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Morning glories are perennials with funnel-shaped, fragrant flowers that grow from a vine and come in many bright colors such as blue, pink, purple, and white. These beautiful flowers open at the first sunlight and last throughout the day. These typically hardy vines, however, can sometimes suffer problems.
Problems with morning glories can vary but may include environmental issues and fungal diseases of morning glory.
The beach morning glory (Ipomoea imperati) is admired for its lush green heart-shaped leaves and vibrant trumpet-shaped flowers. However, it can be alarming when those vibrant green leaves start turning yellow.
Yellowing leaves on your beach morning glory can have various causes. But with proper care and troubleshooting you can get your plant back to good health.
In this comprehensive guide we will explore the top reasons for yellow beach morning glory leaves and provide tips to restore your plant’s foliage to its former glory.
Common Causes of Yellowing Leaves
Here are some of the most frequent culprits behind yellow leaves on beach morning glories:
Insufficient Sunlight
Beach morning glories thrive in full sun. They need at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily for robust growth. Insufficient light leads to reduced chlorophyll production, causing the leaves to appear pale, yellowed and washed out.
If your plant is in shade for most of the day, move it to a brighter, sunnier spot. Prune off any severely damaged yellow leaves, and the remaining foliage should gradually regain its color as chlorophyll production increases.
Overwatering
Excess moisture around the roots suffocates them, leading to root rot and yellowing of leaves. Beach morning glory needs well-draining soil and requires a thorough soaking only when the top inch becomes dry.
Check if your plant’s soil is remaining soggy for too long after watering. Improve drainage by amending dense clay soils with compost. Allow the top layer to dry out before watering again. Remove damaged yellow leaves and water cautiously going forward.
Underwatering
While overwatering is bad, so is letting your beach morning glory dry out completely. Extreme drought stresses the plant, causing foliage to yellow and wilt. Leaves may start curling inward as well.
Give your plant a deep watering immediately if the soil becomes completely parched. Provide 1 inch of water per week in future if rainfall is inadequate. Mulching helps conserve moisture at the roots.
Nutrient Deficiencies
Lack of important nutrients like nitrogen, magnesium, iron etc. can induce yellowing. Foliar feeding with a balanced liquid fertilizer containing these nutrients helps rejuvenate plants.
Alternatively, work some compost or all-purpose granular fertilizer into the soil to provide a slow-release nutrient source. Prune off badly damaged leaves for better growth.
Diseases
Fungal diseases like leaf spot, powdery mildew, and rust can cause yellow spots or patches on leaves. Downy mildew and bacterial blights also lead to yellowing.
Improve air circulation around plants, water at soil-level, use drip irrigation and avoid overhead watering to reduce disease spread. Remove and destroy infected leaves. Apply suitable fungicides as a last resort if disease is severe.
Pests
Sap-sucking pests like spider mites, aphids, whiteflies and thrips drain plant juices leading to yellowing foliage. Caterpillars, snails, and slugs chew through leaves causing similar damage.
Check undersides of leaves and stems closely for any bugs. Knock off pests with a strong spray of water. Apply neem oil or insecticidal soap sprays to control infestations. Pick off larger pests by hand and dispose of them.
Root Disturbance
Root damage during transplanting or cultivation can interrupt the uptake of water and nutrients, causing foliage yellowing.
Avoid disturbing the root zone after your plant is established. Water deeply after transplanting and provide temporary shade to help recovery.
Excess Fertilizer
Over-fertilizing leads to salt buildup in the soil, preventing proper nutrient absorption and resulting in yellowing leaves with browned tips and margins.
Flush soil with plenty of water to wash out excess salts. Refrain from fertilizing for a few months and when resuming, use a balanced, low-dose organic fertilizer.
Temperature Fluctuations
Cool weather or sudden temperature drops can induce yellowing and leaf drop in beach morning glories. Light frost can also damage foliage.
Provide shelter or cover plants during cold snaps. Move potted plants to protected areas. Remove damaged tissue to allow new growth.
Corrective Measures
- Identify and remedy the underlying cause of yellowing.
- Prune off severely damaged yellow leaves to improve appearance.
- Provide optimal sunlight, moisture and care going forward.
- Improve drainage if soil is remaining soggy.
- Control pests and diseases immediately if detected.
- Avoid over-fertilizing and overwatering.
- Maintain steady temperatures as much as possible.
Prevention of Future Yellowing
- Select a site with at least 6 hours of full sun.
- Plant in well-draining soil enriched with compost.
- Water thoroughly only when topsoil is partly dry.
- Apply a balanced fertilizer at planting time.
- Use drip irrigation and avoid wetting foliage.
- Provide support for vines to prevent damage.
- Monitor for pests and treat early.
- Shelter plants from extreme weather fluctuations.
By following good cultural practices and providing optimal care, you can avoid stress and promote lush green growth in your beach morning glories. At the first sign of yellowing, take prompt corrective action to restore the beautiful coloration these plants are prized for.
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Environmental problems with morning glories
When the leaves of a morning glory turn yellow, it is usually a sign that something is not right with your plant. Insufficient sunlight can be a cause of yellowing leaves, as morning glories require full sun to flourish. To remedy this, you can transplant your morning glory to a sunnier spot in the garden or trim any plants that are blocking the sun. Another cause of yellow leaves is either under-watering or over-watering. Once your morning glory has been watered, let the soil dry before re-watering. Morning glories do well in USDA plant hardiness zones 3-10, be sure that you are in one of these zones for best results.
Morning glory vine diseases
A fungal disease called rust is another culprit of yellowing leaves. To diagnose whether your plant has rust or not, look closely at the leaves. There will be powdery pustules on the backside of the leaf. They are what cause the leaf to turn yellow or even orange. To prevent this from happening, do not overhead water your morning glory and remove any infected leaves. Canker is a disease that causes the stem of the morning glory to be sunken-in and brown. It wilts the ends of the leaves and then spreads onto the stem. It is a fungus that, if not taken care of, will affect the whole plant. If you suspect that your morning glory has this fungus, cut away the infected vine and dispose of it.
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