Does your camellia have brown leaves and would you like it to turn green again? Although you may not believe it at first, it can be very easy to get her beautiful again, although it is not always achieved quickly.
In fact, it is normal for it to get a little worse during treatment, but if we take good care of it, we may be able to pull it off. So If your camellia has brown leaves, you must first know what the cause is in order to treat it correctly.
Direct sun
When we search for images of camellias on the Internet, the browser shows us specimens grown in full sun. This can be misleading, because if we put them in the sun all day and/or without having accustomed them before, they will burn. And quickly, since the burns will appear very soon, from one day to the next.
But not only that, but in places where the degree of insolation is high for several months, as occurs in the Mediterranean region for example, it is recommended to always keep them in the shade as they stay greener and healthier.
What to do?
If brown spots appear quickly, we will have to take her to a protected site in order to prevent further burns from appearing. Likewise, if the climate is mild, we can gradually accustom it to direct sun, starting in spring, since that is when the sun is not yet so strong.
We will expose it to it for half an hour or an hour every morning or in the afternoon, and we will increase the exposure time by 30 minutes from the following week. In any case, keep in mind that it is NOT a plant that can be exposed to the sun all day: only for a little while in the morning and/or in the afternoon.
Iron chlorosis
La iron chlorosis, or lack of iron, It is a problem that we see a lot in delicate plants that are either irrigated with alkaline water, or planted on land that is also alkaline.. Japanese maples, heathers, azaleas, and unfortunately also our protagonists can have this disorder.
In the first moment, we will see that the leaves begin to lose chlorophyll from the edge inwards, but it keeps the nerves green; then, they end up being brown.
What to do?
To correct the problem you have to do two things:
- Water it with water whose pH is low, between 4 and 6. If it is higher, we will have to acidify it with lemon or vinegar.
- Plant it in acid soil, with a pH between 4 and 6. Today it is easy to get specific substrates for these plants, such as this one from Flower.
Likewise, and to achieve faster improvements, I recommend fertilizing it with a fertilizer for acid plants or with one for green plants, following the instructions for use specified on the package.
Lack of irrigation
Si tu camellia it has brown or dry leaves, it may lack water. It is not a plant that has to be watered frequently, but it is not good for it to go thirsty either. It is important that it is watered regularly, preventing the soil from remaining dry for too long., otherwise it could end up without leaves, or become so weak that pests are attracted to it. And it is that without water it cannot perform its normal functions. That is why it is so important to control irrigation.
But how do you know if you're thirsty? This we will know if the new leaves start to look yellow, and later brown, from the tips inwards. Also, the soil will look and feel dry to the touch.
What to do?
water of course. You have to soak the soil well, since the roots urgently need to hydrate. So we will fill the watering can, and pour the water into the substrate (not the plant).
Excess irrigation
Overwatering also causes the leaves to turn brown, starting with the oldest ones. When the roots have more water than they need, they drown, and as they do the foliage weakens.. But in addition, the fungi and oomycetes Pathogens, such as phytophthora, will further weaken the roots.
For this reason, we have to take measures as soon as we see that the leaves turn yellow, since otherwise it will be very difficult to recover the camellia.
What to do?
Several things must be done:
- Temporarily suspend watering. This is the first and most important thing, because we are not interested in the roots receiving even more water than they already have.
- If it is in a pot, take it out and wrap the earthen bread with absorbent paper.. If it gets wet quickly, we'll remove it and put another one in. The next day, we will plant it in a new pot with holes, with soil for acid plants. In case of having it outside, we will not put a plate under it; if it is indoors, we will have to drain it after each watering.
- apply fungicide, just in case. Although we still do not see symptoms, in these situations it is best to treat the camellia as soon as possible so that it gets worse. you can buy it here.
Air currents
Do you want to grow camellias indoors? If so, it is convenient to put them in a room where there are no fans, air conditioners or any other that generates draft, neither cold nor hot. And it is that said air dries the environment, making ends turn brown.
In addition, we must keep it away from those windows that we used to open every day, since otherwise we would also end up having a camellia with brown leaves.
Low ambient humidity
When cultivating a place where air humidity is low, the leaves turn brown because, although the roots do their best to absorb the water from the ground and carry it to the leaves through the conductive vessels, the air causes it to be lost. And this is a problem because the plant does not have time to hydrate.
Therefore, if you live far from the coast, you should spray its leaves with water every day, and at a time when it is no longer going to get direct sun. If you have it in the shade or indoors, you can do it in the morning. But yes: use rainwater or without lime. In case you live on an island, this will not be necessary since the humidity is high due to the influence of the sea. In any case, if in doubt, consult a meteorology website in your country.
We hope that your camellia will put out green leaves again soon.