How to read discoloration of leaves

Based on different colours of leaves and on the appearance of leaves you can tell whether a particular plant is doing well or not. The most common factors that disrupt or change the natural colour and structure of leaves include lack of minerals in soil, incorrect fertilization (insufficient or excessive fertilization) and various diseases. The sooner you react, the easier you can solve the problem but to do that you need to know how individual diseases manifest themselves.

Lack of minerals

Plants, just like all living creatures, need minerals for proper growth. Lack of minerals may cause health deterioration and it is usually demonstrated by unnatural and unhealthy discolouration of leaves. Here are few tips how to recognize lack of minerals:

• Nitrogen: lack of nitrogen usually turns leaves yellow. Over time, the yellow colour turns into yellowish-brown and sometimes even pink to purple. This deficiency may also turn young shoots into woody shoots prematurely.
• Phosphorus: plants lacking phosphorus turn to purplish colour. They also grow very slowly and produce small amounts of flowers and fruits.
• Potassium: edges of leaves turn brown and if the deficiency is significant they wilt.
• Calcium: a lack of calcium is usually demonstrated by twisted leaves.
• Magnesium: clutters of older leaves start turning yellow and leaves start to fall. In conifers for example, the youngest growth starts turning brown.
• Copper: young leaves are deformed and tips turn brown (dry).
• Iron: chlorosis of young leaf tissue appears (similar to magnesium deficiency).
• Bor: edges of leaves turn yellow and dry.
• Manganese: chlorosis of leaves, but the typical sign is leaf yellowing.

Photo: Pixabay

White, purple or gray leaves

If you notice these colours in the form of a powder coating on the underside of leaves you can be sure that the plant is suffering from the dreaded powdery mildew. It gradually spreads to stems, whole leaves and sometimes to shoots and fruits. You need to take action as soon as possible, because it is a dangerous fungal disease.

Round spots – transparent at first, then brown

These spots can be round or irregular. First, the leaf colour starts to fade at the place of the spot. Later, you can see through the spot. If you do not apply a proper treatment, the spots will turn brown. It is a bacterial leaf disease that will not heal naturally . You need to apply treatment.

Irregular yellow to brown spots

If you see large irregular yellow spots on plants ,which turn brown over time, your plant is suffering from a fungal disease called Anthracnose. It is a very dangerous disease, which mainly attacks walnut trees.

Small brown-red spots

Usually you will see these spots on fruit trees, such as apple, cherry or pear. It is a fungal disease that you need to treat as soon as possible .

Bright red spots

Usually, you will find these spots on pear trees. It is called the pear rust.

Source: https://porady.interia.pl/ogrody/news-przebarwienia-na-lisciach-o-czym-swiadcza,nId,4914167

Preview photo: Pixabay