Reasons why plum leaves turn yellow and fall off and what to do
Even the most unpretentious garden trees are affected by pests and diseases. That is why gardeners often wonder why the leaves of a fruit plum turn yellow and fall off. Further actions completely depend on the cause that caused this condition of the plant. Perhaps he just lacks vitamins. But sometimes yellowing and premature fall of the green mass indicates more serious problems.
Why plum leaves turn yellow and fall
Experts identify several reasons due to which the plums first turn yellow, and then the leaves begin to fall off. Some of them are caused by mistakes in care and agricultural technology, while others are the result of exposure to pathogens and pests.
Wrong landing site
If the color of the green mass changes at the plums, and from the top it begins to fall off, then this signals a close location of the groundwater level. Even if such a factor was taken into account during planting, then over time the roots go deep into the depths and turn out to be waterlogged.
The problem is solved by replanting a tree, building a hill or draining the soil.
Similar symptoms in plums are caused by constant flooding of the garden with thawed spring waters or prolonged rains. In this case, only a transplant can save the seedling. Also, the leaves are capable of turning yellow and withering from lack of lighting. The plum should not be shaded by large trees or nearby buildings.
Lack of moisture
With prolonged drought, an adult plum requires up to 8 buckets of water to be added to the soil every 10 days. 3 buckets are enough for a young tree. If there is less moisture or irrigation is carried out less than once every 10 days, then the leaves of the plant first turn yellow, and then it begins to shed them.
Frozen branches
If, as a result of a decrease in temperature, the branches are frozen at the plum, then they should be removed. To avoid annoying troubles, you need to carefully prepare the tree for winter, and also not to remove the covering material early.
Deficiency or excess of nutrients
A deficiency of nutrients is manifested in the fact that the foliage on the plum begins to turn yellow from below. Young twigs suffer a little later. Lack of nitrogen affects the condition of the leaves. At first they turn pale and then turn yellow. The growth of the tree stops or slows down.
With an excess of nitrogen in the soil, the green mass grows quickly, has a dark color, and the dimensions of the plate are very large.
On sandy loam or sandy soil, plums often lack magnesium.As a result, the foliage becomes covered with spots of red or yellow color, then curls and dies. With a lack of phosphorus, not only the yellowed leaf falls off, but also the formed ovary, the unripe fruit.
A yellow border around the leaf plate, which eventually spreads to its entire area, signals a potassium deficiency. If the type of starvation is diagnosed in time, then it is easily eliminated by introducing the necessary top dressing into the soil.
Root system problems
Plum does not tolerate sudden temperature fluctuations. If you open the roots at the first warming, then the chance of their freezing increases greatly. As a result, the tree does not receive the required amount of nutrients and slowly dies.
You can save it with fertilizers and dressings, which significantly increase the plant's chance to survive.
Diseases and pests
Yellowing of the leaves on a plum often signals a negative impact of pests or diseases. It would be better to take preventive measures in a timely manner, but in emergency cases, the tree must be urgently treated.
Verticillosis
A dangerous fungal disease, as a result of which the mycelium clogs the tubules near the plum, through which juice and nutrients move. Spores enter the tree through a damaged root system. The leaves are curled and yellow in color. At the initial stage, the plant can be saved by treatment with Previkur or Topsin-M.
If the signs of the disease appeared only in the upper part of the plum, then the fungus has already affected the entire trunk, therefore it will have to be cut down and burned, and the soil should be treated with antifungal drugs.
Moniliosis
Another type of fungal disease that spreads through the pistils on the flowers, over time, the leaves on the plum already wither and the branches are affected. The peak of disease activity occurs during the period of low temperatures and cold winds. When the flowers are blackened, it is necessary to urgently treat the plum with the Horus preparation. Prophylactic antifungal treatments are recommended to prevent the onset of moniliosis.
Coccomycosis
This fungal disease most often affects the branches and leaves, but sometimes gardeners ask themselves why the plum dried up along with the fruits? The first sign of infection is the appearance of red-brown spots, which eventually spread over the entire area of the leaf plate. With severe damage, red fungal spores are visible in the cracks in the bark of the plum.
You can cope with the disease by treating the garden with copper sulfate and Bordeaux mixture. They spray not only the affected tree, but also the ground around it.
Chlorosis
A symptom of this disease is that on the plum the leaves turn yellow and fall off in June. The process starts at the top. Over time, the disease spreads to the bottom of the tree. It is recommended to fight the disease by spraying the plant with iron vitriol or the drug "Antichlorosin". To feed the plum, use the "Hilat" product.
Plum aphid
The attack of small aphids provokes curling and yellowing of the leaves on the plum. Insects spread very quickly and can be difficult to control. They settle on the back side of the sheet plate, causing deformation of the edges. It is recommended to cut and burn the damaged parts of the tree, and then spray it with chamomile, garlic or soapy mustard solution. In the spring, preventive treatments with Inta-Vir, Iskra or Decis are helpful.
What to do if the leaves turn yellow
For a young plum, the close location of groundwater is not scary, but over time, its root system grows and suffers from waterlogging. During this period, the leaves begin to turn yellow and fall off.By mid-summer, the groundwater disappears, and the tree is recovering, but such drops greatly weaken it. As a result, the plant dies after a few years. Only a transplant to another place will help to save him.
In the spring, during the melting of the snow, or in the summer, during the period of heavy rainfall, the leaves of the plum also turn yellow. If the situation repeats annually, then only transplanting a tree to a hill will help. Isolated cases do not pose a great danger, and the plum is restored by itself. To help her in this, it is necessary to introduce a complex mineral fertilizer with a high nitrogen content into the trunk circle. Spraying with the "Epin" preparation promotes the rapid growth of young shoots.
If freezing is the cause of the yellowing of the leaves, then the plum will recover only after a few years.
Dried branches should be removed regularly. In dry summer conditions, every 10 days, up to 8 buckets of water are required under the tree. In the case when none of the listed reasons take place, it will be necessary to analyze the soil and determine reliably what components the plum lacks for normal development.
Preventive actions
In order to timely prevent yellowing and falling of leaves near plums, you need to know exactly the reason that entails such negative consequences. This could be:
- the close location of the groundwater level to the soil surface;
- flooding of a garden plot with melt or rainwater;
- clayey heavy soil with a high lime content;
- shading of the sun by tall, spreading trees.
It is advisable to take these factors into account when planting plums and try to neutralize them. Otherwise, it often happens that the plum dries up with the fruits. If the effect of pathogenic bacteria leads to yellowing of the foliage, then the gardener must pre-select preparations for preventive treatment and spray the tree at the right time.
In the case of a predominance of lime soil in the area, the drain does not assimilate iron, even with its sufficient content. You will need to acidify the soil. In the spring, ammonium nitrate is added to it, and in the fall - ammonium sulfate or potassium sulfate. The crown is sprayed with the drug "Antichlorosis" or "Ferovit".
