Peppermint is an aromatic that resists drought very well; in fact, it is one of the most recommended herbs to grow in places with little rain. But maybe that’s why we find it so striking to see its leaves turning yellow for no apparent reason, since it’s actually an easy-care plant.
So if you wanna know how to get a yellow leaf peppermintthen we will tell you everything you need to know to achieve this.
There are several reasons, so we will see them in detail in order to better identify the symptoms and their origin. In addition, it will also be very useful to know what measures need to be taken so that the plant is healthy and green again:
- Lack of water
- Excess water
- Need a bigger pot
- Overdose of manure or fertilizer
Contents
Lack of water
Peppermint is fairly drought tolerant; however, It is important to check the moisture of the soil because it would have problems if it did not receive water for a long time, especially if it grows in a pot and not in the ground. And it is that when grown in a container, the soil takes much less time to dry out.
So if we see that the new leaves are turning yellow, we can suspect that they are thirsty. If we also notice that the soil is dry, and if when we pick up the pot -if we have it in one- it weighs little, we will have to water it. Now, if it has difficulty absorbing water, it is better to aerate the soil a little with the help of a garden awl, or if it is in a pot, to put a saucer filled with water below.
Excess water
Now let’s talk about overwatering. This is what causes the most serious problems for peppermint, because it is a plant that is not prepared to grow in soils that are always very wet. For him, when it receives more water than it needs, the old leaves begin to turn yellow, then the whole plant begins to look bad. In more severe cases, fungi, such as mold, can appear both in the soil and on the mint itself.
What to do? What we’re going to do is apply an all-purpose spray fungicide (You can buy it here)then stop watering. It is urgent to treat it against fungi, because once they appear, it is difficult to eliminate them. For this reason, you should wait for the soil to dry out before watering again, as this will help nullify the attack of these microorganisms, or at least slow their progress, which in turn would give the fungicide time to fight them.
If we have it in a pot, it is strongly recommended to remove it from it and wrap the earth bread (root mold) with absorbent paper. We will leave it in a dry and protected place overnight, and the next day we will plant it in a new pot that has drainage holes with a universal growing medium such as the BioBizz brand (on sale here). And we water after about a week.
Therefore, it will be necessary to do it about twice a week in summer, and once a week the rest of the year, always pouring the water on the ground, avoiding wetting the leaves.
Need a bigger pot
Image – Wikimedia/Raffi Kojian
Peppermint is a relatively small plant, so it can be planted in small pots. Now well, if stored for many years, the roots lack space and nutrientsafter which the leaves turn yellow.
For him, at least once every 3 years we must remember to see if the roots come out of the drainage holes, since in this case we will have to plant it in a larger one, spring being the best time to transplant it. When the time comes, we will use universal culture soil or for green plants, we will therefore ensure that it does not lack nutrients during a season.
Overdose of manure or fertilizer
When we want to fertilize a plant, or apply fertilizer, it is very important to read the instructions for use and follow them exactly, because if we exceed the indicated dose, the roots will have a bad time, and as a result, the leaves will turn yellow and then turn brown. So if we suspect the mint is having problems due to too much product, be it manure or fertilizer, what we are going to do is irrigate -only with water- to try to clean it.
The leaves may continue to die back, as the roots may be severely damaged. But if the health of the plant is not very serious, that is, if it still has many healthy stems and leaves, it can recover.
Related article:
What types of organic fertilizers are there?
We hope you now know what to do with your mint if it has turned yellow.