Yellowing Leaves on Guzmania: Treatment and How Often to Water It - Cultivation and Care Management
Today we introduce a herbaceous plant that stays evergreen for many years, the "Guzmania." Besides staying green in all four seasons, it also absorbs harmful gases such as ethylene, so it is quite suitable for placement in bright spots at home, such as windowsills, balconies, or corners of the living room.
Guzmania is also known by another name, star flower bromeliad (Guzmania lingulata), because its leaves look very much like the emerald green leaves of a pineapple, and after blooming its flowers are brightly colored and shaped like stars. At the same time, Guzmania has a relatively mild growth habit and is easy to care for, making it very suitable as a household green plant. In terms of daily care, it likes light but fears strong sun exposure, so giving it ample bright, indirect light is best. If your home has long-term dim light, its leaves tend to grow leggy and their color fades.
The temperature suitable for Guzmania's growth is between 15°C and 25°C. If summer sun exposure lasts above 35°C, then you need to increase strong ventilation and spray it with water to cool it down. If the overwintering temperature drops below 10°C or higher, then put it indoors and cover it with a black plastic bag to reduce frost damage to the plant.
As for watering, the principle for watering Guzmania is to water when dry and let it be wet, and once you water, water thoroughly. If new flower enthusiasts cannot judge the soil conditions, just feel it with your hand to gauge it. What to pay attention to when watering is that you should make sure the soil surface is dry before watering. For the growing soil, you can choose a well-draining soil rich in organic matter; if you do not have that, choosing a general-purpose potting soil or a homemade mixed soil also works.
Fertilizing is the most basic action when growing flowers and plants. In the growing season (May to November), apply liquid fertilizer once a month to promote plant growth, and stop fertilizing in winter. Another basic operation in growing flowers and plants is pruning the plant. Regularly pruning the old leaves that have turned yellow and dried out can, besides reducing nutrient consumption, also keep the plant looking attractive.
Finally, let me talk about points to note with Guzmania. First is the common problem of leaves curling inward or failing to extend; generally, when abnormalities appear, they mostly start with scorched, withered leaf tips. Most of the cause is air that is too dry. As a remedy, you can increase the air humidity around its leaves and spray a water mist around it to relieve it. Second is the situation where the leaves and bracts turn red, or show white spots, white tips, or lose color; the cause of this is external temperature being too low. The remedy is to move it to a relatively warm place and try to avoid a large temperature difference between day and night.