Why do monstera leaves turn yellow - diseases and pests
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With improper care of the monster, its leaves lose their attractiveness and change color from green to yellow. This is how the plant tries to warn the owner about problems with the root system, nutrition or lighting.
The main reasons for yellowing foliage
There are many factors affecting the change in the color of the leaves of a plant. To eliminate the problem of yellowing of the leaves, you need to find the cause of its occurrence.
Incorrect lighting
The native of South America does not like the bright sun. Under the influence of its rays, monstera leaves quickly begin to turn yellow and wither. If the cause is found, action should be taken immediately. It is necessary to move the flower away from the window and provide it with diffused light. If movement is not possible, then the window is covered with a curtain.
Proper watering will save you from many problems
The opposite problem (lack of light) also leads to yellowing of the foliage. Placing a container with a plant in a dark corner can destroy it. Monsterea tolerates lack of light well, but doesn't like shadow.
Water imbalance
To determine the reason why the leaves of the monstera turn yellow, you need to pay attention to the moisture content of the soil. For a full-fledged existence and active growth, a plant needs a lot of moisture. Large leaves need sufficient water.
It is worth paying attention to the nature of the yellowing: limited light areas will appear on the old foliage, which in the future can capture the entire leaf. Young leaves look initially lethargic and die off quickly.
Along with yellow spots, brown spots often appear. Why do monstera's leaves turn black, what should I do in this case? The point here is also a lack of moisture. It is necessary to provide the plant with regular watering with a sufficient amount of water. For a speedy recovery, leaf spraying is used.
Excess watering leads to similar problems. Overfilling a plant can destroy its root system. If the leaves of the monstera turn yellow, then you need to do this: dry the soil as quickly as possible, remove rotten roots, add top dressing and normalize the watering regime.
Temperature regime
If, for some reason, the tips of the leaves dry on the monstera in winter, this is due to the beginning of the heating season and, as a result, dry and hot air. This regime is very stressful for the plant. It is recommended not to place the container with the flower near the central heating radiators.
If the room is hot, the monster needs to be watered, it will not fall into suspended animation in the fall at this temperature. In case of rapid drying of the soil, watering is done daily. The surest sign that the plant is hot is the curling of the edges of the leaf.
In the cold season, in the room where the monstera is standing, the temperature should be about 17 ° C. In warmer air, the plant will grow vigorously, bypassing the resting phase, which will weaken the flower.
Incorrectly selected soil
Another reason for the yellowing of the leaves in the monstera is the wrong soil selected for transplanting.Novice growers often leave the flower in the same pot with soil where the flower was when it was purchased. It is not right. Usually, many stimulants and energy drinks are added to such soil. Their prolonged exposure to a houseplant worsens its condition. After a week of adaptation to a new place, the vine needs to be transplanted with soil replacement.
The easiest way is to buy a ready-made mixture for monstera, but you can make it yourself. You need to take a mixture of earth, fine sand, peat and humus in equal proportions. Monstera will be grateful for a soil that is neutral in acidity, but it will feel good in a slightly acidic soil.
Lack of nutrients
If the monstera lacks nutrition, it turns yellow and sheds dry leaves. To find the cause, you need to observe the growth of aerial roots. If there are a lot of them, and active growth is observed, it means that there are not enough nutrients in the soil, and urgent fertilization is required. Complex store preparations for monstera will help. It is important to observe the proportions and frequency of adding the substance (indicated on the package). You can make your own nutritional mixture from ash and nitrogen fertilizers.
Micronutrient deficiencies are bad for monstera leaves
Monstera pests
It is very important to periodically inspect the leaves, the stem of the plant for yellowing, and the soil for pests. Often, parasites enter a house with a purchased flower. To prevent this from happening, it is recommended to keep the new plant in quarantine for a week. The same can be said for purchased soil. If not treated before planting flowers, pests may appear from the mixture. The consequences can be dire.
Spider mite
The insect prefers to dwell on the underside of the leaf. The mite produces a cobweb, which, enveloping the leaf, dries it. The presence of a spider mite may indicate the presence of light—green dots on the sheet, which after a while merge into a single whole. The diseased leaflet becomes light and then falls off. Fitoverm is actively used to combat spider mites.
It is much easier and more effective to prevent its occurrence. For prevention purposes, the leaves of the plant should be regularly sprayed, including the underside of the plate, and dry air in the room should be avoided. The parasite is fought by spraying with infusions of onion peel and garlic. A solution of laundry soap has proven itself well.
Aphid
The insect prefers to parasitize on young branches, the skin of which has not yet hardened.
Distinguish between white, black and green aphids. All varieties are equally dangerous to the plant. The harm lies in the suction of juice from the shoots, as a result of which the leaves turn yellow, curl and fall off. If the aphid is black, this is also the reason why the leaves of the monstera turn black. Without assistance, the plant will die.
If a pest is found, it is urgent to process the leaves.
With a small accumulation of aphids, it is removed by hand, wiping the affected areas with a napkin dipped in a strong soap solution. If there are a lot of aphids, then insecticides are used in aerosols. Not only the affected plants are processed, but also neighboring, outwardly healthy ones. The earth is treated with the same solutions.
Shield
It is a very rapidly multiplying parasite. The scale insect lives on shoots, aerial roots and monstera leaves. Outwardly, it looks like a brown plaque, which is tightly pressed against the sheet.
The plant, affected by the scab, looks depressed, the leaves turn yellow and wither. To eliminate the insect, wipe the foliage with soapy water.After removing the parasite, it is necessary to move the plant to a cooler room and increase the moisture content of the soil.
Mealybug
Most often, a mealybug appears on the monster. Lesions can be detected by fluffy lumps or dots on the stem and leaves of the plant. If there are many such points, the foliage begins to turn yellow and then fall off. To get rid of the problem, you need to wipe the areas where the pest is seen with an insecticide. The procedure is repeated weekly until complete recovery.
Regular inspection of plants will help you spot the problem in time.
Plant healing
If a pest is found, you must try to get rid of it using folk remedies (infusions of onion husks, tobacco or calendula, chopped garlic, a solution of tar or laundry soap). They are less radical and harmful both for the flower itself and for the people living in the apartment. The measure is justified when there are few insects, and the plant did not have time to suffer much. Otherwise, it is better to use synthetic insecticides.
Timely treatment will help keep the monster
In order for the monstera to please the owner with its appearance, it is necessary to establish proper care. First of all, it is removed from the draft and protected from accidental damage. You need to carefully choose a new soil for transplanting vines. The wrong composition is fatal to the flower. The plant requires regular feeding and watering, diffused lighting and leaf spraying.
