Yellowing plants

Plants
1

Hello

Can I ask for advise? A lot of my plants have gone yellow. They were mainly green but suddenly within 1-2 days turn yellow. I am not sure what is wrong and what I should do.

This papaya plant was very green and healthy but now it has turned mostly yellow and seems to be dying :anxious_face_with_sweat:

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2

Hello. The question you are asking is very similar to this one: “my hair if falling out. Why, and what should I do?”. It is too generic. One would need at least the following information:

  • what soil do you use?
  • where are you, what is your climate - eg. temperature, wind, rainfall, other factors like smog (in a city) etc.
  • What type of fertilizer do you use (if any)
  • Do you water your plants? How often? What water do you use (tap water, ground water, rain water)?
  • Did you see any bugs on the plant or the roots?
  • Etc.
1 Like
3

I think it is nitrogen deficiency.
(1) My first thought is “ nitrogen drawdown”. A very organic potting mix that uses all available nitrogen to break down the high carbon organic matter leaving none for the plant.
(2) Ph is too high or too low means the plant cannot take nitrogen because it is unavailable.
Useful resources A Basic Soil Chemistry Review | The Gateway Gardener
I have not read the article - but the chart is clear to read. This only works for you if you have a ph test kit to test with. You may have a simple kit like this one available locally that will do the job. https://www.bunnings.com.au/manutec-garden-care-products-soil-ph-test-kit_p3016727
BUT a simple test you can do with this plant now is. Collect your urine during the day when it is light colored. Dilute it with water 1:10. Must be a pale yellow. If not pale enough dilute a bit more. Water your plant with it and watch. I would expect a papaw to respond quickly 5-10days. It will go green again and begin to grow. Make it too strong and you may kill it. This is a very cheap way out for a potted plant and gets you potentially out of a crisis.
But you still have to figure out what is the issue with the potting mix you are using. Hence the ph kit and ph key.

4

a further thought…
If the above does not turn your papaw green again there is a possibility that the potting mix has toxic amounts of one or more micro nutrients. This could be caused by ph being high or low or a component of the mix. Sorting this out is a land mine and too hard without technical expertise generally.

5

I’ll include this hoping it does not confuse matters.
https://www.forwardplant.com/care/disease/carica-papaya/nutrient_deficiency/

6

Thanks I am just using normal potting soil and organic compost and I water them 1-2x a day as they are still young plants. I don’t see any bugs. I use tap water

7

Hi thanks, I did compost my veges and added to the pot. It could be a nitrogen drawdown then

8

If they were soft veges it is unlikely to be the cause but if it was wood/coarse material highly possible.