YELLOW LEAVES

 

There are 3 main reasons that trees and other woody plants develop yellow leaves without seeming to be directly related to insects or diseases. 

 

1. Poorly-adapted plants selected. 

 

2. Improper planting - too deep, circling roots, etc. 

 

3. Excessive moisture and anaerobic soil conditions. 

 

• The solution to #1 is to plant the right trees and shrubs in the first place. This is a “buyer beware” situation where you just have to be careful about who you work with. Competent retailers and contractors usually recommend good plants and will stand behind the work and fix problems if they do occasionally pop up. Here’s more: Chlorosis in Trees

 

• The solution to #2 is to install the plants properly or fix problems by uncovering the flares of the plants. Here’s how: Root Flare Management
 

• The 3rd cause may be in play now because of the huge amount of rain certain areas have experienced. The anaerobic soil conditions lead to beneficial microbe damage and related root damage. Those negative effects lead to mineral deficiency chlorosis. 

 

What I recommend is basically the same for rose problems, photinia problems and various tree diseases. The solution is to improve the soil using the Sick Tree Treatment. Basically it is the procedure of aerating, applying organic soil amendments (compost, lava sand, green sand, cornmeal, dry molasses and zeolite) and finally spraying and drenching Garrett Juice with 16 oz. of hydrogen peroxide added per gallon of spray. In this case, Garrett Juice Tree Tonic may be the best choice of because of the added trace minerals in the product.

 

Here’s the more detailed, version of the Sick Tree Treatment: Sick Tree Treatment