What to Do When Anthurium Leaves Turn Yellow? Causes and Solutions
Anthurium is a premium flower with considerable development prospects. It is a perennial evergreen herbaceous plant of the genus Anthurium in the Araceae family, with unique flowers, bright and gorgeous spathes, rich colors, great variation, and a long flowering period. It can be grown hydroponically or in soil; for hydroponics, avoid sunlight and give it sunlight once a month. Now let us take a look at what to do when anthurium leaves turn yellow!
Overwatering
[Cause] The tender leaves at the top of the anthurium turn pale yellow, the old leaves also gradually turn yellow, and the new shoots shrivel. This is caused by prolonged rain or overwatering, making the soil in the pot too wet, depriving the soil of oxygen, and causing the roots to rot.
[Solution] Loosen the soil frequently, control watering, and avoid heavy rain spraying.
Dry Soil
[Cause] The color of the leaves at the top of the anthurium is normal, while the lower leaves gradually dry, turn yellow, and fall off from the bottom upward. This is caused by the pot soil being too full or watering not penetrating for a long time, causing the lower leaves and branches to age.
[Solution] Water appropriately and keep the soil moist.
Insufficient Fertilizer
[Cause] The anthurium leaves are thin and turn yellow. This is caused by the plant being large while the pot is small, or by not repotting or changing the soil for a long time, as well as insufficient fertilizer.
[Solution] Gradually increase water and fertilizer, and repot at the appropriate time.
Overfertilizing
[Cause] The anthurium leaves become uneven and fail to spread out, the new leaves are thick and fleshy, and the old leaves gradually turn yellow.
[Solution] Water frequently, stop fertilizing, and scatter a few vegetable seeds in the pot. Pull them out after they sprout, so as to consume the fertilizer in the pot and restore the plant to normal growth.
Unsuitable Light
[Cause] Anthuriums often placed indoors without light tend to develop yellow leaves. Under high temperatures and direct sun exposure, the leaves will also turn yellow and fall off.
[Solution] Increase light appropriately.
How to Grow Anthurium?
1. Soil: When growing anthurium, it is best to use soil that is loose, breathable, well-draining, and able to retain water and fertilizer. Ideally, the soil should contain a certain amount of nutrients. You can choose leaf mold or peat soil mixed with some perlite or coal cinder and base fertilizer to make a nutrient soil. Add some broken bricks at the bottom of the pot to help with drainage.
2. Watering: Anthurium likes moisture and fears drought, so the soil should be kept moist regularly. In summer, water according to how dry or wet the soil is, about once every one to two days. Never let water accumulate in the pot, as this may damage the roots. Especially in winter, reduce watering; if there is too much water, the root system will rot. Slightly acidic water is best; water with a pH between 4.5 and 5 can be used. In dry seasons, the plant should also be sprayed with water.
3. Light: Anthurium is a shade-loving plant, so it is best placed in a shaded area, but it should not be completely cut off from light, as this will cause the plant to lack color light. When in the sun, give it some shade so that it is not fully exposed to sunlight. However, when the sunlight is weak in winter, there is no need to shade it, and it can be placed in the sun with confidence.
4. Temperature: Anthurium likes warmth and fears cold, so in summer guard against high temperatures and in winter guard against freezing damage. The suitable growing temperature is 19-25 degrees. Below 13 degrees, the plant enters a dormant period and should be placed indoors or wrapped in plastic bags to prevent freezing damage. When the temperature is above 32 degrees, growth stops. Generally, when the temperature is above 25 degrees, windows should be opened for ventilation to ease the adverse effects of high temperatures.
5. Fertilizing: Fertilizer can promote the growth of anthurium. When fertilizing, you can choose liquid fertilizer or a compound fertilizer with a nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium ratio of 1:1:1. Fertilize about once every 7-12 days, preferably in the morning or evening, for better results. Alternatively, fertilize regularly with fertilizer water, which means adding one or two drops of fertilizer liquid to the water when watering. For fertilizer water, once every three days is generally enough, but only one fertilizing method can be chosen, not both.
6. Pests and diseases: Common diseases of anthurium include leaf blight and root rot. For leaf blight, spray fungicides such as mancozeb or Jun Du Qing with a small spray bottle for control, about once a month. Common pests mainly include termites and aphids. When there are not many, they can be removed with a brush, a writing brush, or a damp cloth.