Honeysuckle is an ornamental plant known for its attractive fragrance and vivid blooms. Though it’s native to the temperate region, different varieties prefer some different conditions to grow. That’s why complete care is needed while growing these beauties.
Well, it’s not that tricky because of the hard vines. Still, honeysuckles are not susceptible to different adverse conditions and pest attacks. The yellowing leaf is a common problem in this plant which may result in poor growth and flowering.
And the Possible reasons for yellowing honeysuckles leaves are Chlorosis, moisture imbalance, pathogen attack, insect and pests, unfavorable weather conditions, and so on.
In this article, we’ll discuss these problems and how to keep honeysuckle leaves away from turning yellow.
So let’s dive in-
Why Are The Honeysuckle Leaves Turning Yellow?
1. Moisture Imbalance
Honeysuckles need proper watering and well-drained soil. Both lack of water and excessive watering can damage your plant starting from the yellowing of leaves.
In the case of newly planted honeysuckle, consistent watering is required. For the first year, water about 1 inch every 7 days.
Once established, you don’t need to water this often. Try to maintain soil moisture. But prevent waterlogging conditions with proper drainage.
Drought
If the problem is not sorted despite proper watering or high rainfall, drought can be a reason. It causes honeysuckle leaves to turn yellow and fall off.
Drought can occur due to close plantations, too stony or sandy soil that can’t retain water, and when the plant base is exposed to direct sun.
Though cape honeysuckles can withstand drought, coral honeysuckles need proper care to deal with this issue.
Control Measures
Some simple management practices can combat drought effectively. So let’s begin.
Watering regularly during the spring and summer seasons gradually encourages root establishment. This process increases your plant’s drought resistance. Watering once in 7 days is enough in such a case.
Add some mulch to retain moisture around the roots. 2.5 centimeters layer of mulch composed of compost or leaf mould can mimic the natural effect of leaf litter. So, you can try this method.
2. Chlorosis
Chlorosis in your honeysuckle leaves can be an indicator of nutrient deficiency. Lack of nitrogen cause fading and eventually turning honeysuckle leaves yellow.
If your leaves are turning yellow and shedding even after proper watering, nitrogen deficiency can be the reason behind this.
Control Measures
As honeysuckle is a vine plant, you should go easy with the fertilizers. Try to use some balanced fertilizers. (Our Pick: Nelson Plant Food For All Flowering Vines)
Chlorosis is closely related to soil pH. The optimum pH for Honeysuckle is between 5.5 to 8.0. If your soil pH is greater than 8, treat your soil with a soil acidifier.
3. Pathogen Attack
Both fungal and bacterial infestation can be detrimental to your plants. Canker and leaf spots with yellowing are closely associated with these attacks. Pathogens can destroy your whole plant in the long term.
But don’t get worked up. Here we have discussed some symptoms with proper solutions for your plants.
Fungal Attack
You may have noticed that your honeysuckle vine leaves are turning yellow with some small reddish-brown spots at the center. This is an indication of a fungal attack on the plant. Proper treatment is necessary before it spreads to other parts.
Control Measures
To control fungal transmission and abolish the disease, you should adopt a few necessary measures. So, let’s get down to business.
Fungicide is a wise pick to control yellow leaf spots. A solution containing neem oil extract can be safe and helpful. (Our Pick: Organic Neem Bliss 100% Pure Cold Pressed Neem Seed Oil)
Copper fungicides can also be a good option (our pick: Bonide Copper Fungicide). Just spray this ready-made solution on the upper and lower surface of the leaves. Follow this every 7 to 14 days until you see improvement.
Caution – Avoid direct contact with copper fungicides. Don’t skip gloves while handling these.
Home Remedies
You may not always get your hands on these fungicides in urgency. So here we have come up with some home remedies for you.
#Recipe 1: Baking Soda Spray
Ingredients:
- 4 teaspoons of baking soda
- 1 gallon of water
- 4 to 5 drops of liquid soap
Steps:
- Mix baking soda in water
- Add a few drops of liquid soap to the mixture
- Spray this solution on the affected area
#Recipe 2: Apple Cider Vinegar Spray
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
- 4 liters of water
Steps:
- Add the mentioned amount of vinegar to the water.
- Simply apply this solution to your leaves.
