutrients.

3. Drought-induced yellowing: because of long-term lack of watering or plant dehydration, the lower leaves dry out, turn yellow or drop off and age. In this case, appropriately increase the amount of watering and spray more water to meet the plant's water needs and keep the environment moist, or appropriately spray a suitable agent to supply the plant's necessary water.

4. Alkaline-induced yellowing: because Philodendron selloum prefers acidic soil, while northern water quality and soil are both alkaline, the leaves fade, turn yellow and drop off. In this case, water with fermented rice-washing water or rainwater.

What to do when Philodendron selloum leaves rot

If rot has already appeared and is not serious, you can prune accordingly; if it is due to too much water or improper fertilizing, you need to change the soil and replant.

Before planting the plant, be sure to choose soil with good drainage and aeration, so that even if you occasionally water too much, it will drain out easily.

When watering daily, do not pour it all in at once; pour it in slowly, and while watering you can get a feel for the amount of water by watching how much water is poured in before the drainage holes at the bottom start to release water, then make a record, so that future watering has a comparison. When the temperature drops to 15 degrees, be sure to control watering; at this point the plant's need for water gradually weakens.

When fertilizing normally, be sure to pay attention to the concentration of the fertilizer, dilute stronger fertilizers, and apply slowly along the edge of the pot.

Try to choose a place with good air circulation for care.

What to do when Philodendron selloum has pests and diseases

1. Types of Philodendron selloum pests and diseases

Generally speaking, plant pests and diseases are divided into diseases and insect pests.

Common diseases of Philodendron selloum include leaf spot and anthracnose, among which leaf spot is relatively more common than anthracnose. Philodendron selloum ring-pattern leaf spot mainly shows as nearly round leaf spots, brown to reddish-brown, with dark brown edges, a yellow halo on the outer ring, and faint reddish-brown concentric rings on the spot surface, with pinhead-sized spots clustered on the diseased spots.

Common insect pests of Philodendron selloum include red spider mites and scale insects; relatively speaking, scale insects are more common than red spider mites, and the appearance of red spider mites is very likely due to low air humidity, while the appearance of scale insects is very likely due to poor ventilation.

2. Treatment methods for Philodendron selloum pests and diseases

For diseases such as Philodendron selloum leaf spot and anthracnose, wettable powders such as carbendazim, thiophanate-methyl and zineb can be used for control. Leaf spot is more common than anthracnose. Specifically, leaf spot needs to be controlled by spraying with a 1000-fold dilution of 50% carbendazim.

For insect pests such as Philodendron selloum red spider mites and scale insects, specialized insecticides can be sprayed for control. Specifically, scale insects need to be controlled by spraying with a 1000-fold dilution of 50% omethoate emulsifiable concentrate. In addition, when preventing red spider mites, air humidity needs to be increased, while scale insects can be prevented by strengthening ventilation.

In addition, if the leaves turn yellow, wither or scorch, prune them promptly.

Cutting propagation method for Philodendron selloum

For sandy soil, Philodendron selloum is often propagated by cuttings. The best propagation season is from May to September; simply put, cut 2-3 nodes of strong stems and insert them into sphagnum moss or coarse sand to take root, keeping the soil moist; roots usually form in 20 days. Alternatively, cut off the upper part of the Philodendron selloum plant for cuttings, and the old lower plant will sprout many young shoots, which can also be used for propagation.

Besides yellowing leaves and rotting leaves, pests and diseases are also an issue that needs close attention during Philodendron selloum cultivation; usually once one plant gets sick it will infect some of the other plants around it, and if not controlled properly it may threaten all the plants, so we must carry out timely prevention, control and management.