Why do yucca leaves wither and dry. What to do if the yucca leaves turn yellow Why did the yucca leaves hang
Very often, when growing yucca, flower growers are faced with yellowing and falling leaves of this plant. Its leaves dry up at the tips, and then the leaf blades die off completely.
If this happens with 2-3 lower leaves, a natural process of growth and development of the plant is observed.But if it intensively loses leaf mass, it is necessary to look for the reason in the improper care of this palm tree.
Yucca can lose leaves due to poor or heavy watering, too dry air and insufficient lighting. Also, the leaves can dry and turn yellow when the plant is damaged by pests.
Soil drying out
In winter, when the yucca is at rest, the complete drying of the earthy coma will not harm the plant. But in summer, when the palm tree grows intensively, the soil in a pot with yucca should not dry out to a depth of more than 5 cm.
However, inexperienced flower growers who are aware of the dangers of waterlogging can water their plant very rarely. At the same time, the soil regularly dries up, which affects the appearance of the plant: the leaves dry and turn yellow, starting from the bottom, and then fall off.
It should be remembered that yucca is not a cactus that is not afraid of drying out the soil. Its roots are different from the root system of succulents. Frequent drying out of the soil can be detrimental to the plant..
Soil waterlogging
Also, waterlogging of the earth and stagnation in the pot should not be allowed. Yucca loves moderate watering, so any waterlogging can cause root rot, which is very difficult to deal with.
In the early stages of the disease, it will help in the new soil after cutting off all diseased roots and treating the sections with activated charcoal.
If the decay has spread to the trunk of the plant, you can root the top of the palm or cut cuttings from healthy branches.
Waterlogging of the soil in yucca at low temperatures is especially dangerous..
At rest, the plant consumes almost no water, it needs to be watered very lightly so that the soil remains slightly moist. During this period, even a single abundant watering leads to root rot.
In summer, watering yucca with cold water can lead to the onset of the disease. To prevent this from happening, you need to water only with water, the temperature of which is 2-3 degrees higher than the temperature in the room.
Low humidity
If the plant is kept at room temperature in a heated room in winter, its leaves may dry out due to a lack of moisture in the air.
Yucca tolerates low humidity well, but if the air is very dry and the plant is near heating appliances, then even such an unpretentious plant may begin to turn yellow.
In the cold period, you must first move the yucca away from the radiators. This is usually enough to stop its leaves from drying and turning yellow. You can artificially humidify the air near the plant by placing it in a pan with wet sand, expanded clay or moss.
low light
Often in winter, the plant experiences a lack of lighting. During the dormant period, it cannot harm him much. But if yucca is kept at room temperature even in winter, then during this period it continues to grow. If she does not have enough light, then she stretches, her shoots become thinner, and the leaves turn yellow and sag.
So that in winter the yucca does not lose its decorative effect and does not weaken, you need to rearrange it to the most illuminated southern window.
Transferring the yucca to the south window is not enough, and to increase the daylight hours, additional electric lighting needs to be organized for the yucca.
Pests
Pests can cause leaves to dry out or turn yellow.
Yucca is an unpretentious exotic indoor plant from the Agave family with weakly branching shoots and fluffy caps of long light green leaves. With age or if the rules for caring for a flower are violated, the lower leaves begin to turn yellow, then dry out and fall off. If the cause of this behavior of the plant is not determined and eliminated in time, then it may die. Experienced flower growers identify several main reasons for the negative change in the appearance of yucca. Beginners in indoor floriculture can avoid problems with their pets if they take these factors into account when keeping them.
The main reasons why yucca leaves turn yellow and dry
lack of lighting
This reason is considered the most common, especially in the autumn, when the length of daylight hours is significantly reduced and indoor plants lack natural light. On the darkest and cloudiest days from September to February, bright diffused lighting can be created using phytolamps or other additional lighting. The length of the artificial daylight hours should last at least ten to twelve hours a day. With such daily illumination, the process of yellowing and dying off of the leaf part of the yucca will stop and very quickly completely stop.
