Hello, human caretaker. I am your chrysanthemum, and I am trying to communicate with you. The yellowing of my leaves is my primary way of signaling that my needs are not being met. It is a symptom, not the disease itself. Let me explain the most common reasons from my perspective.
This is the most frequent issue. You may be giving me too much or too little water, and both feel the same to me—a state of drought. Overwatering drowns my roots, rot sets in, and they can no to drink, causing my lower leaves to turn yellow and wilt. Underwatering is simpler: without enough moisture, I cannot transport nutrients, and my leaves become dry, crispy, and yellow, often starting at the tips. To fix this, please feel my soil. Water me deeply only when the top inch is dry to your touch, and ensure my pot allows excess water to escape freely.
My vibrant green color comes from chlorophyll, which requires specific elements to build. A lack of these causes a condition called chlorosis. If my older, lower leaves are turning yellow first, I am likely deficient in Nitrogen, which is mobile and I redirect to support new growth. If the yellowing occurs between the veins of my newer, upper leaves, I may be lacking Iron or Manganese, often because the soil pH is too alkaline for me to absorb them. Please feed me with a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer formulated for flowering plants during my growing season, and consider a soil test to check the pH.
If I have been in the same container for a long time, my roots may have exhausted the available nutrients and filled the entire pot. This is called being pot-bound. With no room to grow and depleted soil, I cannot gather enough water or food, leading to yellowing leaves and general distress. The solution is to gently repot me into a new home that is only one or two inches larger in diameter, using fresh, well-draining potting mix. This will give my roots the space and resources they need to support healthy green growth.
Sometimes, the problem is an invasion. Pests like spider mites or aphids suck the sap from my leaves, leaving them stippled and yellow. Fungal diseases can also cause yellow spotting or wilting. Furthermore, environmental stress such as too much intense, direct sunlight can scorch my leaves, while not enough light will reduce my chlorophyll production. Inspect my leaves, both topside and underside, for tiny bugs or webbing. Ensure I receive plenty of bright, indirect light and have good air circulation around my foliage.
