Leaves are very important for all plants: without them, they could not photosynthesize and therefore grow. For this reason, when they drop them most of the time we tend to worry, since we immediately begin to think that something bad may have happened to them.
To know what to do, I'm going to tell you what is defoliation and why does it occur.
What is it and why does it happen?
Defoliation is the premature fall of plant leaves caused by disease, atmospheric influence (strong winds or hail for example) or by chemical agents (be they insecticides or fertilizers). However, it can also be produced by the hand of man, when a plant is working to turn it into bonsai, or when he wants a cutting to spend energy in producing roots and not in feeding the leaves.
What are the symptoms?
The symptoms will depend a lot on the cause, but We will know that our plant is losing leaves prematurely if:
- It has been exposed to the sun directly and after a short time (usually in 24 hours or less) spots appear on the leaves that are getting bigger and bigger.
- A hailstorm has fallen and the leaves of the evergreen plants look sad and blackened.
- It has been treated (or thrown) with chemicals in an inappropriate dose and / or during the central hours of the day. Burns appear soon.
- Thirst and excess water also cause defoliation. In these cases the leaves will turn yellow and then brown before falling.
- If you have any pests or diseases, in addition to their own symptoms, the leaves may have black dots, dry tips and / or a sad appearance.
How is it treated?
The way to treat defoliation is as follows: keeping the plant well cared for. I know, it seems like I'm not telling you anything with this, but that's the way it is. In case you have pests or some disease, you have to treat it with specific products; In addition, you must always read the label on the container of the products that we use and follow the instructions that are specified on the container.
Last but not least, never water more than necessary. In case of doubt, it is always better to check the humidity by inserting for example a thin wooden stick or weighing the pot once it has been watered and again after a few days.
I hope it is useful for you 🙂.