Does your olive tree have yellow leaves and is shedding them? Then it is probably due to certain care errors. We explain what the possible causes are and what you can do about it.
Why does the olive tree get yellow leaves? Common causes
The olive tree is a beautiful exotic species that is adorning more and more home gardens. However, in order for the tree to thrive in this country, you should avoid some care mistakes. These include, among others:
Olive tree has yellow leaves and brown leaf tips: Water too much
The most commonCause of yellow leavesis incorrect watering. If you water the tree too much, the roots will quickly wilt and can no longer absorb the water properly. The leaves turn yellow, although they do not change color completely, but instead develop many large yellow spots. The leaf tips are brown. Typical of watering errors is that the leaves do not fall off.
How to save the olive tree:Repot potted plants in spring, transplant outdoor plants. The new location should be sunny and airy. Cut off rotten roots. Improve drainage by incorporating sand into the soil. After repotting or transplanting, stop fertilizing for two weeks until the exotic has recovered.
Leaves dry up and fall off: Water too little
Too little water can also cause problems. Drought quickly affects the plant because the leaves can no longer get the nutrients they need. Because the olive tree reacts very slowly to watering errors, it can take several weeks until its leaves turn yellow and begin to fall off. If the olive tree is watered again, it will recover quickly. However, the yellowed leaves will dry up and fall off - they can no longer be saved.
Sometimes the error has now been corrected and the tree is receiving enough water. That's why it's very important to do a finger test regularly. If the soil is moderately fresh, you no longer need to water the tree. Just wait and the plant will recover.
Water the olive tree correctly:
Olive tree loses many yellow leaves: wrong location
The olive tree is a true sun worshipper. If it is too dark, it will shed the majority of its leaves to save resources. First its leaves turn yellow, then they fall off. It produces significantly less chlorophyll and that makes the whole plant sick. The plant stops growing - another sign that it is too dark.
What you can do:A change of location is an absolute must. Fortunately, the olive tree tolerates transplanting in spring very well.
Mealybugs on olive trees: A result of incorrect overwintering
If the olive tree was overwintered incorrectly - for example, too warm, it will come out of hibernation weakened. She has barely adapted to the outdoor conditions and then she becomesinfested with mealybugs. The result is white coating on the shoots and yellowed leaves. Olive trees that are in partial shade or shade have a particularly difficult time.
What you can do:Overwinter the olive tree at 5°-6° Celsius and then slowly acclimate it to the conditions outside in spring. First, the potted plant can be placed in a sunny room and only then can it be placed outside. And it should be as sunny as possible but cool there. The affected parts of the plant are cut off and the plant is treated with a solution of 30 ml liquid soap, 30 ml vodka and 2 liters of water.
Olive tree gets yellow leaves in summer: nutrient deficiency
The exotic is a heavy feeder and needs a lot of nutrients to get through the summer well. It needs a nitrogen fertilizer and must be regularly supplied with iron, magnesium and potassium. Defects often lead to discoloration. If the young leaves turn yellow, then it is probably a manganese deficiency. If the old leaves turn yellow first, then the plant suffers from a magnesium deficiency.
What you can do: Fertilize olive trees.Citrus fertilizer or universal fertilizer with a high proportion of nitrogen and potassium are ideal for outdoor plants. The potted plants are less likely to suffer from a lack of nutrients - the special soil from the garden center supplies them with nutrients throughout the gardening season. But you can give Mediterranean fertilizer every now and then.
Special case: Olive tree leaves turn brown
If theOlive tree leaves browndiscolor, then this could be due to frost damage. Especially with potted plants, if they are too cold, the roots can freeze. The result – brown, dry leaves and twigs.
Temperature differences in spring, around the end of May, can also promote leaf drop. In this case, however, these are completely normal processes. The olive tree changes its leaves every three years. They gradually turn brown, dry out and then fall off. If there are a lot of young leaves growing in their place, then there is no reason to worry. It is important that the leaf fall does not happen all at once, but rather over a longer period of time - several weeks - and that new leaf buds are constantly emerging and fresh leaves are formed.
