Orchid Leaves Turning Yellow – Causes + Fixes to Save the Plant

Hey folks, we are back with another informative topic, and the topic is Why are Orchid Leaves Turning Yellow? Being a gardener, it becomes difficult to handle the issues faced by every plant in your home garden. But no worries as we are here!  

Key takeaways:

• Orchids are one of the houseplants grown by almost every farmer in their home garden. It makes your garden area look attractive.
• There are almost 2,80,000 species of the orchid in this universe.
• Yellowing of the orchid leaves happens because the plants suffer from overwatering, underwatering, even overfertilization, and inadequate supply of sunlight, all these causes make the leaves of the orchid plants yellow which is not good for the plant to grow.
• Sometimes, the leaves of orchids begin to turn yellow due to many reasons. Yellowing leaves are typical nowadays in all plants. But what matters is the ways to fix your plant so that you save your plant.
• The yellow leaves in the plant will begin to fall off, and new leaves will begin to appear.

So, read the guide so that you understand its causes and also the ways to fix this issue and save your plant. 

What are the causes behind the Orchid Leaves Turning Yellow? 

The following are the causes of the yellow leaves of the orchid plants just like wrinkled leaves of the orchid:

• Sunburn
• Overwatering
• Underwatering
• Improper supply of sunlight
• Overfertilization of your plant
• Temperature issues
• Natural aging
• Transplanting issue

Let’s know about them in detail. 

1. Sunburn

One of the main causes is the over-exposure of plants to sunlight. It makes the leaves of the plant burn which even makes them die. You will observe yellow spots on the leaves in that situation. 

Even the leaves will begin to dry and show some brown-colored leaves too. It is so that the plant is suffering from the inadequate supply of sunlight which makes the leaves of the plant yellow. The orchid plants cannot tolerate much sunlight as compared to other plants. 

2. Overwatering

Another cause behind the turning of yellow orchid leaves is the excess supply of water to your plants. You tend to know if you are providing them with a sufficient amount of water or not. Orchid plants like to remain in dry conditions, but when they get overwatered by any means, then they result in the other leaves turning yellow. 

The roots of the plant will not receive much oxygen in this phase which will even cause root rot in the plant. The plant will not grow anymore because of the lack of oxygen. When this plant stores excess water in them, its roots will steep which make the leaves yellow. 

3. Underwatering

Like overwatering, the orchid plants can not tolerate the undersupply of water. As it causes dehydration in the plant which makes the plant weak. It results in dry leaves in the plant and even causes yellow-colored leaves in the orchid plants. 

Being a plant with a big root system, it needs to be moist but without water, it cannot remain moist which is not good for the plant as it develops yellow-colored leaves in the plants. 

4. Improper supply of sunlight

Another reason is the improper supply of sunlight to your orchid plants. When the plant receives plenty of sunlight that is not needed by it, then it turns the leaves yellow which is not good for the plants. 

Excess sunlight will make the leaves pale and then they will become yellow due to the lack of chlorophyll. When you do not meet their basic needs for sunlight then they will turn yellow as they are not receiving the poor amount of sunlight for them to thrive. 

5. Overfertilization of your plant

Though it is suggested to give fertilizers to your plant so that it thrives well at a faster pace. But what if you ate giving them fertilizers in excess? It is not good for your plants as it can harm foliage. 

By consuming fertilizer in excess, the plant loses water which develops yellow-colored leaves in the plant. You can even cause damage to the roots of the orchid plants. 

6. Temperature issues

Another cause behind the turning of yellow-colored leaves is the low-temperature supply to your orchid plants. 

When the room temperature is not in favor like cold, the plant begins to turn its leaves yellow. As it decreases the growth of the plant. 

7. Natural aging

There is one cause that cannot be fixed by you. Yes, you are thinking right, it is the natural aging of the orchid plant. Plants too have a lifespan to follow. You can not do anything in that situation. 

The old foliage of the plant needs to be removed as it is not allowing new growth to emerge. So, it will develop yellow-colored leaves. So you need to cut back the lower yellow-colored leaves so that the new growth comes. 

8. Transplanting issue

Last but not least, when you Repot or transplant your plant, it faces some issues which make the yellow-colored leaves of the orchids. It is not at all good for the plants. It is suggested to Repot your plant once in a year but also you need to do it carefully otherwise it disturbs the plant. 

It can even cause wilted leaves in the plant. Try to fix this cause by anyhow you can make the drainage holes in the plant so that the plant thrives well. 

How can you Fix the yellow turning of orchid leaves to Save the Plant? 

Following are the ways that will help you in fixing the yellow turning of the orchid leaves so that you become successful in saving your plant. They are: 

1. Provide them with good temperature 

Another thing that can be done by you to save your orchid plant leaves is to provide them good temperature so that they thrive well. 

You have to choose a suitable location for them. They love to be in temperatures from about 65-80 degrees Fahrenheit. They will not turn their leaves yellow if you provide them with this temperature as it suits them.  

2. Water your plants properly

Watering is a technique that can either grow your plant or make them weak. So, you need to think about what you are up to. It would be best if you watered your orchid plants properly so that they grow well and you get the desired results. 

It can be done by watering them one time a week in the winter and the summers, and watering them two times a week so that the plant remains moist and grows well. Make sure you are checking the soil moisture before watering the plant by inserting a finger an inch below the soil. 

3. A good amount of sunlight 

Another thing that you have to make sure of is that your plants receive plenty of sunlight. Also, do not overexpose them to the sunlight. You can place them in a location where they receive about 12-15 hours of sunlight for their growth. 

But when it’s sunny, you need to protect your plants. Heal your sunburned plants either by pruning them or giving them water. 

4. Prune off the affected roots

You need to observe if any disease roots are yellow, or brown. You have to cut them back so that new growth emerges. 

Soft roots too need to be pruned as they are also affected ones. So, do not let any affected root affect the other ones and stop its growth. 

5. Do not over-fertilize your plants

You have to make sure that your plant is not getting excess fertilizer as it will become weak because of overfertilization. 

All you have to do is to learn about your plants first and find which fertilizer will suit them. Being light feeders, they need slow-release fertilizer. Do not dilute it and give it to the plants. 

Wrapping up the context

In this guide, you come to know that Orchids are one of the houseplants that are grown by almost every family in their home garden. It makes your garden area look attractive. There are almost 2,80,000 species of the orchid in this universe. 

Sometimes, the leaves of the orchids begin to turn yellow due to many reasons. Yellowing leaves are common nowadays in all plants. The yellow leaves in the plant will begin to fall off, and new leaves will begin to appear. But you need to cure the issue of yellowing leaves. So, have a look at the whole guide and stay connected for more articles. 

Thanks for reading! Happy gardening! 

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