Have you noticed that the leaves of your beloved plants are suddenly turning yellow? Do you feel overwhelmed or confused by this? Yellowing of plant leaves has a scientific name – chlorosis, that is to say the leaves cannot produce enough chlorophyll to produce their natural green color. In this article, Mars Hydro will analyze the most likely causes of your plants’ leaves turning yellow, and what you can do to remedy them.

Under-watering or Over-watering

Under-watering

If your plant leaves look dry, brittle, with drooping conditions. Please stick your finger into the soil one foot, and if the soil is dry to the touch, your plants are thirsty right now. The best solution is to water your plants right away, noting that you don’t water in small quantities but only enough to saturate the roots of the plant.

Over-watering

If your plant leaves are mushy with drooping condition. That’s mostly because of overwatering and without proper drainage, the roots start to drown, which causes the leaves to turn yellow and fall off quickly. How to remedy this situation? You should quickly check if the container in which you are growing your plants has drainage holes, and if not, drill one or more in the bottom of the container to effectively drain the plants.

Lack of Light

If your plants are noticeably yellowing, deciduous, and leggy, that’s because your plant’s light needs are not being met. Without enough light, plants cannot perform proper photosynthesis. Yellow leaves due to lack of light are a common problem with houseplants because people often grossly underestimate the amount of light a plant gets. Therefore, you need to add grow lights to your plants, and pay attention to whether the hanging height of the plant lights is suitable for the growth of each stage of your plant.

Diseases and Pests

If your plant responds with a decline in overall health, including spots and yellowing leaves, and leaves may wrinkle and fall off the edges, that means your plants are suffering from pests and disease! Common plant pests are mites, aphids, thrips, mealybugs, etc. For how to clean up pests you can check out this article posted by Mars Hydro official website: https://www.mars-hydro.com/info/post/how-to-avoid -pests-and-infestations-in-my-grow-tent

Lack of Nutrients

Nutrient deficiencies can also cause plant leaves turning yellow. The following situations can help you identify the nutrients your plants are lacking and prescribe.

Nitrogen deficiency: The inner leaves turn yellow first then the yellow leaves gradually spread outward.

Potassium deficiency: when leaf edges turn bright yellow, but the inner leaf stays green.

Iron deficiency: shows as yellowing between leaf veins.

Magnesium deficiency: it starts as yellow patches between leaf veins on older leaves. Veins stay green as yellow moves from the leaf center out. 

After knowing the nutrients your plants lack, you can buy the corresponding nutrients to supplement your plants.