What causes spider plant leaves to turn yellow

When many people grow spider plants, they often run into the problem of the leaves turning yellow. So what are the causes of yellowing leaves in spider plants? And how should we deal with it? Let's take a look together.

Causes and treatments for yellowing leaves in spider plants

1. Improper fertilizing: too much fertilizer causes the leaves to turn yellow. When fertilizing exceeds the plant's needs, the leaves first become glossy and uneven, then the root system rots, and the leaves turn yellow.

Treatment: stop fertilizing, water generously with plain water, or repot the plant, clean the roots, and replace the soil with new soil.

2. Nutrient loss: the various nutrient elements contained in the potting soil have been exhausted, and the three key elements nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium have not been replenished in time. The plant lacks nutrients, and the leaves become yellow and thin.

Treatment: promptly replace the soil with fertile loam and water with alum fertilizer water.

3. Insufficient sunlight: although the spider plant is a semi-shade flower, it still needs at least four hours or more of diffused light each day, otherwise chlorophyll decreases and the leaves turn yellow.

Treatment: find some free time each day to place the spider plant in the sunlight for a few hours, but it must not be exposed to the sun for too long.

4. Poor air permeability and water permeability of the potting soil: the potting soil stays waterlogged and does not dry out for a long time, the roots have difficulty breathing, and the leaves turn yellow.

Treatment: loosen the soil in time and control the water. Fifth, watering that does not penetrate for a long time. The roots of the spider plant lose water, and the lower old leaves turn yellow. Water thoroughly and keep the potting soil warm and moist.

Tips for caring for spider plants

Light

The spider plant likes a semi-shady environment. In spring and autumn, avoid direct strong sunlight. In summer the sunlight is especially strong, so it can only get some slanting light in the morning and evening, and during the day 50%-70% of the sunlight needs to be shaded, otherwise the leaf tips will dry up. Variegated varieties are especially afraid of strong sunlight. The golden-edged spider plant grows more beautifully in weak light, with the yellow golden edge more obvious and the leaves more glossy. But in winter it should get more sunlight to keep the leaves tender and fresh green. A potted spider plant kept at home should be placed in front of a south-facing window, otherwise the leaves will lose their luster and may even wither. When conditions allow, it is best to turn the pot about 15° in a fixed direction each week to ensure the spider plant trails down evenly.

Watering

The spider plant likes a moist environment, and the potting soil should be kept moist often. In summer, watering should be plentiful; around noon and in the evening, water should also be sprayed on the branches and leaves to promptly wash off dust on the leaves and prevent the leaves from drying up. However, the fleshy roots of the spider plant can store a large amount of water, so it has a fairly strong drought resistance and will not dry out and die if not watered for several days. In winter, when the temperature is below 5°C, water less and do not let the potting soil become too wet, otherwise the leaves will easily turn yellow.

Fertilizing

The spider plant is a foliage plant that tolerates fertilizer fairly well. If fertilizer and water are insufficient, it easily becomes scorched and aged, the leaves turn yellow, and it loses its ornamental value. From late spring to early autumn, apply an organic fertilizer solution once every 7-10 days, but for variegated varieties such as golden-edged and golden-hearted ones, less nitrogen fertilizer should be applied, so that the variegated leaf colors do not fade or even disappear and affect the appearance. You may appropriately apply organic fertilizer fermented from bone meal, eggshells and the like. After full fermentation, take an appropriate amount of the diluted liquid and apply it once every 10-15 days, which can make the variegated leaves bright and vivid.

Pruning

At ordinary times, cut off yellow leaves at any time. Each year in March, repot once, cutting off old roots, rotten roots and excess fibrous roots. In early to mid-May, cut off some of the old leaves of the spider plant, which will encourage more new leaves and small plantlets to sprout. The root system of the spider plant is quite developed, so after growing it for a period of time, the pot should be replaced in time to avoid root crowding, which causes yellowing leaves, withering and other problems in the spider plant.

That is all for the introduction to the causes and treatments for yellowing leaves in spider plants. I believe that after reading it, everyone has gained some understanding of the causes of yellowing leaves in spider plants. I hope today's content can be of some help to everyone.