Canker Disease
Canker is often visible in honeysuckle vines which are caused by fungal pathogens and bacteria. The major symptoms include the yellowing of leaves.
You can trace canker disease by black spots under the leaves. Stem canker is even more hazardous. Blackish-brown spots with swollen bumps can be detected on the vine in this case.
Control Measure
It’s important to stop cankers as it can eventually destroy your whole plant. Here are some effective steps which may help you with this problem. Let’s take a look.
Cutting off dead and diseased plant parts is an important measure. Don’t forget to treat those pruning cuts immediately with some pruning sealer
As fungal spores and bacterial residue can spread further, disinfect your pruning equipment with some bleach. Two parts bleach to 8 parts water is a good ratio to maintain.
Still not being able to control? Simply pick a fungicide that is effective for vines.
Avoid scraping in affected plants as much as possible. Fungal spores can transmit through these exposed portions easily. You can use some tree wraps to protect in case of accidental injuries.
Preventive Measures for Pathogen Attacks
As honeysuckle vines are quite hard, it’s easy to escape canker and other pathogen attacks if taken care of properly. Adapting some management practices can help you in this. So, let’s get started.
First of all, check your soil condition regularly. Make sure proper drainage is provided.
Try to prune your vines 15 to 20 centimeters to ensure healthy growth. Keep checking plant injuries regularly.
Last but not the least, remove weeds around your young plants to provide aeration. This will prevent wet conditions favorable for fungal growth.
4. Insects
Aphids and spider mites are the most common pests in honeysuckle. Green, black or pink aphids and scale insects are often found in cape honeysuckles. These pests cause distorting leaves with yellowing which can result in leaf shedding.
Honeysuckle leaf problems related to these pests include- yellow curled and webbed over leaves. So you can determine pest attack with these plant symptoms.
Control Measure
To treat any pest in your garden, follow some of our suggestions. Here are some for you.
As you know some good water splashes can wash off aphids easily, just try this basic method first. You can use a water sprinkler or simply a watering can to do so.
Another option can be the application of insecticidal soaps and oils. These will be effective for other insects too.
Try to maintain the ratio of 2% solution in water of petroleum-based horticultural oils or some plant-derived oils such as neem oil or canola oil
Insecticidal soaps are quite effective for soft-bodied pests like aphids and scale insects. You can try some ready-to-use products. (Our Pick: Natria Insecticidal Soap)
Spray these solutions every 3 to 5 days for 2 weeks to see results.
Home Remedies
Well, you can also make your own insecticidal soap at home. Let me show you how.
Ingredients needed-
- 2.5 tablespoons of vegetable oil.
- 2.5 tablespoons of liquid soap.
- 4 liters of water.
Steps to follow-
First mix both vegetable oil and liquid soap together.
Gradually add this mixture to the water.
Pour this solution into a spray bottle and apply to the targeted area.
Caution – Avoid bleach-containing soaps, as these can kill some insects useful for pollination.
Preventive Measure
There’s not much to do in prevention as some insects are necessary for pollination. But you can eliminate the deleterious ones by introducing some beneficial insects.
For example, predatory insects like lace wig can effectively control aphids and scales.
5. Unfavorable Weather and Soil pH
Honeysuckles are native to the temperate region. Some varieties grow well in other parts too.
Though you can’t control these specific climatic conditions, some initiatives can facilitate your journey. We have some recommendations for you. So, keep reading.
Honeysuckle vines flourish in full to partial sunlight. So, try to provide adequate light. A 6 to 8-hour daylight schedule will be good for your plants.
Cape honeysuckles can tolerate both acidic and alkaline conditions. But coral honeysuckles only prefer acidic to neutral soils. Imbalanced pH can restrict some essential nutrients to plants which may result in yellowing leaves.
So use a soil pH meter to keep an eye on pH level according to the variety you pick. (Our pick: Atree Soil Soil Tester Kits with Moisture, Light, and PH Test for Garden)
Conclusion
We have come up with almost all possible reasons behind honeysuckle leaf yellowing and discussed their solutions.
In a nutshell, all you have to do is keep checking disease attacks and monitoring your plants for chlorosis and other climatic conditions as mentioned. Just some proper care and you are good to go with those lovely blooms.
Come back with your results and share them with us. If you face any further problems, go through the article once more. Happy growing!