Growing ornamental plants is not as easy as it seems at first glance.
For many flower crops, room conditions represent a certain compromise.
In apartments, it is not always possible to exactly repeat the natural conditions necessary for the normal growth and development of plants.
Naturally, the consequences of this will sooner or later make themselves felt. This can be expressed in a decrease in the size of the plant, the absence of flowering or fruiting, the appearance of diseases and other unpleasant phenomena.
Even crops that have been proven over many years of growing experience can suddenly become sick or significantly reduce the speed of vegetation. The reasons for such phenomena can be very diverse - from the wrong composition of the soil or temperature regime to a violation of the annual cycle of plant development.
One of the most common problems in growing indoor flowers is the distortion of the shape of the leaves. They can shrink, shrink, or curl into tubes.
The article discusses what causes the leaves to deform and how to deal with this phenomenon.
Content:
Read also: Fertilizer for indoor plants. Description of fertilizer types, home dressing recipes (Photo & Video) + Reviews
No. 1 Physiological causes of leaf deformation
Any plant for its growth and development requires the presence of various nutrient compounds in the environment, as well as substances critical for maintaining vital functions. In particular, for the formation of tissues, the plant needs amino acids. Plants obtain oxygen and hydrogen from air and water, nitrogen from the soil, and the carbon needed for the production of sugars (as a result of photosynthesis) they receive from carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Theoretically, this is enough for normal growth, but that's not all. To control the processes occurring in tissues, special microelements are also needed. Their concentration is very small in comparison with the substances already indicated, but without their presence the plant will die.
Liquid complex fertilizer is used
These substances include:
- magnesium, which is necessary for the formation of chlorophyll molecules;
- iron, which acts as a catalyst in photosynthesis;
- potassium (promotes the accumulation of sugars, prevents them from quickly disintegrating);
- boron, necessary for the formation of germ cells of plants;
- phosphorus, which serves to speed up metabolic processes;
- etc.
These are only the main components necessary for the normal functioning of the plant organism. About a third of the periodic table is somehow involved in the regulation of their growth and reproduction processes. Naturally, the lack of certain substances leads to disruption of the normal life of the plant.
It is also important to understand here that not only a lack, but also an excess of some components can cause leaves to curl. So, for example, excessive doses of potash fertilizers can sometimes have quite the opposite effect.
Twisted leaves on young tomatoes with an excess of potash fertilizers
Another reason may be the presence of substances frankly harmful to plants in the soil or air. So, chlorine, in almost any form, is dangerous for plants, since being an element of the 7th group, it reacts with almost all components and accumulates in plants in large quantities. This leads to metabolic disorders and is the cause of many diseases of ornamental crops.
Twisted leaves on indoor Saintpaulias
But not only the absence or excess of certain mineral "bricks" leads to similar results. Not the last role is played by the influence of external factors. For example, a sharp change in temperature, light or humidity caused by drafts, cold watering, shading, etc. can lead to disruption of the normal rhythms of plant life and cause deformation of its leaves and stems.
Next, the most common causes that cause a change in the shape of the leaves will be considered and methods will be described, how to eliminate their unpleasant consequences.
Read also: How to make a booth for a dog with your own hands: building a home in the yard and in the apartment. Drawings, dimensions and original ideas (55+ Photos & Videos) + Reviews No. 2 Mistakes when watering
Twisted dendrobium leaves due to insufficient watering
As such, there are relatively few errors during irrigation. These include:
- violation of the irrigation regime;
- use of water of unsuitable quality;
- watering at the wrong temperature.
The most common reason, of course, is the first. Leaves can curl from excess moisture in the soil. This is especially noticeable for crops that are resistant to drought. At the same time, the leaves of moisture-loving plants will wither with a lack of moisture.
Solving this problem is quite simple - Irrigation needs to be adjusted. The only thing to remember is that you need to do this gradually so as not to expose your pet to additional stress.
For drought-resistant crops, moderate or heavy watering is recommended, followed by loosening the soil. Moisture-loving crops are recommended to be watered with a small amount of water, but do it constantly. A good solution would be to use wick irrigation or a procedure to mulch the soil with a material appropriate for a particular plant.
