Mint leaves are easy to grow, due to which gardeners love to grow these plants in their garden. The hardy mint leaves grow fast, due to which they can occupy your entire garden bed.
Mint leaves are flavourful with soothing fragrances. It would help if you considered various growing conditions in mind to promote the healthy growth of the mint leaves.
These mint leaves can sometimes turn yellow if not provided with superlative growing conditions. Common issues due to which mint leaves can turn yellow are pests, diseases, and imbalance in watering.
You can implement quick solutions to resolve the troubles. It is recommended to grow the mint leaves in an ideal condition, and it will help keep your garden healthy.
If you are also witnessing your garden mint leaves turn yellow, then go nowhere. This guide will help you to get information regarding the solutions and the main reasons.
Causes and solution of Mint Leave Turning Yellow
Mint rust Fungal Attack:
Rust fungus can cause yellowing of the mint leaves. If the rust fungus attacks the mint plant, the underside of the leaves turns out to be yellow. The spots on the plants can look as well as bright orange.
One of the significant issues caused due to the mint rust fungus is the death of the leaf tissue. It can result in falling off the leaves of the mint plant. Also, the fungus grounds distorted growth of the new mint plant.
Another fungal attack commonly faced by the mint leaves is the verticillium wilt. It ends in causing brownish discoloration of the soil, resulting in the death of the entire plant.
Solution:
- The most efficient way that can assist you command the mint rust fungus is to cut down the infested areas and the rhizomes.
- Digging up the healthy plants to report will also help in controlling the fungal exposure.
- You can also regulate the fungal attack if you preclude watering the mint leaves above. Letting the leaves dry throughout will also prevent fungal exposure.
Imbalanced Watering:
If leaves on your mint are turning yellow, then improper watering can be one of the reasons. You need to familiarize yourself with the watering needs of the plant.
Two conditions that associate with improper watering are underwatering and overwatering. It can also result in impacting the tissues of the entire plant.
If your mint leaves are not getting enough water, then the leaves of the plant will not be able to conserve water. Hence, it will result in the yellowing of the mint leaves.
Solution:
- Watering the mint leaves regularly will help in regaining the color of leaves.
- You must keep the soil moist, for it helps in boosting the plant’s growth.
- Watering the plant two to three times a day is preferred to promote sustainable growth.
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Insufficient Sunlight:
Photosynthesis within the mint leaves helps in converting sunlight into usable food. The critical factor of photosynthesis is chlorophyll and helps in giving green color to the mint leaves.
So, in case if the mint leaves do not get enough sunlight, then the leaves will turn yellow. The dissipation of the green color is due to the lack of the sun.
Solution:
- You can use the grow light to provide mint leaves with optimum light conditions. It will also help the herbs to reach the ideal height.
- Using the sunniest window will help to let your mint leaves grow indoor. Also, giving every leaf sunlight exposure will help.
- Another method to help here is trim the overhanging branches and transplant the limbs in a sunnier location.
Quality of Soil and Water:
The quality of both the soil and water matters a lot because it will provide the mint leaves with adequate nutrients.
If the mint leaves are deficient in nutrients, then it will result to cause mint leaves problems. Mint leaves love to grow in nitrogen-rich soil.
Moreover, hard water also impacts the growth of the mint leaves. Hard water causes calcium and salt to build around the roots, depriving the mint leaves of getting water.
Solution:
Ensure that you grow your plant in soft water with a highly effective quality of soil with rich nutrients.
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Nutrient Deficiencies.
In case if your soil has nutrient deficiencies, then your garden mint leaves will turn yellow.
Also, if your mint leaves are turning brown, then deficiencies of the nutrients can be a leading reason. It is one of the most frequent culprits that you might face while growing the mint leaves.
Key Facts:
- If your mint leaves turn yellow entirely, then it is deficient in nitrogen.
- In low potassium, the edges and tips of plants result in the yellowing of leaves.
- Low magnesium or iron results in yellowing of the mint leaves’ veins.
Solution:
- You must assess your mint leaves to see which nutrient is required by your plant. After that, choose the fertilizer high in that nutrient.
- In case if you don’t know the specific nutrient deficiency, then use the purpose formula. It will help in successfully rescuing the mint leaves
Insect Attack:
Mint plant problems can also occur due to the attack by insects, especially aphids. Aphid problems can result in the yellowing of the mint leaves.
Also, if your mint leaves are curling and have leaves wrinkle, then it reflects an aphid attack. Your leaves will also fade from beneath.
Aphids present on the mint leaves will suck the nutrients resulting from fading the color of the plant. But do not worry; using some preventive measures will help in controlling the issue.
Solution:
- Using organic insecticides will help in controlling the aphids.
- A mixture of both the organic insecticides and soap solutions will also contribute here. It will result in regaining the color of the mint leaves.
Powdery Mildew:
Flipping the leaves will help you gauge if the plant is suffering from powdery mildews or not.
If you see any grayish or powdery fungus beneath the leaves, then you need to take immediate action. The powdery mildew can also kill your plant, causing severe issues.
Solution:
- Using the fungicides will also help in getting rid of the infected plant. It would help if you also sprayed the surrounding areas of the plant.
- Inoculating the soil with fungicide will prevent the issue from reverting.
Other viral Plant Diseases:
Cucumber mosaic virus also results in yellow foliage of the leaves and can spread in the entire plant if not controlled.
The viral attack causes the green veins of the leaves to turn yellow. Aphid also plays a significant role here, as it contributes to spreading the cucumber mosaic virus.
Solution:
You can rescue your plant by using fungicides, along with insecticidal soap. Other than this, using the sap-sucking insects will also help in controlling the mint leaves problems.
Final thoughts:
On a concluding note, mint leaves are hardy, but still, they need proper care and attention. Good care and attention will help the mint leaves to flourish with a more flavourful harvest.
You need to adjust the light and watering cycle of the plant, as it will contribute to the sustainable and fast growth of the mint leaves.
If your mint plant leaves are turning yellow, this guide will help you improvise the plant’s conditions. You need to assess the reasons behind these mint leaves issues for executing an appropriate blend.
The key culprits causing yellowing of the mint leaves are improper watering, lack of sunlight and light exposure, nutrition deficiency, and viral and fungal infections.
Frequently Asked Questions about Mint Leaves Turning Yellow
What causes plant leaves to turn yellow?
The three critical reasons for the yellowing of mint leaves are moist soil, lack of sunlight exposure, and over-watering. All these reasons impact the growth of the plant as well, resulting in stunted growth.
Why are my mint plant leaves turning yellow in winter?
The most commonly occurring issues that result in turning the mint leaves to yellow are over-watering, lack of sunlight, and increased moisture within the soil. You need to maintain all these conditions for optimum growth of the mint leaves in winter.
What does Overwatered mint look like?
The appearance of the overwatered mint leaves appears droopy, with weak stems and yellowing of the plant. It also becomes sustainable to the powdery mildews, black stem rot, and fungal and viral attack.
How often should I water mint?
You need to maintain the watering conditions of the mint plant. It will be best if you water mint leaves after 1 to 2 days in summer and 2 to 4 days in autumn, spring, or fall. If you are growing your plants indoors, you need to water them 1 to 2 times a day.
Can yellow leaves turn green again?
No, the yellow leaves of the mint plant cannot turn green again unless it is suffering from nutrition deficiency. In case of nutrition deficiency, you can rectify the issue. Otherwise, it is almost impossible to regain the color of leaves.
