It is the low requirement of maintenance and upkeep that makes peperomia one of the most sought-after house plants among beginner house plant enthusiasts. While its leaves come in a range of different colors, sadly yellow isn’t one of them. Yellow leaves in your peperomia plant are a sign of brewing trouble. So, why is your peperomia turning yellow?
Why is my peperomia turning yellow?
Peperomia is a hardy houseplant with an ability to adapt to harsh conditions. However, if your peperomia is starting to turn yellow, the problem would most likely be due to an imbalance of water in the plant or a fungal disease. Such a color change is not a good sign, and corrective measures must be taken to fix the same. So, some of the reasons for the yellow leaves of your peperomia are –
- Overwatering
- Improper Soil
- Root Rot
Over Watering
While peperomia is indeed a tropical plant, it can still be prone to overwatering. Overwatering causes stagnation in the plant and prevents it from absorbing the requisite nutrients. Thus, it prevents the plant from carrying out the essential functions of life and leads to starvation. Over time the plant becomes weak, and the leaves start to turn yellow. Prolonged exposure to such a situation could lead to the death of your beloved peperomia.
Solution
One of the best ways to avoid overwatering is to prepare a watering schedule. A watering schedule helps regulate the frequency of watering as per the needs of your peperomia plant. It ensures that the plant is not overwatered and stays healthy and strong. Usually, it is best to only water the plant when the soil is dry.
Improper Soil
Another similar reason for the yellow leaves of your peperomia plant could be the excess water retention capacity of the soil. If the soil is too clayey and holds water for too long, it could lead to stagnation of water. Stagnant water may cause the roots to drown and lead to over-saturation. Such factors could eventually prevent the plant from carrying out the essential functions and leads to yellow peperomia. Thus, preparing the right soil is important for the well-being of your plant.
Solution
One of the best ways to solve such a problem is to make the peperomia soil at home. Simply mix regular potting soil with equal parts of perlite to make a potting mix with adequate nutrition and water retention capability for the proper growth of your peperomia plant. Always use a pot with proper drainage holes to ensure that there is no stagnation of water.
Root Rot
Root rot is a deadly fungal disease that could lead to mushy, yellow leaves in your peperomia plant. While it mostly happens due to overwatering, it may also be caused due to some fungal or bacterial infections. Since it only affects the roots, it is hard to detect the disease until it is too late.
Solution
The best solution is to use sterile soil and ensure proper watering to reduce the chances of overwatering. Always keep a lookout for such fungal infections and if spotted, take immediate measures to curb the same.
Thus, these are some reasons why your peperomia could be having yellow leaves and the steps to cure the same.