Urea (urea) - one of the preparations for feeding
An additional measure, carried out simultaneously with the normalization of watering plants, may be the introduction of foliar top dressing with urea. To do this, spray the leaves of the plant once with a solution of urea in water (1 tablespoon per 5 liters of water). 2-3 days after top dressing, it is recommended to spray the leaves with a 0.3% solution of potassium permanganate.
Another common mistake when watering, leading to twisting of plants into tubules, is the use of unsettled tap water. It contains too high a concentration of fluorine and chlorine compounds, which, as already mentioned, are extremely harmful to plants. Everything is relatively simple here: before watering, water should be defended for several days.
The use of too cold or too warm water when watering is also undesirable, since the root hairs are very sensitive to its temperature. In the most unfortunate cases, they may generally lose their abilities for a while, and the plant will be deprived of the possibility of soil nutrition for several days. This can have critical consequences, as the leaves will be followed by wilting and death of the plant.
Read also: Making a compost box with your own hands: a description of the main technical points, recipes for making compost (50 Photos & Videos) + Reviews
No. 3 Wrong top dressing
Deformation of cyclamen leaves due to improper feeding
The existing opinion that houseplants can be fed with the same substances or formulations as garden (or garden) crops, is only partly true.
Plants in the open have much more opportunities to get food from the environment than indoor plants, if only because the size of their root system is practically unlimited. And most importantly, this root system has a much larger piece of land at its disposal, containing almost all the necessary trace elements at different levels.
An example of leaf curl in petunia seedlings
Therefore, only the presence of basic substances that go to the direct formation of the vegetative part and fruits is critical for them. (nitrogen, potassium, magnesium). And almost all the substances that regulate their vital activity are present in relative abundance. Indoor plants with a limited amount of soil are deprived of such an opportunity.
Most often, the leaves of indoor flowers curl from a lack of substances such as molybdenum, manganese, sulfur, boron and iron. You can solve the problem very simply - use specialized top dressing for indoor plants, containing the entire necessary range of nutrients.
Another problem associated with top dressing and leading to leaf curl is an overdose of indoor plants with potassium and nitrogen. These substances have the ability to accumulate in plant tissues, react with various compounds, thereby disrupting the metabolism and the formation of new cells. Therefore, gardeners should always comply with the norms for the introduction of certain funds.
![[Instructions] How to make beautiful and unusual wall shelves with your own hands: for flowers, books, TV, kitchen or garage (100+ Photo Ideas & Videos) + Reviews](https://iherb.bedbugus.biz/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/19-6-300x213.jpg)
Read also: [Instructions] How to make beautiful and unusual wall shelves with your own hands: for flowers, books, TV, kitchen or garage (100+ Photo Ideas & Videos) + Reviews №4 Diseases and pests
Changing the shape of cucumber leaves in case of spider mite damage
Plants are the basis of any food chain, so do not be surprised that they will always attract other living organisms that want to use the resources they have accumulated.
Fungal diseases are the most common cause of leaf curl. This is most pronounced in the case of damage to the following diseases:
- powdery mildew;
- cytosporosis;
- white and gray rot;
- rust;
- spotting.
Moreover, often twisting acts as an additional symptom of the fungus, which appears as before, and after the main ones (spots, dots, yellow or brown formations, etc.)
The fight against fungal diseases is standard: the use of various fungicides suitable for a particular type of plant. For those who do not want to purchase any special preparations, there is a standard processing procedure using a universal remedy - Bordeaux liquid.
Bordeaux mixture
It is used at a concentration of 1%, often used together with a soap solution. (30 g of vitriol and 200 g of soap are diluted in 10 liters of water). Affected plants are sprayed in the evening or on cloudy days. Treatments are carried out every 3-4 days until the symptoms disappear completely. Other fungicides, such as copper oxychloride, may also be used.It is used in lower concentrations (from 0.3% to 0.5%).
