Indoor violet (African violet, Saintpaulia) pleases the eye and gives flowering comfort to the home interior. The most common problem people ask about is why are my African violet leaves turning yellow.
Sometimes a seemingly harmless problem can even lead to the death of the plant.
african violet leaves turning yellow due to Natural process
During the growth process, it happens that the lower leaves die off naturally, it can be only one or a few leaves.
Violet leaves turn yellow due to improper care.
Old violet leaves are prone to:
- Yellowing;
- And fading.
To prevent the plant from dying, you need to transplant it into new soil once a year, and cut off the yellowed leaves and flowers.
Important! Such care will allow you to maintain the decorative effect of the plant for a long time.
Here is a detailed article on African Violet Leaf Problems And Diseases and solutions.
why are my African violet leaves turning yellow?
In some cases, yellowing of the leaves of indoor violets is out of control, covering one leaf after another. To preserve the plant, it is necessary to establish the cause of what is happening as soon as possible.
Improper care
Caring for violets is not difficult, but requires:
- Knowledge;
- And compliance with certain rules.
The main reason for the yellowing of the leaves is the improper conditions of the violets.
temperature too high
Temperature is an important factor in plant health. Combined with excessive illumination, it causes yellowing of the lower layer of leaves. The optimum growing temperature is + 20-25 ℃:
In winter, the main enemy of violets is hot and dry air from heating batteries:
- To prevent overheating of the leaves, the battery is covered with a thick cloth;
- Temperatures over 29 ℃ are extremely unfavorable for violets.
To increase the humidity of the air, they spread wet in the pan of the pot :
- Moss;
- Or a pebble.
Lack or excess of soil moisture
For good growth of violets, the watering regime is very important, the plant should not be overdried or over-watered:
- Excess moisture in the ground contributes to the development of pathogenic microorganisms;
- Waterlogged soil is characterized by poor aeration and souring, as a result of which the roots rot, the leaves turn yellow and wither;
- It is impossible to allow stagnation of water in the sump, after 20-30 minutes. after watering, the excess liquid is drained;
- Water the plant only after the top layer of the substrate is completely dry.
Often, yellowing of the leaves provokes too poor watering.
Important! A common cause of violet wilting is the alkalization of the soil in a pot. The situation is corrected by plant transplantation or watering with slightly acidified water.
Direct sunlight in summer
One of the main mistakes when caring for violets is incorrect lighting:
- The flower does not like the scorching sun, if the window is directed to the south, then it is better to place the violet in the corner or in the back of the room;
- North or east windows are optimal for cultivation.
The yellowing of the leaves is also influenced by:
- Low lighting;
- And short daylight hours in winter.
At this time, the plant must be illuminated with a phytolamp. Violets with dark green leaves are more resistant to excessive light.
Important! Direct sunlight burns the surface of the leaves and causes them to turn yellow.
Disease or pest attack
Yellow leaves are often caused by:
- Microbial disease of the flower;
- Or pest damage.
The source of infection can be:
- Another diseased plant;
- Fungus-infected soil;
- A dirty instrument used when transplanting violets. Pests can cause yellowing of leaves in violets.
First of all, a plant that is weakened as a result of improper care is exposed to the disease.
Are you worried about African Violet having Too Many Leaves and want to know what to do?
Root system damage
Root rot, as a rule, is the result of excessive soil moisture, which arises from the defeat of the roots by fungi.
Fusarium
It manifests itself in wilting, drilling, and leaf fall.
Fusarium is a root disease in violets.
This fungal disease is characterized by the darkening of the roots. In most cases, the treatment is ineffective and the violet will die.
Gray rot
The mycelium of the fungus Botritis begins to germinate in the area of the rosette, then rises higher:
- The flowers and buds are covered with gray mold, which causes the death of the affected areas;
- Small brown spots of various shapes are visible on the stem and leaves ;
- The tips of the leaves turn brown.
Over time, the spots grow and become covered with a gray fluffy bloom.
Late blight
Fungal disease of the violet, which is practically not cured :
- At the first stage of the disease, it seems that the plant does not have enough water, but after watering the plant cannot recover and withers even more;
- In young plants, late blight affects the roots and root collar, then spreads to the stem and leaves;
- The tissues of the plant turn brown, the leaves wither.
Important! The violet can be saved only at the initial stage of the disease.
Errors when feeding with organic and mineral fertilizers
What can make a violet leaf turn yellow? A lack of nutrients will quickly affect the appearance of the violet :
- Poor growth, yellowing of leaves is noted;
- Flowering stops;
- The flower is easily affected by diseases and pests. Overfeeding may cause violet leaves to turn yellow.
It is also important not to over-feed, which can lead to:
- Burn the roots;
- Withering leaves;
- And the appearance of yellowness.
Two months after transplanting, the soil of a small pot is already very depleted, so the flower must be fed regularly :
- Fertilizers developed for violets are applied to the soil in liquid form according to the instructions;
- The dose of universal fertilizer for indoor plants is halved;
- Miniature varieties are fertilized monthly, the dose of introduced elements is halved compared to ordinary violets;
- The fertilizer solution is applied at the root, trying not to touch the leaves and the central outlet.
Attention! In December-February, violets are fed monthly; in April-May, September, and October – every 10 days; in the summer months – once a week.
For foliar processing:
- Fertilizer concentration is reduced by 2 times compared to root treatment;
- Spraying is carried out on the back of the leaf, this contributes to the rapid absorption of nutrients.
At the same time, they try to prevent fertilizer from getting on the flowers.
Lack of essential nutrients
To feed violets, a complex of mineral elements is required :
- Nitrogen – to enhance the growth activity of violets and the rich green color of the leaves;
- Phosphorus – to activate the growth of roots, the formation of buds;
- Potassium – to stimulate flowering, strengthen the plant’s immunity.
Important! In the spring, during the growth period, the plant needs to be fed with nitrogen, when the budding and flowering begin phosphorus and potassium are needed.
In addition, the plant needs microelements :
- Sulfur, magnesium – for flower growth and chlorophyll synthesis;
- Calcium – to maintain cell structure, prevent premature aging;
- Iron, manganese, silicon, boron, cobalt, zinc, copper. Due to the lack of nutrients in violets, the leaves may turn yellow.
Check out How To Make African Violet Soil Mix?
Conclusion
A correct diagnosis will allow you to preserve the violet and restore African violet leaves turning yellow and also long abundant flowering.
