Yellowing of foliage in eggplant - causes and measures to combat it
Unfortunately for summer residents, vegetable beds often bring not only joy, but also additional care, especially when it comes to eggplant - beautiful purple fruits, like no other, are sensitive to negative factors. One of the most common problems when growing blue ones is yellowing of the foliage. The once large, juicy and green leaves acquire a yellow color, gradually wither and fall off. If measures are not taken in time to rescue and eliminate the problem, this can result in a complete defeat of the bush and its death, which means the loss of the crop.
There may be several reasons why the leaves of eggplant turn yellow, and it is necessary to start active actions only after their exact establishment.
So, the foliage of powerful eggplant bushes can turn yellow due to:
- lack of nutrients;
- fungal disease;
- damage by pests;
- changing climatic conditions;
- improper watering.
Lack of nutrition
In order for large fruits to ripen on the bushes, eggplants need a full and balanced diet, therefore it is important to feed them regularly and in a timely manner. With a lack of trace elements in the soil, the roots of the plant begin to "pull" them out of the aerial part of the bush, which leads to discoloration of the leaves and their yellow color.
With a lack of nitrogen, the lower leaves turn yellow, and potassium deficiency is manifested by yellowing of the edges of the leaf plate.
To restore the balance of nutrients, eggplants should be fed with complex (but necessarily containing nitrogen) preparations, or foliar application should be made potash fertilizers.
Yellowing due to illness
If the lower leaves become pale, they gradually begin to turn yellow, wither and fall off, the reason for this is a dangerous fungal disease - fusarium wilt. Without treatment, shoots will gradually fade too. The cause of the disease is the fungus found on the seeds or in the soil, and hot weather contributes to its active development.
As soon as the first signs of the disease were noticed, all massively affected bushes should be removed, and the rest should be treated with Fundazol.
To prevent the disease, before sowing, it is necessary to soak the seeds in a solution of potassium permanganate, do not plant seedlings in beds after nightshade crops, but immediately before planting, add Trichodermin to each hole.
Eggplant pests
In dry and hot weather, plants can also be attacked by spider mites. When there are several pests, they are imperceptible, but after reproduction, black dots appear on the back of the leaves, and then the foliage turns yellow.
It is necessary to get rid of insects immediately by treating the plantings with Aktellik or Confidor. Folk remedies such as garlic or onion infusion also work well for them.
Other reasons
Yellowness on the leaves of eggplant can also appear as a result of:
- a sharp change in temperature (at night - cold, during the day - hot);
- prolonged rainy season;
- lack or excess of lighting;
- improper watering (if drops get on the leaves).
In order for the blue ones to grow well, it is necessary for them to take a bright and protected from the wind place on the site, and also to carry out correctly care behind them.