Yellow leaves ~ too little or too much watering? (grow, south, plants)
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My wife and I are having an argument over if I water too much or too little. I’m providing a photo of the one inside plant to show you what I’m talking about. There are two leaves on the plant that have turned a yellow color. The rest of the plant is doing just fine with dark green leaves. There are two other indoor plants that get the same care and amount of watering as this one. However for some reason only this one has two leaves that have changed color. The other plants (same type) also in the past at times will do the same thing.
So the question is. Are yellow leaves a sign of too much or too little watering?
I almost forgot, at this time I'm watering only once a week and all three plants (about the same size) get one quart of water that they share between them.
Thanks for pointing out that the picture wasn’t uploaded in the post. I’ve got it on now and it should open when clicked.
As for the soil test, I have done that most all of the time I’ve been watering them. The soil is always dry and never wet to the touch.
They are inside plants and the air conditioner runs during the day and night here in Phoenix so there is moisture that is always being sucked out of the soil by that being on.
A quart for 3 plants, gallon for one plant, twice a week, every day--there is no *formula* for proper watering.
Some plants grow in swamps and like total wetness. Some plants don't. Depends on the plant, depends on the container it's in, and it depends on the environment the plant lives in.
If your plants are yellowing and droopy looking, they're probably being overwatered (your pics are not attached). Once plants develop root rot from overwatering there isn't much hope of salvaging them. Even if you reduce the water, the damage has already been done and can't be reversed.
Overwatering is the #1 cause of plant death inflicted by owners.
Not always dead on accurate, but generally if you stick your finger in the soil around the plant and it's damp or wet, the plant doesn't need water. Pretty easy method.
A quart for 3 plants, gallon for one plant, twice a week, every day--there is no *formula* for proper watering.
Some plants grow in swamps and like total wetness. Some plants don't. Depends on the plant, depends on the container it's in, and it depends on the environment the plant lives in.
If your plants are yellowing and droopy looking, they're probably being overwatered (your pics are not attached). Once plants develop root rot from overwatering there isn't much hope of salvaging them. Even if you reduce the water, the damage has already been done and can't be reversed.
Overwatering is the #1 cause of plant death inflicted by owners.
Not always dead on accurate, but generally if you stick your finger in the soil around the plant and it's damp or wet, the plant doesn't need water. Pretty easy method.
I've been living in a house (renting) for several months that has numerous plants, mostly outside. The only plants that aren't directly affected by the weather (they are hanging in the covered area of a screened lanai) are the philodendrons, which are doing fairly well. The other plants are all around the perimeter of the house (it's a large house!) 14 are in pots around the pool, but they still get the rain that falls through the screened enclosure.
I don't know the name of the flowering plants, but they looked great until Tropical Storm Debbie dumped several inches of rain on Southwest Florida. Then the leaves turned yellow and the plants began to die. The homeowner insisted I continue to water them daily after dusk. I showed him how wet the soil was, but he said you can never water too much in Florida because of the hot sun.
Anyway, I wanted to respond to this post, even if it is a few years old, because I agree with it. I think most of the plants are getting too much water, and that's why they're dying. If I feel the dirt and it's very moist, I know I should skip a day or two before I add water, especially the ones in pots.
Also, the plants with the most yellow leaves are surrounded by mulch. When I had my own garden, I learned that mulch retains water, but he said I'm wrong. Well, when I move it won't be my problem any more, but I thought this was a good thread with some helpful advice and wanted to update it.
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