Why Indoor Plants get Yellow Leaves and How to Fix it
Why Are My Plant’s Leaves Yellow?
Have you spotted a yellow leaf or two on your plant? Don’t panic. There are several reasons a houseplant’s leaves will turn yellow, and we’ve got advice on how to treat each one!
It can take a bit of trial and error to diagnose yellow leaves because they can be caused by opposite issues (overwatering vs. underwatering, or sunburn vs. not enough light). But usually, there are other factors that can help you diagnose the root cause of the issue, and we can help you remedy it!
We’ve broken down what to look for so you can know exactly why your plant has yellow leaves.
Yellow and Brown Leaves with Mushy Stems: Overwatering
One of the largest culprits of yellowing leaves is overwatering, which can happen when you either water your plant too often or give it too much water when you water it.
Yellowing leaves can indicate overwatering and are especially a sign that your plant’s roots are dying.
The best first step is to check the roots and see if they have root rot or any fungal damage. There can sometimes even be fungus gnats if the rot has gotten bad enough.
Repot if needed and treat with a fungicide from your local garden center to control mold growth. Be sure to drain excess water after watering and allow the soil to dry out more between waterings.
Depending on how severe the rot is, you may not be able to save your plant, but you should thoroughly examine all of the roots before tossing it, just to make sure you can’t separate out a portion of healthy roots to be repotted.
Most foliage needs to be watered approximately once a week to maintain moisture in the top inch or two of soil. Succulents and drought-resistant foliage, like Sansevieria and ZZ, need to be watered about once a month.
Yellow, Curling, and Drooping Leaves: Underwatering
On the opposite side of the spectrum, underwatering your plant can also be a reason it has yellow leaves.
Compared to overwatering, those leaves tend to be a brown/yellow color and can be mushy or soft. If your yellow leaves are caused by lack of water, they’ll often be yellow with a curl to the edge or droop off the edge of the plant.
Before dropping, the leaves will turn yellow. Check the soil for moisture and if it’s dry, get back on a regular watering schedule while you identify any other causes of your yellow leaves. If you don’t notice any further yellowing issues, you’ve found the culprit.
Make sure you ease back into watering, while your plant needs it, you don’t want to immediately oversaturate the plant and shock it.
Lower, Older Leaves Turning Yellow: Maturity
Just like people, plants change their looks as they get older. As your plant matures and ages, older leaves can start to become yellow and wilt. Eventually, they will fall off your plant and the energy can be focused on healthy leaves.
If you check your plant for health in the roots and don’t notice any issues, then the yellow leaves are most likely caused by age, and you don’t have any reason to be stressed about your plant!
Yellow Spots and Damage on Leaves: Pests or Infection
If the yellowing leaves aren’t even yellow and show signs of distress, either through brown spots, holes, or other deformities, those could be caused by pests or some type of infection.
The first way to determine if it has pests or infection is to look for bugs, if you don’t spot any, the issues are most likely an infection. If you do see bugs, they could be eating your plant or causing infection.
You should first carefully remove the damaged leaves so nothing can spread to the healthy leaves. Usually, any infection would be bacterial or fungal from the environment your plant is in. You can treat the healthy leaves with a fungicide once you’ve taken off the bad leaves.
If your leaves are yellow from bugs, it’s often because they are drawing out the sap from the leaves. First, move this plant away from your other healthy plants. Next, remove those damaged leaves and clean the remainder of the plant with insecticidal soap or a horticultural oil like neem oil.
Should I Prune Yellowing Leaves?
This is up to you, but if you believe the health of your plant is being impacted by the yellow leaves, it would be wise to remove them. You can use sterile scissors to carefully remove them or with clean hands, pinch or gently pull the leaves off.