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If the leaves of honeysuckle turn yellow in the summer, this is an alarming sign that you should pay attention to. The plant is used in garden plots to decorate flower beds. If the bush turns yellow prematurely and leaves fall, it can ruin the whole landscape. The main reasons why leaves turn yellow on honeysuckle and how to fix the problem are described below.
Why do honeysuckle leaves turn yellow
Honeysuckle leaves turn yellow for various reasons.
This may be improper planting, excessive or insufficient watering, lack of nutrients in the soil, the appearance of pests, all kinds of diseases.
Loams and sandstones are suitable for its planting. If you plant a crop in acidic soil, it may react with the appearance of yellow leaves. If it is known that the acidity of the soil is increased on the site, before planting honeysuckle, the soil mixture should be prepared by adding lime to it.
On honeysuckle planted in the shade, the leaves curl and turn yellow from a lack of ultraviolet radiation. Before planting a shrub, you should choose a suitable site. It should be open, only large-sized ones can grow in the neighborhood, giving slight shading.
When landing, you should follow some rules:
- seedling transplantation must be carried out in early spring, before the buds swell, otherwise the shrub will hurt all summer;
- between plants leave at least 1,2 m. This distance is necessary for the normal development of shoots. With thickening, favorable conditions are created for the development of diseases that can cause yellowing, twisting and falling leaves.
Common Causes of Yellow Leaves in Honeysuckle
If the honeysuckle is planted according to all the rules, it is watered in a timely manner and periodically fed, then diseases or pests can be the cause of the sudden appearance of yellow leaves.
The most common cause of yellowing leaves is the green honeysuckle aphid.
The plant is subjected to the first attack in early June, the second brood appears in July. Aphids feed on plant sap, sucking it out of leaves and shoots. The foliage turns yellow, curls and falls off ahead of time, the shoots stop growing, the general condition of the seedling worsens. Without timely treatment, the plant may die.
Red-olive spotting is accompanied by the appearance of yellowish-red spots on the leaves, gradually acquiring a brownish tint.
Foliage begins to turn yellow, dry and fall off
Mottling of honeysuckle leaves is caused by soil nematodes. The natural color of the crown changes, yellowish-white strokes and spots appear on the leaf plates.
The appearance of winding stripes with a dried and yellowed surface warns of the appearance of miner fly larvae.
The larvae that have appeared make passages inside, which interferes with the normal process of photosynthesis and worsens the condition of the shrub, slowing down its growth.
The gall nematode is a microscopic worm that sucks the juices from the roots and contributes to the penetration of fungal and bacterial infections into the damaged areas. If the root system is damaged, the foliage may turn yellow and fall off prematurely.
The appearance of the root-knot nematode leads to the development of the rezuhi mosaic virus. This disease is characterized by uncontrolled growth of side shoots. The leaves stop developing, begin to dry out and fall off, the plants also wither and die.
What to do if honeysuckle leaves turn yellow
When the first yellowed leaves appear, it is necessary to find out the cause. To do this, carefully inspect the leaf plate, shoots. If there are no external signs of disease or the presence of insects on the honeysuckle, it is necessary to analyze other factors in which the leaves turn yellow.
Inspection of the landing site and a test for the acidity of the soil will help to identify the cause of the appearance of yellow foliage on honeysuckle. If the shrub is planted in the shade, it is better to transplant it to an open area. The procedure is carried out in early spring or autumn, after the leaves fall. It is desirable that at least 1 month remains before the first frost.
Yellowing of the leaves of honeysuckle is not always associated with diseases; perhaps the plant suffers from a lack of nutrients. To help the shrub, it needs to be treated with special preparations, for example, Florist, Uniflor-micro and others. You can use top dressing containing urea, humate. The foliar procedure is carried out in the summer, the introduction of organic matter in the spring, and in the fall it is recommended to fertilize with wood ash.
Honeysuckle needs regular watering, but if the soil is waterlogged, its roots may suffer. In regions with a temperate climate, it is enough to irrigate 3-4 times per season. During a period of severe drought, the amount of watering can be increased. Each well will require 10 liters of warm water. Water the bushes in the evening. To prevent moisture from evaporating too much, the trunk circles are mulched with improvised materials (virgin sawdust, peat, freshly cut grass).
If pests are noticed on the foliage, honeysuckle bushes are treated with insecticides. Effective drugs are recognized:
- Confidor;
- Aktara;
- Actellic.
Processing is also carried out in the spring (for prevention purposes).
Tips from experienced gardeners
Honeysuckle is not only an ornamental, but also a high-yielding shrub. In order not to encounter yellowing of the foliage and a deterioration in yield, it is necessary to carry out preventive measures.
Leaves may turn yellow from lack of nutrition. Feed seedlings in the third year after planting. In early spring, mineral fertilizers (20 g) and manure (5 kg) are applied. Before flowering, Kemira’s preparation is used, it is dissolved in water at the rate of 20 g per 10 liters.
To prevent the culture from turning yellow, foliar top dressing is practiced in the summer. Spraying is carried out in the evening or in cloudy, but not rainy weather. For spraying, you need: urea (0,1%), potassium chloride (0,5%) and superphosphate (1%).
In autumn, the ground is treated with wood ash. For 1 sq. m near the trunk circle will require 200 g of ash.
When yellow leaves appear on the bushes, they are torn off, dried and damaged shoots are cut off and burned away from the site.
Conclusion
If honeysuckle leaves turn yellow, a thorough inspection of the plant is necessary. The correct diagnosis allows you to help the bush in a timely manner and save it from death.