Another disease-related problem is viral infections. They are most often caused by tobacco mosaic virus or wilt virus. Their symptoms may be different, but in general they have approximately the same appearance: the leaves first turn yellow in several places, then curl, dry and fall off. Unfortunately, there are no resources here.
You can try to remove the affected plant fragments, and if the virus has not had time to spread further, perhaps the plant will be saved from the disease. But, in the vast majority of cases, viral infections for plants are fatal. Therefore, it is imperative to completely destroy the affected instance in order to avoid further spread of the virus.
whitefly
There are also many pests that cause leaf curl. Mostly, these are insects that feed on plant sap.
Their most characteristic representatives may be:
- spider mite;
- leafworm caterpillars;
- whiteflies;
- thrips;
- aphid;
- scale insects;
- pennits and their larvae.
Most of the listed pests are either ticks or insects with strong immunity, therefore, the use of conventional insecticides may be ineffective. Therefore, it is recommended to use stronger agents - acaricides (special agents against ticks) or insecticides of the latest generation.
Of the chemicals, the use of Aktellik, Aktara or Fitoverm is recommended. Fans of natural remedies can use a decoction of wormwood with a soapy solution (150 g of wormwood and 20 g of soap are diluted in 5 liters of water), infusions of celandine or garlic.
Treatments with chemicals should be carried out in strict accordance with the instructions, folk remedies are used at intervals of several days until the pests completely disappear.
spider mite
![[Instruction] Do-it-yourself laminate on a wooden floor: a complete description of the process. Laying schemes, what materials should be used (Photo & Video) + Reviews](https://iherb.bedbugus.biz/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/laminat-300x200.jpg)
Read also: [Instruction] Do-it-yourself laminate on a wooden floor: a complete description of the process. Laying schemes, what materials should be used (Photo & Video) + Reviews
#5 Environmental impact
Often, leaf curl occurs from other causes, primarily related to the improper maintenance of the plant or its abrupt change (for example, taking plants out of dormancy too quickly)
Here it is necessary to consider the influence of each factor separately.
illumination
Most plants like planting in sunny areas. This is not surprising, since in order to obtain nutrients (sugars), not only carbon dioxide and water are needed, but also light radiation.
On the other hand, there are cultures that do not like too much light, since a small amount of light is enough for them, and its excessive doses can cause burns of integumentary tissues.
It is necessary to carefully study the conditions of maintenance of a particular culture, so as not to be mistaken with the degree of its illumination and follow them exactly. Sometimes the illumination is seasonal, for example, some cultures are generally recommended to flee to dark rooms for a dormant period.
In addition, direct sunlight is often harmful to plants, but the illumination should be good and last several hours a day. In this case, various methods of dispersion are used, for example, using gauze or mesh, which is hung on the window.
Temperature
This is a very important parameter for any culture, often more significant than illumination. Moreover, it should be remembered that the range of comfortable temperatures has upper and lower limits.
Sometimes too high temperatures can be even more dangerous than too low temperatures. This is due to the fact that at high temperatures, the processes of evaporation of moisture from the leaves are accelerated, which can lead to their rapid withering and death of the entire plant.
Often the leaves curl up in winter because that they touch cold glass or are exposed to drafts. In this case, it is recommended to set the pot away from a potentially dangerous place.
Air humidity
Twisting and falling of dracaena leaves from excessive moisture
Each culture has its own limits for changing the level of humidity. Desert plants prefer dry air (with a humidity of no more than 30-40%), forest or marsh crops may require fairly high values of this parameter.
In any case, to avoid leaf curl, it should be controlled. Some flower growers are trying to solve the problem by using sprinkling plants with spraying from a spray bottle. This method is not very effective, since it provides an acceptable level of humidity for several dozen minutes.
It is recommended to either use stationary humidifiers or move the plants to a more humid environment. So, for example, in the kitchen or bathroom, the humidity is on average 20-30% higher than in the bedroom.
Soil acidity
Often, leaf curl occurs against the background of chlorosis, the cause of which is soil acidity that is unsuitable for this plant.
