It brings a Mediterranean touch into the garden and onto the balcony - the olive tree. Its green leaves with a silver-gray undertone are its trademark. But what should you do if the olive tree gets yellow leaves and brown spots? Of course, discoloration is not a pretty sight, but it is often a sign that the tree is sick or is infested with pests. We list several possible causes and give tips on how you can save the potted plant.
If the olive tree has yellow leaves: 4 possible reasons
If the leaves of the Mediterranean plant turn yellow, this could be a sign of a care error or disease. Since theTree grows very slowly, certain care errors only become noticeable after two or three weeks. So the first step to solving the problem is to consider how you have cared for the tree in the last month. Maybe it's in the wrong location or did you take the tree out of its winter quarters too early? Was it dark in the winter? Is it now in a place protected from the wind?
Olive tree has yellow leaf tips: regulate watering
As long as the leaves have no brown spots, the yellow leaf tips are most often due to a care error.
Cause #1: Too little water.The olive tree copes well with shorter dry periods, and young plants react more sensitively. The potted plant is on onesunny spot on the balconyor the terrace, then the water evaporates much more quickly.
What helps?Check the soil often and never let it dry out. A moderately fresh soil proves to be optimal. Regulate watering depending on the season. In spring it is usually enough to water the tree once a week. In summer you can water it twice a week.
Cause #2: Poor drainage.The olive tree reacts very sensitively to waterlogging. Poor drainage can cause the top layer of soil to dry out while the bottom layer remains moist. This promotes mold growth. The rotting of the roots causes the Mediterranean plant to not be able to absorb moisture properly and begins to lose its leaves.
Cause #3: Too little light.The olive tree, like all other Mediterranean plants, is a true sun worshiper. If it doesn't get enough direct sunlight, its leaves turn yellow and fall off. This is because the plant saves its resources and needs significantly fewer leaves for photosynthesis in partial shade or shade.
Olive tree has yellow leaves in summer? Regulate fertilizer doses
The olive tree is in the sun, protected from the wind and is watered regularly, but it still gets yellow leaves in summer? First, check whether the yellow leaves are more than 10% of the foliage. Because the leaves change every 2-3 years. The leaves at the bottom of the trunk turn yellow and fall off. However, if the tree loses more than 10% of its leaves, then it could be due to irregular fertilization. The volume of soil in the bucket is limited and the nutrients are gradually washed away with every rain and every watering. Therefore it is important inFertilize the plant in summer. As a rule, it is sufficient to give liquid fertilizer once a week. But be careful: too much of a good thing can damage the tree. So if you notice that the soil is poor in nutrients, simply fertilize it every week and under no circumstances double the fertilizer doses.
If the olive tree has brown spots
If the olive tree leaves first develop brown spots and then yellow and fall off, then it is not a care error, but rather a fungal infection. The fungus Spilocaea oleagina is often to blame. Eye spot disease is promoted by several factors. If you water the tree from above, you should be careful not to get the leaves wet. The plant should also be protected from rain, as it has difficulty withstanding wet leaves. Copper supplements can be used as a preventative measure.
Treat olive tree fungal infestation
If you have a fungal infection, you should act as quickly as possible. First remove all affected leaves and dispose of them in household waste. Then treat the tree with a fungicide. Get detailed advice from the garden center about which products you can use. Then the tree is overwintered in a light area, preferably at a distance from other plants to prevent the disease from spreading. The next spring, when the tree produces leaves again, the young leaves are sprayed with copper preparation.
A change of location is also an option if the tree is outdoors in light shade or partial shade. The sunnier, the faster the leaves will dry.
