How to Fix Yellowing, Dull Leaves on Household Plants

Nowadays, many people like to keep some green plants at home, and this editor is no exception. They fill the home with natural color and can also purify the air. But some people find that the leaves of their household plants gradually turn yellow and lose their luster. Why does this happen? How should it be solved?

1. Caused by iron deficiency

For woody flowering plants in greenhouses and the like, because soil fertility conditions vary greatly, yellow leaves often appear. The characteristic is that young leaves turn noticeably yellow, while older leaves are less affected; the leaf tissue turns yellow and forms a typical network pattern.

2. Overwatering or drought and dehydration

When the potting soil stays too wet for a long time, it causes a lack of oxygen in the soil, making some fibrous roots rot, hindering normal respiration and the absorption of water and nutrients, and causing leaves to turn yellow and drop. After damage occurs, the young leaves first turn pale yellow, and then the older leaves gradually turn yellow too; if watering is missed or the plant is given only half-water (that is, wet on top and dry below) for a long time, nutrient absorption is affected, and it easily causes the leaf color to become dull and lusterless, with leaves wilting and drooping. First the lower old leaves age, and gradually wither, yellow and drop from bottom to top.

3. Insufficient sunlight or exposure to scorching sun

If sun-loving flowering plants are kept for a long time in shade or in a place with insufficient light, the branches and leaves will grow leggy, the leaves will be thin and yellow, and they will not bloom or bloom very little. Solution: move the flower pot to a sunny place; if shade-loving plants are exposed to strong direct sunlight, it easily causes the leaf tips and leaf margins of the flowers to dry up, and yellow patches appear on the sun-facing parts of the leaves.

4. Soil too alkaline or too acidic

In most regions, the soil and water contain relatively high levels of salt and alkali. When planting acid-loving flowers such as gardenia, rhododendron, jasmine, and Aglaia odorata, because the soil lacks absorbable soluble iron and other elements, the leaves will gradually turn yellow; in the south, red loam soil is acidic, and magnesium and other elements are easily lost. When planting flowers and trees that tolerate alkali or prefer slightly alkaline soil, such as oleander, boxwood, and winter jasmine, the phenomenon of yellowing between the veins of old leaves often easily appears.

So how can the problem of plant leaves turning yellow and losing their shine be solved?

1. Pay attention to sunlight: for example, the money tree likes high temperatures, humidity, and sunlight, and cannot stay shaded for a long time. Therefore, during care and management, it should be placed in a spot indoors with ample sunlight. When placing an old money tree, the leaf surface must face the sunlight. Otherwise, because the leaves grow toward the light, the entire branches and leaves will become distorted. Shade-loving plants should correspondingly avoid direct sunlight.

2. Pay attention to watering: the first principle of watering is to prefer wet over dry, and the second is "two more, two less," that is, water more in the high-temperature summer season and water less in winter; water more for large and medium-sized plants growing vigorously, and water less for small newly potted plants.

3. Pay attention to fertilizing: taking the money tree as an example, it is a flowering plant that likes fertilizer, and its demand for fertilizer is greater than that of common other flowering plants. When repotting each year, fertile soil can make up 1/3 of the mix, or even more. Fertile soil has a wide range of sources; you can collect humus soil from the fallen leaves of broadleaf trees, add a little garden soil and mixed bone meal and bean cake residue, and blend it together.

4. Pay attention to soil: if the soil is alkaline, choose acidic soil when planting, or alternately water with a 0.2% ferrous sulfate solution and a 0.1%-0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution; if the soil is acidic, you can water with diluted ferrous sulfate or aluminum sulfate water, or add a small amount of ferrous sulfate, aluminum sulfate, humus fertilizer, sulfur powder, and so on.

In addition, note that the ability of plants to purify air is limited. The effective way to remove formaldehyde is to frequently open windows for ventilation, combined with activated carbon-type substances such as coconut charcoal, to achieve the effect of treating formaldehyde. In addition to activated carbon, the main raw material of coconut charcoal is coconut shell, which is processed through high-temperature activation and carbonization while being loaded with photocatalyst and carbon fiber. Its adsorption capacity for organic gases is more than 5 times higher than ordinary activated carbon, and its service life is also longer than plain activated carbon, so its formaldehyde treatment effect is relatively ideal.