The assimilation of elements critical for the plant depends on the level of soil acidity. If it is too acidic, or vice versa, too alkaline, many elements will be poorly absorbed by the plant, and even fertilizing will not improve the situation.
So, for example, on acidic soils, plants practically lose their intake of potassium, calcium, magnesium and sulfur. Too alkaline soils make iron, manganese and zinc unavailable to plants. Deprived of these elements necessary for life, plants begin to wither, and their leaves curl.
The level of soil acidity should be checked regularly and, if necessary, deacidification or leaching operations should be carried out. Usually, various mineral or organic fertilizers are used for this purpose.
Read also: Do-it-yourself furniture and other wood products: drawings of benches, tables, swings, birdhouses and other household items (85+ Photos & Videos) The most characteristic causes of leaf deformation in different crops
Curling potato leaves
The above information is too general. Moreover, this is true not only for domestic plants, but also for those that grow in the garden, vegetable garden or greenhouses. The causes of leaf curl due to malnutrition are equally characteristic of both trees or shrubs and seedlings.
Each culture has its own specific features of agricultural technology and, of course, the reasons for the appearance of twisted leaves will also be individual. For example, in cucumber seedlings, this can be explained by a lack of moisture, and in some shrubby form of lilac, by excessive pruning. Below is a description of these causes in some popular cultures.
violets
violets
The most common reason why leaves curl and fall off violets - improper watering. Moreover, the signs of excess and lack of moisture have approximately the same manifestation: the edges of the leaves are wrapped and the disappearance of swellings characteristic of violets is observed on the plates.In addition, the veins on the upper part of the leaf plate become very clearly visible on them, which is practically not observed in healthy plants.
If leaves and stems curl at the same time - this is a sure sign of infection of the flower with tick parasites. It is relatively difficult to notice, for example, a cyclamen mite - you need to carefully examine the undersides of the leaves.
Sometimes the leaves of violets twist from an excess of nitrogen fertilizers. This happens when a mixture of saltpeter and potash fertilizers is used instead of specialized dressings. In this case, doses should be adjusted or such top dressing should be completely abandoned.
begonias
The main reason why begonia leaves curl is malnutrition. The plant does not tolerate a lack of potassium and an excess of nitrogen. The second most common cause of the phenomenon is improper watering.
In the warm season, begonias need to be watered daily, during dormancy - once a week. Of the diseases that have such consequences, powdery mildew and gray rot should be distinguished. In addition, insufficient friability of the soil can lead to twisting of begonia leaves.
Roses
Rose leaves curl mainly due to improper temperature conditions and lack of moisture. In the heat, it is recommended to water more often, loosen and mulch the soil. Bushes of many varieties need to avoid direct sunlight, so in hot weather at noon it is recommended to shade them.
Often the twisted leaves on roses are the result of sap-sucking insects, particularly aphids and mites. It will be useful to inspect the bushes daily to identify parasites and take the necessary measures in time. Often, treatment comes down to spraying the bushes with a simple soapy solution.
peonies
Twisted leaves on your peonies are most often the result of insect activity. In particular, bronzes love to eat the leaves and buds of a plant, aphids love to suck out its juices, and ants that breed them can be carriers of bacterial and viral infections.
The influence of other factors on the deformation of foliage in peonies is much smaller, since the plant, due to the developed roots, can be cultivated on almost any soil and is not too demanding on top dressing.
ficuses
The twisting of foliage into a boat in a ficus occurs mainly due to improper watering, in particular when using tap water. The chlorine contained in it leads to burns, which causes twisting.
No less dangerous for the plant and overflowing it during irrigation. This leads to root rot, which can also cause leaf distortion. It is rather problematic to quickly dry the ficus soil, therefore, if the plant has been overwatered, it is recommended to urgently transplant it into a new substrate.
Too low humidity and lack of watering lead to that ficus leaves begin to curl around the edges. In this case, it is necessary to water the plants on time and move it to a room with more humidity. Or at least move it away from the heating appliances.
