I can't get search to work so if this question has been asked a hundred times, I apologize. It seems that in the last few days the lower leaves of my larger brugs are turning yellow. Being new at this I need advice as to the reason or direction where to find the answer. I have been feeding them at least once a week but mostly twice. They do get a fair amount of sun but could they need more? I have plenty of sunny places to sit them so if that's the problem I can fix that. Thanks in advance.
Sandy
Yellowing Leaves on Brugs
Hi Sandy
Sounds pretty normal to me. The older leaves do tend to get yellow and drop off. Here is a picture of older lower leaves turning yellow with age.
That is what I think is going on with yours without seeing a picture of them. I must stress that if you are getting numerous leaves showing this sign in a short period of time.
Check for pests.
I will be checking this morning for unwanted critters but hopefully it is just nature at work. Thank you for the help GardenGuyKin!
Sandy
When this happens to mine, I usually find a few aphids. Another tell tale sign would be lady bugs and ants on the plants as well.
I strip off all the leave I don't need and blast them with Sevin. I'm sure there are many other (and probably safer) methods to rid them of aphids, but I'm all for a quick fix.
I had some insecticidial soap and doused them really well. I saw what may have been a couple of tiny things but nothing else. These are larger plants that I bought from a nursery and two have already had blooms, so I know they aren't babies. All the others I have that I did get as starter plants are looking fine. Thanks for the help and I'll keep an eye on them. Also I live in Michigan and wonder, can they take full late morning and afternoon sun? I have no shade due to losing my maple tree but I do have a plastic canopy that they have been under and don't get all the sun all day. I put it up to sit under and now it's full of brugs and coleus!
american -I am in Mich too and mine are in the full sun = they do fine= just need a lot of water
sarv48, nice to see a fellow Michigander/Michiganian. Thanks for the help and yes it seems like I spend half my time watering but it is so worth it!
Sandy
I am by far not expert but there are several threads that also say overwatering can cause the yellowing leaves as well. I water mine real good once a day then use a mist sprayer if they start to get droopie mid day - evening.
Heavinscent that could also be the problem because when they droop I assumed they needed to be watered again. I am going to try your idea as I do have a mister on my hose and will try to water well in the morning and if they look droopy I will mist and see what happens. Maybe I am just worrying about them too much. And maybe a moisture meter would help too. Thanks!
Sandy
I am having a terrible time with Aphids, never had this last year outside but all the leaves on my Brugs are a mottled yellow, and they do not look healthy at all, I have sprayed them with neem oil but so far it hasn't helped, if it continues I may have to strip all the leaves off.
Oh no! I didn't notice any aphids on mine and I hate those little things! I will watch closely though, thanks.
Sandy
I am having the same problem - they all looked GREAT, until this week! I saw some striped beetles on the leaves & evidence of their shewing, so I sprayed with NEEM & water. I had wondered if the NEEM suffocated the leaves, but I remembered that it happened last year as well. I ended up with bare stems & lots of blossoms, so it does not affect the flowering cycle. At the points where the leraves fell off, the new growth looks great. The lower 1/3 of the plants are now bare or yellow, over the course of 3-4 days! Perhaps this is "normal" for us cooler zone folks?
Julie
I am growing 10 seedling brugs and I'm finding that they just lose their lower leaves as they grow taller. The crown is healthy and robust; the lower leaves just die off. Since this is a tree in real life, I think this might bve normal. I've also noticed many nodes for adventitious roots. Don't know if this is a factor. My babies are extrremely vigorous. With a little fertilizer, they all started new node growth.
Maybe I'll get bloom from one year seedlings!!! Do I get a gold STAR?
Pics to follow.
Thanks for joining in! I haven't noticed any bugs but now that the humidity has gone way up here that may bring them out. I am going out there this morning to water them and I'll be taking a close look. Actually since I posted this they don't seem to look any worse. I did notice that the one with the variegated leaves has little marks on some of the leaves like little bites that don't go all the way through. I guess it's always going to be something!
Michigan has blooms!!!!
Alllllllright!!!!!