Excess lighting
Excess light, or rather direct sunlight, very easily damages yucca leaves, causing thermal burns to it. This reason is relevant in the spring and summer months, when the flower is grown on the windowsill on the south side of the house and in the daytime the sun's rays are directly directed at the delicate houseplant. Under natural conditions, yucca perfectly tolerates tropical and subtropical climates with maximum sun during the day. But as a houseplant, it is much more vulnerable and therefore direct sunlight leaves its yellow marks on the leaves of a room culture. You can protect the flower with a light translucent shading and gradual accustoming to fresh air (on a balcony or open veranda).
Violation of the rules of watering
The individual characteristics of yucca include adaptability to drought, this must be taken into account when caring for it. The thick trunk of the plant accumulates a lot of moisture (like succulents and cacti), and the dense surface layer of the leaves will protect them from rapid loss of moisture. But insufficient volume and frequency of watering (especially in summer) will lead to the withering of the leaf part and their gradual death. Yucca does not like the lack of moisture. The underground part of the flower does not tolerate an excess of moisture in the soil and regular overflow of irrigation water. Yellow, drooping and drying leaves can signal the beginning of rotting of the root of the plant.
It is very important to find a middle ground in this process. The next watering should be carried out only when the soil mixture in the flower pot dries out by about fifty percent or a little more. Water for irrigation should be warm (with a temperature of 22 to 25 degrees Celsius), be sure to be purified or settled. When watering with cold tap water, rotting of the base of the stem, and then the root part, may begin.
A plant that has become ill from overflow can only be saved by transplanting it into a new substrate. The plant must be carefully removed from the flower pot, the roots thoroughly washed, and all rotted parts of the leaves and roots removed. After trimming diseased roots, it is recommended to treat the cut sites with activated or charcoal powder. After that, the houseplant is planted in a new container with fresh soil. If the root part is completely damaged and there is nothing left to save, then you can cut off the top of the plant and root it.
Dry air for yucca is normal throughout the year, except for the heating season. During this period, the tips of the leaves are very dry, the plant requires periodic additional moisture by spraying. The water should be soft and not cold. Favorable time for water procedures is early morning or evening after sunset. Spraying in the daytime in direct sunlight will leave spots on the leaves after water droplets - burns.
Non-compliance with the temperature regime
If the leaves on a houseplant begin to curl, and the tips of the leaves turn yellow, this indicates an incorrect temperature regime. Yucca prefers a constant moderate temperature of 20 to 25 degrees. Sharp jumps in temperature up or down, as well as cold drafts, negatively affect the appearance of the plant and its further growth and development. At low or high temperatures, the plant may turn completely yellow and dry out.
Failure to comply with transfer rules
Yucca reacts very painfully to transplants, since its root system is easily damaged and then the whole plant begins to hurt. This is manifested in yellowing and drying of the leaf mass. It is recommended to transplant yucca only together with an earthen clod. The transshipment method reduces the risk of injury to the roots.
When transferring a container with a flower to a new place, to a new room and during long-term transportation, the plant experiences severe stress and adapts to new conditions for a long time. At this time, yellowing, wilting and drying of the leaves is possible. This is explained by a change in the conditions of detention, which include temperature, lighting direction, humidity level, and sometimes damage to the root system when moving.
The appearance of pests
The main pests of yucca are scale insects, spider mites and aphids. The invasion of these pests can only be stopped with special chemicals (for example, Fitoverm, Aktara, Aktellik). They are sprayed or sprinkled directly onto insect habitats. Yellowed leaves after the destruction of pests, unfortunately, will not recover. If there are healthy roots, the plant will continue its development, and if they are damaged, the flower is almost impossible to save.
natural causes
Each plant ages over time, and the death of a few of its leaves in the lower part is considered a normal natural process that flower growers should not worry about. It is quite natural that sometimes one or two lower leaves begin to turn yellow and soon dry up. Flower lovers need to help the plant remove these leaves in time, as the yucca will not be able to get rid of them on its own. It is recommended to take the yellowed leaf by the tip and pull it downwards, as if removing the peel.
Knowing the main reasons for the negative changes in the appearance of a houseplant, it will be easier for beginners to care for it and create the necessary conditions for it.
Solitary old yucca leaves turn yellow and die for natural reasons, like all evergreens. But if the color and structure of all leaves is disturbed, then the plant is under stress as a result of improper care or attack by indoor plant pests. To understand why yucca leaves turn yellow, it is important to consider all the factors that affect the plant: water regime, mineral nutrition, temperature and lighting. It is important to remember that yucca comes from an arid climate zone, so not only a lack of moisture, but also its excess is detrimental to it. It also requires a certain air temperature and daylight hours. Sudden changes in growing conditions adversely affect the appearance of the plant, leading to yellowing and leaf fall.