Rhododendrons
The main reason for leaf curl in rhododendron is natural - this is how plants respond to cold weather. Moreover, this phenomenon is characteristic of both deciduous crops grown indoors and evergreens that are cultivated outdoors.
In the spring, you just need to water the bushes and sprinkle the leaves. (naturally, those that are not in the Sun), and they will return to normal.
Blueberry
It is one of the most difficult crops to grow, therefore, the issues of caring for her and diagnosing her condition will have many nuances.
When cultivating this plant, remember that despite the obligatory presence of acidic soil (pH from 3.5 to 4.0), it is in dire need of calcium.With its deficiency, blueberry leaves curl, after which they turn yellow, blacken and dry out from the edge. Sometimes such manifestations can be seen spreading up the shoots of the plant.
To solve the problem, simply feed the plants with calcium salts. In this case, it is recommended to use not chalk or ash, but calcium phosphate, to the solution of which a little vinegar is added (1 kg of double superphosphate is poured into 5 liters of hot water and 200 ml of 9% table vinegar is added).
Such a mixture practically does not react with the soil and does not change its acidity. In this case, diseased and damaged leaves should be removed.
Hydrangea
Insects are the most common cause of leaf curl in hydrangeas. (aphids, mites, cicadas, etc.) Usually, they are treated with some kind of insecticide.
Conventional pest control products will help in resolving the issue - means of Karbofos, Engio, Koragen, etc.
Gloxinia
Gloxinia leaves curl from the attack of parasitic insects (most often it is a cyclamen mite or thrips), or due to care errors. The main reason is the wrong temperature. The plant must be kept in fairly harsh conditions: temperatures from 18 ° C to 25 ° C without significant temperature fluctuations during the day.
The same applies to lighting. The plant is recommended to stay in the light for 8 hours. The use of direct sunlight is not recommended. They cause burns of leaf plates, as a result of which they not only curl, but also lose their green color.
Asters
In asters, most often the leaves are curled as a result of fungal infections, in particular Fusarium. The following measures are recommended as a preventive measure:
- do not plant asters close to each other;
- apply fertilizers (compost, humus, etc.) in the fall, and not in the spring;
- treat plant seeds before planting with foundation;
- alternate planting sites for asters in the garden at least once every 5 years.
In addition, the leaves of the plant may curl due to heavy watering.
Agricultural crops (tomato, pepper, eggplant, cucumber, potato)
agricultural crops
Various garden plants also have the problems described above. Gardeners, in order to grow healthy plants with high yields, need to know all the intricacies of the agricultural technology of these crops.
In most cases, the causes of leaf folding are similar in the same families, but in some cases there may even be differences in closely related varieties. Sometimes even different varieties react differently to certain destabilizing factors.
For example, when growing tomato seedlings, do not water young plants too much or expose them to direct sunlight. Leaves often curl in adult seedlings due to a fungal infection that the plant “picked up” either during picking, or even at the planting stage.
When growing tomatoes, it will be correct to regularly feed the plant with at least wood ash, to provide the bush with the necessary minerals for flowering. Watering should be sufficient and carried out in the evening. If you do it in the morning, the leaves may curl due to an increase in the humidity of the air around the plant under the influence of sunlight.
Insecticide "Aktellik"
When growing cucumber seedlings, special attention should be paid to watering. Moreover, this applies to all components of this process: intensity, frequency, timing, termination in case of prevention and treatment of the plant, etc.Watering cucumbers is necessary daily, in the evening, avoiding moisture on the flowers.
When growing potatoes, the main cause of leaf curl will be pest attacks. The Colorado potato beetle and its larvae, wireworms, potato fleas and other insects can significantly damage the roots, stems, tubers and leaves of the plant.
In addition, many of them are carriers of viruses and bacteria that can infect more than one plant. Potato needs regular treatment from pests, and the choice of means is currently not a particular problem - More than 80% of the existing commercially available insecticide preparations are recommended for use primarily on potatoes.
Thematic video:
Signs of a lack of elements in plants / Why leaves curl, wither, turn yellow and die
Why do plants curl their leaves? | TOP 5 Main Reasons
