11 Reasons Your Leaves Are Turning Yellow (And How To Treat Them)

We’ve all been there – you love your plants, water them, feed them, check their pH levels, and sing them to sleep every night (or maybe that’s just me), and then one day you wake up to see the dreaded yellow leaf! Before long, your plant is more yellow than green and you start making funeral preparations, fearing the worst (again, maybe that’s just me). Fear not! We have the ultimate list of reasons your leaves are turning yellow so you can successfully diagnose and treat your plants. Read on to find out more!

Pest Problem

This is perhaps the easiest issue to spot, but it’s worth a spot on this list nonetheless. The signs of a pest problem are obvious – insects are visible on leaves, and there are holes from insects eating the leaves. The nice thing about pests is that they are easy to spot and easy to kill! Simply spray the plant with neem oil or an insect killing soap.

Overwatering

Overwatering is my weakness. I just love my plants and I want to give them good things! Sometimes I love them a little too much. I know the signs well: wilted, yellow leaves that fall off easily. If you catch it early enough, all you have to do is hold off on watering the plant for a few days. If the overwatering is really bad, your poor plant might have root rot. In this case, you’ll need to repot and add a little sand to the soil to help soak up and drain water better. Mist the plant so it gets a little water without drowning.

Lack of Sunlight

Here’s another easy fix: do your plants look a little faded and droopy? Put them in the sun! Just make sure to transition the plants a little bit at a time, otherwise you might scorch the leaves from too much direct sunlight.

Dehydration

If the leaves are dry and crunchy to touch, never fear! You might think your plant is a goner, but really it could just use a good soak in a pot with good drainage. Plants should get at least 1 inch of water every week, so set a schedule to water your plants regularly and you’ll be amazed at how quickly they’ll pop right back to life!