Optimal watering
Yucca, both indoor and garden, is hard to tolerate not only the lack of moisture, but also its excess. This indoor plant is classified as a succulent that creates a reserve of water in the stem, which allows it to survive the dry period in nature. In indoor culture, succulents require abundant, but infrequent watering. Violation of this rule is fraught with some problems.
If watering is done too infrequently, yucca leaves wither, eventually turn yellow and die. Abundant watering creates a threat of acidification of the roots as a result of stagnation of moisture in the soil. Damaged roots do not cope with their functions and are not able to provide the plant with moisture and mineral elements, which leads to yellowing and drying of the shoots, the leaves wither and fall.
In summer, yucca is watered after the topsoil in the pot has dried. In winter, the clod of earth should dry out completely between waterings, as the plant is in a state of forced dormancy. A sign of excess water intake is the darkening of the tips of the leaves, which dry out over time, and the trunk becomes lethargic.
Lighting and temperature
Yucca leaves turn yellow and dry with a lack of sunlight and with sharp fluctuations in temperature. The direct rays of the sun leave burns on the leaves - large light areas that can form anywhere in the leaf blade. Bright diffused light will help to avoid the appearance of such spots and maintain a healthy appearance of the plant.
In winter, yucca is recommended to be moved to a room with a temperature of +10 ... +15 degrees, so that it can better survive the period with short daylight hours and dim lighting. If during the period of forced dormancy the palm tree is located near the heater in a stream of dry warm air, the tips of the leaves turn yellow and dry, the leaves curl. The pot should be moved, choosing the best place for it in the house. To keep the uniform green color of yucca leaves, avoid:
- direct sunlight on the shoots;
- location of the plant in a draft and in a stream of hot air;
- excess air humidity;
- poor watering with a long light day.
mineral nutrition
Yellowing leaves - chlorosis - is one of the signs that the plant is experiencing a lack of mineral elements. With nitrogen deficiency, young leaves grow light, and with potassium deficiency, the color of adult leaves changes. Yucca in room culture can reach 4 m in height, building up a significant vegetative mass, so it needs good mineral nutrition. Once every few years, the flower should be replanted, as the soil becomes acidic and needs to be changed. Some time after transplanting, the soil is depleted. The lack of macro- and microelements is compensated by the application of mineral fertilizers.
The condition of the leaves is negatively affected not only by the deficiency, but also by the excess of minerals in the soil. When applying mineral fertilizers, it is important to follow the manufacturer's recommendations. Yucca is fed no more than once a month, from mid-spring to late summer. In winter, top dressing is stopped so that the growth of the plant slows down.
Yucca is a popular plant among flower growers and will be the first in your home flower collection. It is easy to grow, unpretentious and has an attractive palm-like appearance. However, improperly selected conditions of detention or an attack by pests also lead to a loss of the appearance of the plant - the leaves begin to turn yellow and dry.
A common cause of yellowing is improperly selected conditions of detention. Yucca is photophilous, but direct sunlight causes burns. Helping a plant is a change of a permanent place.
Plants also receive stress after transplantation. A rough transplant with damage to the root system leads to the dropping of the lower leaves. Yucca needs rest, 4 days in a dark place will help to transfer stress.
At this time, you need to observe moderate watering, the root system does not absorb excess moisture. A good drainage system and light soil will help you survive the stress after transplanting.
Often yucca not suitable new place. Growth retardation, yellowness signal an incorrectly chosen location of the plant. Rearrange and observe if the appearance and rate of emergence of new leaves has improved.
In the autumn-winter period, you need to keep calm: reduce watering, put in a cooler place, but no less lit place. In this case, the yucca will gain new strength and will actively grow in the spring.
Lack or excess of moisture, lighting, pests are the main factors affecting the growth and appearance of the plant.
Also, do not forget about natural shedding - this is a self-rejuvenation mechanism laid down by nature. The leaves live for two years, then die off.
Soil waterlogging
Yucca has a well-developed ground part, but the roots are less developed. Abundant frequent watering leads to root rot and plant stem. Watering is carried out with settled water at room temperature.