What to Do When Asparagus Fern Leaves Turn Yellow? Causes and Solutions for Yellowing Asparagus Fern Leaves

Asparagus fern is a popular small desktop green plant. Its upright and fresh appearance is the biggest feature that makes it deeply loved by everyone. But in the process of growing asparagus fern, a little carelessness can cause the leaves to turn yellow, which is also the phenomenon most commonly encountered by the many flower lovers who grow asparagus fern. SoWhat should be done when asparagus fern leaves turn yellow?In fact, there are many possible reasons for asparagus fern leaves turning yellow. The main factors are light, watering, fertilizing, or asparagus fern poisoning and so on. This editor has summarized a few points about the causes of yellowing asparagus fern leaves and the solutions, hoping they will be helpful to you.

1. Inappropriate light. Asparagus fern is a plant that dislikes dry wind, likes semi-shade, and is slightly shade-tolerant. It should not be exposed to strong light, especially in summer when the sunlight is intense, and even more care should be taken to avoid direct sunlight, otherwise it will cause the branches and leaves to wither and yellow, or even kill the plant. The solution is also very simple: move the asparagus fern to a ventilated, cool place and spray some mist around the branches and leaves to increase humidity.

2. Incorrect watering. Asparagus fern likes moisture but fears waterlogging. When watering, great care must be taken to control the amount of water. Generally, it is appropriate to keep the potting soil at 20% humidity, that is, watering to the extent that the water poured into the pot quickly seeps into the soil and does not accumulate on the soil surface. So during the growing process, it is best not to water when dry and to water thoroughly when watering. If too much water occurs, stop watering, and likewise spray more mist around the branches and leaves to keep the asparagus fern moisturized.

3. Improper fertilizing. Asparagus fern likes soil rich in humus and with good drainage. You can adopt the principle of fertilizing many times with a small amount each time, and use decomposed fertilizer. If fertilizer is lacking, the fertilizer is too concentrated, or undecomposed fertilizer is applied, it will cause asparagus fern leaves to turn yellow, drop, and even wither and die. If the yellowing of asparagus fern leaves is caused by improper fertilizing, you can solve it by changing the potting soil. It is worth noting that fertilizing is not suitable during the low-temperature period in winter and the high-temperature period in summer, and fertilizing should be controlled after the plant has taken shape.

4. Gas poisoning. Asparagus fern is very afraid of smoke and dust. If it is often exposed to harmful gases such as smoke and dust, asparagus fern will show the poisoning phenomenon of yellowing branches and leaves. When this happens, promptly move the flower pot away from its original position and increase the work of sprinkling water on the leaf surface to remove dust.

5. Pests. Scale insects are the most common pest in asparagus fern cultivation. When scale insects are found, they should promptly be wiped off with a wet cloth strip. In severe cases, buy medicine from a pharmacy for control, and promptly change the potting soil. When changing the potting soil, the old and residual roots can be cut off to reduce nutrient consumption.

6. Inadequate winter management. Asparagus fern cultivation requires maintaining a certain temperature, especially in winter when it should be placed in a sunny position. If asparagus fern is kept for a long time in a place lacking light, poorly ventilated, and cold, it is very easy for the leaves to wither, yellow, and dry up. In winter, the temperature for asparagus fern cultivation generally must not be lower than 12°C, and it should be placed in a place with better light, and watering can be appropriately reduced.

7. Others. In addition, the reasons for asparagus fern leaves turning yellow may also be: the asparagus fern cultivation pot is placed next to radiators, air conditioners, televisions, and other objects, and because these objects have strong radiation, they can also cause asparagus fern leaves to turn yellow and drop, and over time can even cause the stems to dry up. So attention should be paid to this when placing the flower pot for asparagus fern cultivation.

Asparagus fern is a relatively delicate plant, and growers need to care for it attentively in daily maintenance. If the yellowing of asparagus fern leaves is due to insufficient nutrients, you can also use a "folk remedy" to improve the nutrition of the asparagus fern -- water it with white sugar water, which is guaranteed to make your asparagus fern grow very lushly.

