There are many reasons why bitter gourd leaves turning yellow. Having yellow leaves is one of the common problem of every vegetables, trees, flowers and other plants. There is a cause why it happen and when it is figure out, its a relief for the growers of bitter gourd.
Why Bitter Gourd Leaves Turning Yellow?
The reasons why bitter gourd leaves turning yellow is because of aging leaves, too much or lack of water, too much or little light, nutrient deficiencies, pest and diseases.
For the beginners growing bitter gourd, seeing yellow leaves will make them uncomfortable. They might be worried why their plant leaves turn yellow. Some reasons are due to the weather and others are because of pest or diseases. When you know what is the cause of yellow leaves you know how to fix, to control and how to avoid them. When it happen the plants will thrive and grow well.
Aging leaves
The first reason why bitter gourd leaves turning yellow is because of aging leaves. Aging leaves is common. Its normal for any kinds of plants, vegetables, flowers and trees to have yellow leaves. From the start of their growth, the plants have light to dark green leaves and it will grow old and turn to yellow.
The younger leaves are either light or dark green in color. You can see them small in size and continues to becomes bigger. Then when the leaves reach its maximum maturity, it will start changing its color. The green one will slowly turn to yellow and eventually becomes brown and fall to the ground. That is how the leaves of the bitter gourd grow.
So when you see some yellow leaves on your plant, maybe those are just age leaves and you don’t need to worry about. If your plants is just planted on your yard, you can monitor them and you can easily know if those leaves are old or new. Its great to look at your plants day by day because it can make us happy. And monitoring them will help to know if your plant has a problem.
Too Much Water
Too much water will make your bitter gourd plant drowned. Excessive water is not good for the plant. If you are watering your plant so that you will not water it on the next few days then it is not good. For example there are some people that goes to a travel and there are no people left at home, then what they do is water it too much so that the plant will continues to grow but the result is different, the plant leaves will turn to yellow because the plant is drowned.
Watering it too much because no people will water it for few days is not a good idea. You can water it with enough water is just hope that rainfall will come on those days while you are not at home. The plants can live for a few days as long as the soil moisture will be maintain. And when you go back home you can started watering it again for a daily basis. Or if you are too worried about your plant, you can ask from your friend nearby or maybe from your neighborhood you have trusted.
Or maybe your plants have yellow leaves because you accidentally apply too much water. There are cases that you didn’t mean to water it too much but it happen. So next time that you are going to water your plants, you will be careful. If rainfall is available you don’t need to water it cause it will cause over watering.
Under Watering
Under or lack of water can also cause for bitter gourd leaves to turn yellow. The bitter gourd plant becomes bigger once its vines grow longer and wider. When they are wider, they need more water because more vines, leaves, flower and fruits are growing. They need to get more amount of water everyday. It will help to maintain green leaves.
Lack of water sometimes happen, especially when there is no rainfall and you miss a day to water them. Depending on the rainfall water for your plant is good, but you need to water them when the drought season come. You need to water them regularly during the summer season.
Give your plant enough amount of water to prevent leaves from yellowing. The leaves will stays green for a couple of days or weeks. When the bitter gourd plant receives the right amount of water regularly it will thrive well. It will bear more fruits in the next following weeks.
Too Much Light
Hot weather can also cause why bitter gourd leaves turning yellow. During the summer season, the weather is too hot. The temperature increases from the normal temperature condition of a place. The sun is shining bright and the leaves of the plant can be affected. Leaves need sunlight to produce food but too much can lead to yellow leaves.
We can’t control the weather. When the weather is too hot, plant leaves might turn yellow. But if it doesn’t happen then your plant will be fine. Also it needs more water to stay hydrated during hot season.
Too Little Light
Having little sunlight can cause yellow leaves for bitter gourd plant. The sunlight is very important needs of the plant to produce its food. So when it gets little sunlight then it might affect its plant growth which lead for its leaves to turn yellow. You need to make sure that your plant will receive the right amount of sunlight
Its important that if you are just starting to grow bitter gourd, find a place where it will get lots of sunlight. Atleast 6 hours of sunlight is good for the bitter gourd plant o make its food. Find an area where it is a little bit open, no trees or buildings that will block the sunlight away from your plants. If the plants gets enough sunlight regularly, it will grow well.
If you have a limited space for planting, you need to find a way to make sure that you plant will still get atleast 6 hours of sunlight. Sunlight is very important to the plant to make its food and to thrive well. It will help also to maintain green leaves and also grow more flowers and fruits.
Nutrient Deficiencies
Nutrient deficiencies can also cause for the bitter gourd leaves to yellow. Nutrients are important needs of the plant. The soil where the plant is planted should be rich to minerals. If the soil is lack in nutrients, you can improve it by adding more. Fertilizer can help to improve them and prevent yellowing of its leaves.
Nitrogen Deficiencies
Nitrogen is important to the plants. It helps to maintain color green leaves and for its growth. If you want your plant to produce more green leaves, then you need to maintain the right amount of nitrogen on the soil.
Potassium
Potassium is also a nutrient on the soil. Lack of potassium is also a possible reason why the leaves of bitter gourd turn yellow. You can improve the soil quality by adding more potassium. It will prevent yellow of leaves and it will stays green for a couple of days or weeks of growing.
Pests and Diseases
There are pests and diseases that might attack the bitter gourd. It will destroys the plant leaves, fruits or flower. So when there is an usual happening to your plant, you need to observe and monitor it. Look if there are pests that roaming or living on the plant. Those pests might destroy the plant which is not good and monitoring it will help to identify those kind of pests.
Every plant, trees or vegetables, some times they have this kind of pests that will likely live on the plant and damage it. There are several kinds of pests which damage the leaves, flower and fruits and to control them is by using pesticides or insecticides. If they are control, the bitter gourd will grows well.
You can use organic one or maybe buy one at the market. Some diseases can also cause a problem on bitter gourd. Fungus might attack the plant and to control them use fungicide. The fungicide will helps to eliminate them making the plant safer.
Those are some reason why bitter gourd leaves turning yellow. Knowing what is the cause of the problem is the first thing to do. When it is already know, the controlling process will be the next thing to do. If the bitter gourd plant stays healthy, it can produce lots of flowers and fruits making abundant harvest in the following months.