Light sluggish leaves at the base indicate waterlogging of the substrate, we water the yucca less.
Yellowed, on which brown spots appear, is also a symptom of waterlogging of the soil.
It is necessary to dry the earth, loosen the top layer of soil. If this is not enough, a plant transplant will help.
During transplantation, the roots are treated with a fungicide solution. Disinfection will help to cope with the fungus.
Brown spots on the leaves, definitely a fungal infection. Yellowed must be removed or cut to healthy tissue. If the shoots of the yucca have darkened, then the plant cannot be saved, the root system with the trunk is completely rotted.
Transplantation is carried out in a pot with a thick layer of drainage and large drainage holes. Rotten roots are cut off with a disinfected knife. Sections are treated with root growth stimulants. In case of severe damage, the plant is placed in water until the roots form and then planted in the ground.
Low air humidity
Hot dry air, especially in winter, when hot air rises from the batteries, and the air is too dry, makes the yucca roll its leaves, ends dry.
Yucca grows naturally in Mexico, Central America, and the southern parts of the United States in arid and warm climates. Low humidity is not a strong irritant, but dry air is harmful in winter, which is why additional humidification with a spray bottle or steam humidifier is required.
Lack of lighting at home
Light leaves, almost white at the base, plant stretching up - obvious lack of lighting. If this happens in the autumn-winter period, the yucca should be additionally illuminated with fluorescent lamps.
On the north window, an adult yucca suffers from a lack of light, this will lead to a loss of appearance.
Small specimens feel good on all windowsills. On a southern or eastern window, yucca will feel good, but direct sunlight should be avoided. If the plant is an adult, you can put the pot on the floor or on a special stand, then it will receive diffused lighting without the risk of leaf burns.
Soil drying out
Withered leaves that have lost their elasticity, indicate a lack of moisture. After watering, the leaves become elastic again and do not turn yellow. A systematic lack of water leads to the dropping of leaves and the drying of the root system. It is necessary to increase watering, the top layer of soil should dry out between waterings.
How to save yucca from pests
Daily inspection of the plant for insect damage will allow you to start pest control in time. Slow growth, yellow leaves or sticky coating indicate pest infestation..
Two pests that often affect yucca are spider mites and false scale insects. The first appears in rooms with dry air, more often appears in the residents of the first floors, the spider mite, along with street dust, moves to indoor plants.
With a large crowding of potted plants, everyone will be in the affected area. Fight - treatment with insecticides and washing in the shower. The top layer of soil is replaced with a new one. Prevention - increasing the humidity of the air.
False shield sucks juices, the fight against it will stretch for a couple of months, since one treatment will not be enough. False shields must be removed with a solution of water and laundry soap with a cotton swab or brush, depending on the pest damage and sheet stiffness, or each shield must be manually removed.
Shchitovki hide in hard-to-reach parts, a week after the first treatment, re-treatment is carried out. The top layer of soil is changed to a new one, insecticide treatment is carried out. You can turn to traditional medicine and treat the plant with garlic tincture.
The main thing is that processing should be done as new pests appear until complete destruction. The sticky coating that the false shield leaves is covered with a sooty fungus. It causes browning and rotting of the leaves.
If pests are found, treatment is carried out as soon as possible. The pest is carried by diseases that spread rapidly.
What to do with fungal leaf diseases
Waterlogging of the root system or general hypothermia leads to fungal infections. Dark spots on the leaves are a fungal disease caused by high humidity and excessive watering.
Changing the watering schedule and the permanent location of the yucca will help to overcome the fungus. Diseased leaves are removed.
Another fungus that infects the stem causes stem rot. In the first stages, the fungus can be overlooked, in advanced cases, rot is detected too late, when the stem is affected, and inside it is filled with rot.
If the rot did not have time to spread to the entire trunk, then the plant is cut to a healthy tissue and rooted. In advanced cases, it is disposed of along with the pot so that healthy people do not become infected.
Prevention is in the right choice of soil. Fine expanded clay, sand and coconut shavings should become faithful companions of the new soil, the soil will become softer and more airy. Watering is moderate, between waterings the top layer of mail should dry completely.
Yucca is and remains a plant that does not require constant monitoring. The right place is the key to active and healthy growth. Care and, periodic spraying, medium soil moisture and fertilization will have a positive effect on the appearance.
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