Yellow asparagus fern leaves not only affect the healthy growth of the asparagus fern, but also affect the aesthetic effect of the indoor display and spoil the mood of the room's owner. So this editor has summarized the above points about the causes of yellowing asparagus fern leaves and the solutions, hoping to exchange more growing experience with the many flower lovers.

Causes of Peace Lily Leaves Turning Yellow, What to Do When Peace Lily Leaves Turn Yellow and How to Handle It

The peace lily is a common green plant, but when grown at home, its leaves very easily turn yellow. There are many reasons for peace lily leaves turning yellow, and the main reason is water accumulation. Many flower lovers encounter yellowing leaves during the process of growing peace lilies. So what should be done when peace lily leaves turn yellow? Next, let's look at the 9 major causes of peace lily leaves turning yellow and the solutions.

1. Sudden environmental changes cause peace lily leaves to turn yellow: the reason is sudden environmental changes, with too great a sudden change in soil, temperature, humidity, and light, or repotting that damaged the roots and requires a recovery period, resulting in yellow leaves.

Solution: reduce the degree of environmental change and wait for it to adapt.

2. Overwatering causes peace lily leaves to turn yellow (water yellow): although peace lilies can be grown hydroponically, that does not mean soil culture requires large amounts of frequent watering. Especially when the amount of water each time is small but the frequency is high, water easily remains at the junction of roots and stems, causing the growing point to rot and die. It shows as young leaves being dark yellow and lusterless, with new shoots shrinking.

Solution: in this situation, reduce the frequency of watering, and each time wait until the moisture in the substrate has slightly dried before watering thoroughly once.

3. Soil becoming alkaline causes peace lily leaves to turn yellow: peace lilies like acidic soil. If grown in the north, because both water quality and soil quality tend to be alkaline, long-term application will cause the leaves to gradually fade, turn yellow, and even drop.

Solution: the simplest method is to water with fermented rice-washing water or rainwater.

4. Scorching sun causes peace lily leaves to turn yellow (scorch yellow): strong direct sunlight easily causes leaf tips and leaf margins to dry up, and yellow patches appear on the sun-facing parts of the leaves.

Solution: move it to a shaded, ventilated place.

6. Insufficient sunlight causes peace lily leaves to turn yellow (light-deficiency yellow): peace lilies need relatively good light in winter and early spring, and should not be shaded.

Solution: when the light gradually becomes stronger, shade it gradually. If it is being enjoyed in a shaded place, it must not be directly placed in sunlight for exposure. Otherwise, because of the sharp change in environment, it will become uncomfortable, showing wilting, yellow leaves, and even withering and death.

7. Inappropriate temperature causes peace lily leaves to turn yellow: peace lily growth requires a semi-shaded place, and when the temperature is below 5°C or above 35°C, yellow leaves easily appear. The leaf color becomes dull and loses its luster. Long-term low temperature can also cause the aboveground parts to wither and yellow.

Solution: just adjust the temperature well; in special cases it can be moved into an air-conditioned room!

8. Excessive fertilizing causes peace lily leaves to turn yellow (fertilizer yellow): excessive fertilizing shows as the tips of old leaves turning yellow and withering and dropping, while new leaves are thick and glossy but uneven and not spread out smoothly.

Solution: you can sprinkle a layer of bok choy or radish seeds on the surface, and after the seedlings emerge, pull them out a few days later to consume nutrients.

9. Pests and diseases cause peace lily leaves to turn yellow: if harmful mites cause damage, the leaves show adverse symptoms such as wilting, faded luster, and yellow withering.

Solution: spray miticides specifically for mites for control, such as dicofol, hexythiazox, pyridaben, and so on.

1. Peace lilies grow quickly and have a relatively large fertilizer requirement, so during the growing season, liquid fertilizer must be applied once every 1-2 weeks.

2. Supply sufficient water and often keep the potting soil moist. During high-temperature periods, water should also be sprayed on the leaves and the ground.

3. In late autumn and winter, watering should be reduced, and it is enough to keep the potting soil slightly moist.