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Ep 189: What Are Yellow Leaves Really Trying to Tell You?
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Free Gardening Resources at the bottom of the show notes
Yellow leaves have a remarkable ability to make gardeners panic.
One day the plant looks fine.
The next, two leaves have turned pale.
Before long, you are wondering whether it needs more water, less water, fertiliser, better soil, pest treatment...
...or a respectful burial.
But yellow leaves are not a diagnosis.
They are a symptom.
And the position, pattern and timing of that yellowing can tell you far more than the colour alone.
In Episode 189 of The Messed-Up Gardener, Esther Williams takes a slightly more technical look at what yellow leaves may really be trying to tell you.
Because yellowing can be connected to nutrient shortages...
But it can also be caused by waterlogged roots, dry soil, cold conditions, low light, pests, disease, transplant stress or natural ageing.
In this episode you’ll discover:
🌱 What chlorosis means and why it describes a symptom rather than the cause
🌱 Why yellowing on older leaves may tell a different story from yellowing on new growth
🌱 How the pattern inside the leaf can help narrow down the problem
🌱 Why nutrients can be present in the soil but still unavailable to the plant
🌱 How root stress, waterlogging and compaction can cause leaves to turn yellow
🌱 Why adding more fertiliser can sometimes make the problem worse
🌱 How both overwatering and underwatering can create similar symptoms
🌱 When low light, pests, disease or physical damage may be involved
🌱 Why some yellow leaves are completely normal
🌱 A simple yellow-leaf diagnosis process you can use in your own garden
If you have ever looked at a yellowing plant and wondered whether to water it, feed it, spray it or leave it alone...
This episode will help you slow down, read the clues and make one measured decision at a time.
Because the most useful question is not simply:
“Why is this leaf yellow?”
It is:
“Where did the yellowing begin... and what else changed?”
🎧 Press play above to listen.
🍄 A Little Gift for NZ Podcast Listeners
Many of you know that growing food is a big part of my world. Alongside the vegetable garden, I also grow gourmet oyster mushrooms through Mushrooms By The Sea.
If you’ve ever wanted to try growing your own gourmet mushrooms at home, I’d love to give you 10% off your first order.
Simply use the code:
🍄 SHROOM10
at checkout.
Discount applies to full-priced items only and cannot be used on products already on sale or discounted.
If you enjoyed this episode, please consider sharing it with another gardener or leaving a review. Every share and every review helps more people discover the show.
I’d also love to hear...
What plant in your garden is showing yellow leaves at the moment?
📩 themessedupgardener@gmail.com
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🌱 Helpful Garden Resources
If you’d like to keep learning, you can explore some of my practical gardening resources:
🌱 Create Your Own DIY Self-Watering Planters
A step-by-step guide to building simple systems that help your garden thrive.
https://stan.store/EstherA/p/create-your-own-diy-self-watering-garden-planters
🌿 Free Gardening Resourc