I lived in Knox County for a time in the early 1980’s. My father loved my mother very much and did something unusual in the backyard. He built a greenhouse. The greenhouse wasn’t that big, so we did it as a hobby. All of us in our family had a talent for caring for plants and enjoyed our work, especially in winter.
What we found was that many people enjoyed the way we tend to plants. We would take cuttings and grow them into something that would become a focal point in any setting. One of the most exciting things we would do for some of our customers is have something in bloom all year round.
We have created spectacular backdrops at the entrances of a variety of buildings. In a foyer of a church we made a mini jungle backdrop. People gathered around these places in conversation and talked about God’s creation in the plants of this church.
A philodendron vine, 60 feet6 long with leaves 3 feet high and 30 inches wide
Forked Philodendron or Monstera deliciosa is native to the tropical forests of southern Mexico and southern Panama. Our Central American native can be aggressive and has become an invasive plant species on a number of tropical islands. I want you to imagine that in the jungles of Central America. You can find these beautiful vines that grow up to 60 feet long. wow, right? The leaves can grow up to 3 feet tall and 30 inches wide.
One of my Facebook friends, who loves plants and serves as a place for people to share their passion for tropical plants, asked me why her plant’s leaves were yellow. When I was looking at plants at the plant rental locations we serviced many years ago, we typically had multiple answers to any challenge, including removing the plant from the location. We often solved the challenge while the system was still installed.
With the huge west window in this church and great areas for plant settings, we had some very dry areas to tend to some of these splitleaf philodendrons. Bottom line is that we saw these yellow leaves on a regular basis until we welded together some tubs that were 6 inches tall. With the huge amount of water under each of the pots, we found that the plague of yellow leaves was over.
Plant diseases can be due to several factors
Yellow leaves in split-leaf philodendron can be the result of improper watering, improper lighting, lack of nutrients, or insects. Improper watering is the usual reason for yellowing of the leaves. If your Monstera is overwatered, you will see the leaves yellowing first from the bottom up. You should also check the soil to see if it still feels damp after watering. Compacted soil does not allow water to drain as well as plant health requires. That was usually the reason why I repot a plant.
What shows the need to repot is when you’ve watered the philodendron more than a week ago and the top few inches are still wet to the touch. Or if you have a water meter and it reads higher than four, your soil may not be draining well, causing overwatering. Underwatered philodendrons with yellow leaves will have yellow leaves throughout the plant, rather than being concentrated in one area.
Brown spots may also appear on the leaves. If the top of your plant is feeling bone dry, it probably needs water. If your philodendron has a count of less than three, it’s time to water.
Since we are looking at a jungle plant, we need to understand that it thrives best in indirect sunlight. Afternoon and strong midday sun directly on this jungle plant can scorch the leaves, which shows up as yellowing. Compacted soil in the pot combined with insufficient light can also increase the likelihood of yellow leaves. Plant lamps can be used to supplement the light as needed.
Improper fertilization of philodendrons can also cause yellow leaves. Because the philodendron is a houseplant, you must fertilize the plant with a compound fertilizer including nitrogen and follow the directions.
A change in watering habits could solve the problem
Most of the time, all you have to do is change your watering habits to make the yellow leaves go away. The best soil for your plant is a light soil containing cactus soil, perlite, vermiculite, or sand, which will allow the mixture to drain more easily. This is the time of year to repot many different plants.
I hope you have a great walk through your garden this week. If you have a challenge email me at ericlarson546@yahoo.com. I will do my best to help. I will soon begin publishing these columns on my website at ohiohealthyfoodcooperative.org.
Eric Larson of Jeromesville is an experienced landscape designer and garden enthusiast and a charter member of the Ohio Chapter of Association of Professional Landscape Designers. He encourages your gardening questions by emailing ewlarson546@yahoo.com.