Did you know that by doing something very specific you solve the problem of yellow leaves of mother-in-law’s tongue? Here’s what you need to do to invigorate this plant and make it thrive!
Does your mother-in-law’s tongue have yellow leaves and are you afraid that she will die? Don’t worry, there is still a remedy and you can save the plant from a bad end. So let’s find out what you need to do to make mother-in-law’s tongue last a long time, which despite its curious name is a beautiful and decorative plant!
The Sansevieria or mother-in-law’s tongue
Known as the mother-in-law’s tongue, Sansevieria is a beautiful and decorative plant, which takes its curious name from the tall and sinuous leaves, which look like tongues. Ideal to keep in the apartment but also in other places, it resists high temperatures and cannot stand the cold.
To grow well, it does not need excessive maintenance, just a few small tricks that allow you to obtain great results. One thing that often occurs is the appearance of yellow leaves, let’s see how to prevent it and what to do.
Clean the yellow leaves
When the leaves turn yellow, the main reason can be the attack by insects and pests. Another reason may be that they do not absorb enough light, or they are just dirty.
A good solution to solve this problem is to prepare a mixture based on water and Marseille soap and clean the leaves by soaking a cotton pad.
With just one step you will remove any pests and the leaves will shine again because the dirt will also disappear. Do this once a week or every 15 days.
Don’t overwater the plant
The yellowing of the leaves can also be due to excessive watering. This can happen when it is warmer and you try to help the plant by putting more water, but instead you should not do it. If you notice that there is excess water, do not put any more for a few days and let the soil dry.
To make sure you don’t make a mistake, water the plant when there is no more moisture in the potting soil, otherwise wait a little longer. Also pay attention to the water that remains in the saucer, because if it stagnates, the roots could become moldy and the plant could die.
Keep it out of the wind
It is essential to keep the mother-in-law’s tongue away from the wind, otherwise the leaves can turn yellow. In fact, in this case the plant would suffer and the yellow leaves are the alarm that something is wrong.
The wind or drafts are poorly tolerated by this plant and if it is placed outside you must be careful to keep it inside when there is air blowing. Even sudden power inputs are not accepted by this plant that prefers to stay sheltered and safe.
Repot your mother-in-law’s tongue and fertilize it
To have a mother-in-law’s tongue with beautiful tall leaves, it is necessary that she has enough space to grow. It is necessary to check that the roots can develop well and there is space in the pot to expand. It is important to understand if there is little space because this would cause suffering to the plant and lead the leaves to turn yellow.
If there is a need to repot it, do this in the spring, and do it every two years, to give the mother-in-law’s tongue the necessary space to develop. In addition, also remember to fertilize the plant, despite the fact that many say that succulents do not need it.
This is not true at all and in the case of Sansevieria the yellowing of the leaves could result from poor nutrition. Therefore, if you put fertilizer, the plant will have the necessary nutrition to keep the leaves green and beautiful.
The ideal fertilizer is a mixture of potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen. Natural fertilizers are also excellent and among the best you can use those based on coffee grounds, containing all the nutrients necessary to make the mother-in-law’s tongue grow luxuriantly!
