Are you confused about why your fern leaves turning yellow? All plants have different characteristics and chemical properties, so there are various reasons why that could be happening to your fern leaves.
But it also depends on the environment and how you care for them. So, read this article to solve all your queries about your plant and save it as soon as possible.
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Why Are Your Fern Leaves Turning Yellow?
The fern leaves are turning yellow because some parts of the plant could be restricting the required nutrients from reaching the whole plant. Other reasons common reasons are:
- Incorrect watering
- Exposure to sunlight
- Wrong temperature
- Incorrect or excessive nutrition
- Pest infestation
- Sudden change in environment
– Incorrect Watering
Water is equally crucial for all living beings. If the intake of this drink is not correctly done, you can see visible effects of depleting health, especially in plants. Improper intake is not just consuming lesser water but also too much water.
While less water can dry your plant and weaken, excessive moisture can affect the roots and block the soil from passing air, leading to Boston fern leaves turning yellow.
– Exposure to Sunlight
Sunlight is another vital part of the photosynthesis process. But here are some plants that don’t love the sun a lot.
While we can wear sunscreen to protect ourselves from the heat of the sun’s rays, fern plants can’t do that! Most varieties of Boston fern or asparagus fern can have burnt leaves from excessive exposure to sunlight.
– Wrong Temperature
The temperature and conditions of the area where your plant is kept greatly affect its health. A low humidity area can make your asparagus fern or Boston fern plant dry from within and change the leaf colors.
Houseplants like ferns also cannot handle extreme temperatures, so it is best not to keep them in an area that is constantly air-conditioned or heated up.
– Incorrect or Excessive Nutrition
Even skipping a meal can leave you all weak and tired during the day. But at the same time, overeating can make you feel sleepy and inactive and might even cause digestion problems.
Similarly, if you notice a color change in an asparagus fern, it could be either overfeeding or lack of feeding resulting in inappropriate nitrogen levels in the plant.
It is not just in the case of manure but also (or especially) fertilizers, as the chemicals are stronger and have a bigger impact on the state of your plant. Excessive use of fertilizers can even prove fatal for your plant.
– Pest Infestation
Asparagus fern turning yellow could also happen if some pests have set up camp in your beloved plant. The pests don’t have to be just specific plant bugs.
They can be general house bugs like spiders which could be eating up your plant and multiplying in numbers. It can affect the fronds of your plant significantly.
– Sudden Change in Environment
It might sound like a repeated point, but besides the exterior environment of the plant, you also need to mind the interior environment.
A sudden change can be transferring from a different pot to a garden that other plants share. For example, the fern plant might take time to settle in, resulting in a change of color.
How to Restore a Yellowing Fern Plant?
Yellowing fern plant can be restored by implementing proven plant care practices that include:
- Water your ferns daily or use the weekly method
- Keep the exposure to the sun minimal
- Protect your plants from bugs
- Maintain the consumption of nitrogen
- Maintain the level of humidity in the area
- Safely transfer the plant
– Water Your Ferns Daily or Use the Weekly Method
It is essential to keep your plant hydrated and give it enough room to breathe. You can spray the leaves and the soil area regularly, or you can fill the soil area of your plant to the brim with water and let the plant take it in for a few days.
It will entirely depend on your region’s climate and the environment you keep your plant in. For example, if it is hot weather in your region, you need to water the plant more frequently than when it is cold.
– Keep the Exposure to the Sun Minimal
Ferns are usually found growing at the bottom of the canopies that tropical forests provide them with. It means that ferns do best under the shade. If kept in direct sunlight for too long, especially if you live in a region with harsh sunlight, your plant can dry up entirely, and the situation of your fern turning brown might occur.
But don’t devoid your plant of all light. It is essential to expose the plant to at least a little light. You can do that by keeping it in a well-lit room. It will also completely depend on the fern you own, as some can handle sunlight better than others.
If you plan on eventually moving the plant outside and making it grow bigger, you can get your plant used to the sunlight for smaller periods every day. Then, plant it in the shade of a bigger plant or a wall when you move it outside.
– Protect Your Plants From Bugs
As mentioned before, fern plants are extremely delicate. Using pesticides can destroy your plant instead of saving it from all the pests. Try to look for organic, non-chemical options that can be used to not only kill but also keep it safe from any other incoming bugs.
You can use neem oil, cinnamon, lemongrass oil, or other natural bug repellents. Don’t over-apply any product.
– Maintain the Consumption of Nitrogen
Ferns are low-maintenance in terms of how they are required to be fed. They don’t need a heavy dose of nitrogen and can do with slightly lighter substitutes of nitrogen fertilizers. However, do not fertilize too often, or there might be fertilizer problems.
If you have access to a garden, natural substitutes of a fertilizer that is manure full of dead flora can also be used to feed your plant too. You can also make a compost pit for easy access to manure for all your gardening needs.
– Maintain the Level of Humidity in the Area
As we know, humidity is the lifeline of ferns. If you live in a dry region, you will have to look for artificial ways to keep the area humid for your plant to thrive. For this, you can try putting your plant in the bathroom, which is a humid area, especially after baths.
You can also buy an air humidifier to benefit you and your plant. However, if nothing works, you should only stick to spraying some water all over the plant regularly throughout the day.
– Safely Transfer the Plant
Since the plant is sensitive to weather and the environment, you must stay careful while changing the homes of your ferns.
Avoid doing it in the summers or winters as there might be extreme weather conditions that can increase the effects of getting transferred to a new area. Spring should be the best time for a transfer.
FAQs
– How Do You Make a Fern Greener?
You can make your fern plant look greener with a simple ingredient – Epsom Salt! The salt has two critical nutrients in it: Magnesium and Sulfur.
Deficiencies in these two can cause blockages of other nutrients that you might be feeding your plant but are not reaching the roots fully and can cause fern turning into yellow leaves. Using salt can restore the flow of all the chemicals in the plant’s body.
– Should I Cut the Dead or Yellow Leaves off My Fern?
Ferns consist of a particular type of leaf called a frond, a larger leaf with divided sections. Like our hair or trees, these fronds dry up and die as they grow older.
Cutting the brown parts of the fern can help increase the growth of newer and green leaves on your plant.
– Can Fern Leaves Turn Brown?
Low humidity and drowning lead to fern leaves turn brown. Asparagus ferns are typical tropical plants that require high levels of moisture.
Interior humidity is frequently too weak, which causes the leaves to lose moisture. It can also be the reason why is my indoor fern turning brown and yellow.
Conclusion
After reading the article, you know that the reasons for your asparagus fern or Boston fern plant’s yellowish condition could be because of problems with watering, nutrition, or sunlight.
So, these are the things you need to keep in mind to save your asparagus fern turning from light green yellow or prevent other fern leaves turning yellow and brown.
- Less sunlight! Ferns are almost like vampires when it comes to it. Keep them in the shade.
- Balanced hydration! Water your plant enough but not too much.
- Humidity is key! Keep the room or area humid where your plant is.
- A balanced diet! Don’t overfeed the ferns and keep their diet healthy.
- Protection from bugs! Use natural pesticides to save your plant.
Don’t be stressed about leaves turn yellow. It is usual for ferns to turn like that and is also curable in ferns and other plants. If you are a new plant owner, just follow the instructions for the plant care, and you will be good to go.
