Why does yucca have a white coating on its leaves? Yucca hung leaves. We study yucca diseases and their treatment. Yucca leaves have dropped
Yucca is a popular plant among gardeners; it will be the first in your collection of home flowers. Easy to grow, unpretentious and has an attractive appearance, similar to a palm tree. However, incorrectly chosen conditions or an attack by pests also lead to the loss of the plant’s appearance - the leaves begin to turn yellow and dry out.
A common cause of yellowing is improperly selected conditions of detention. Yucca is photophilous, but direct sunlight causes burns. Helping the plant is changing its permanent location.
The plants also get stressed after transplantation. Rough replanting with damage to the root system leads to the dropping of the lower leaves. Yucca needs peace; 4 days in a dark place will help it cope with stress.
At this time, you need to maintain moderate watering, the root system does not absorb excess moisture. A good drainage system and light soil will help survive the stress of replanting.
Often yucca new place is not suitable. Slow growth and yellowness indicate an incorrectly chosen location for the plant. Rearrange and observe whether the appearance and speed of new leaves improves.
In the autumn-winter period, you need to remain calm: reduce watering, put it in a cooler place, but no less lit. In this case, the yucca will gain new strength and will actively grow in the spring.
Lack or excess of moisture, lighting, pests are the main factors affecting the growth and appearance of the plant.
Also, do not forget about natural shedding - this is a self-rejuvenation mechanism inherent in nature. The leaves live for two years and then die.
Waterlogging of the soil
Yucca has a well-developed ground part, but the roots are less developed. Abundant, frequent watering leads to rotting of the root system and the trunk of the plant. Watering is carried out with settled water at room temperature.
Light-colored, flaccid leaves at the base indicate that the substrate is over-moistened; water the yucca less.
Yellowed ones, on which brown spots appear, are also a symptom of waterlogging of the soil.
It is necessary to dry the soil and loosen the top layer of soil. If this is not enough, replanting the plant will help.
During transplantation, the roots are treated with a fungicide solution. Disinfection will help cope with the fungus.
Brown spots on the leaves are definitely a fungal infection. Yellowed ones must be removed or cut back to healthy tissue. If the yucca's shoots have darkened, the plant cannot be saved; the root system and trunk have completely rotted.
Transplantation is carried out in a pot with a thick layer of drainage and large drainage holes. Rotten roots are cut off with a disinfected knife. The sections are treated with root growth stimulants. In case of severe damage, the plant is placed in water until roots form and then planted in the ground.
Low air humidity
Hot dry air, especially in winter, when streams of hot air rise from the radiators and the air is dry, makes the yucca fold its leaves into a tube, the ends dry out.
Yucca grows naturally in Mexico, Central America, and the southern parts of the United States in arid, warm climates. Low humidity is not a strong irritant, but in winter dry air is harmful, which is why additional humidification with a spray or steam humidifier is required.
Lack of lighting at home
Light leaves, almost white at the base, the plant stretches upward - obvious lack of lighting. If this happens in the autumn-winter period, the yucca needs to be additionally illuminated with fluorescent lamps.
On a north window, an adult yucca suffers from a lack of light, this will lead to loss of appearance.
Small specimens feel good on all window sills. Yucca will feel good on a south or east window, but direct sunlight should be avoided. If the plant is mature, you can place the pot on the floor or on a special stand, then it will receive diffused lighting without the risk of foliage burns.
Soil drying out
Withered leaves that have lost their elasticity, signal a lack of moisture. After watering, the leaves become elastic again and do not turn yellow. A systematic lack of water leads to shedding of leaves and drying out of the root system. It is necessary to increase watering, the top layer of soil should dry out between waterings.
How to save yucca from pests
Daily inspection of the plant for insect damage will allow you to begin pest control in a timely manner. Slow growth, yellow leaves or sticky coating indicate pest infestation.
Two pests that often attack yucca are spider mites and false scale insects. The first appears in rooms with dry air, more often it appears among residents of the first floors; spider mites, along with street dust, move to indoor plants.
If there is a large crowd of potted plants, everyone will be in the affected area. Control: treatment with insecticides and washing in the shower. The top layer of soil is replaced with a new one. Prevention - increasing air humidity.
False shield sucks out the juices, the fight against it will last for a couple of months, since one treatment will not be enough. False scale insects must be removed using a solution of water and laundry soap with a cotton swab or brush, depending on the pest infestation and the hardness of the leaf, or each scale insect must be removed manually.
Shields hide in parts that are difficult for the eye to reach; a week after the first treatment, re-treatment is carried out. The top layer of soil is replaced with a new one and treated with an insecticide. You can turn to traditional medicine and treat the plant with garlic tincture.
The main thing is that treatment should be done as new pests appear until complete destruction. The sticky coating left by the false scale insect is covered with sooty fungus. It causes darkening and rotting of leaves.
If pests are detected, treatment is carried out as quickly as possible. The pest carries diseases that spread quickly.
What to do for fungal leaf diseases
Overmoistening of the root system or general hypothermia leads to fungal infections. Dark spots on the leaves are a fungal disease caused by high humidity and excessive watering.
Changing the watering schedule and permanent location of the yucca will help combat the fungus. Diseased leaves are removed.
Another fungus that attacks the trunk causes stem rot. In the first stages, the fungus may not be noticed; in advanced cases, rot is detected too late, when the stem is affected, and inside it is filled with rot.
If the rot has not yet spread to the entire trunk, then the plant is cut back to healthy tissue and rooted. In advanced cases, it is disposed of along with the pot so that healthy people do not become infected.
Prevention is in the correct selection of soil. Fine expanded clay, sand and coconut shavings should become faithful companions of the new soil; the soil will become softer and airier. Watering is moderate; between waterings the top layer of mail should dry completely.
Yucca is and remains a plant that does not require constant control. The right location is the key to active and healthy growth. Caring for and periodic spraying, moderate soil moisture and fertilization will have a positive effect on the appearance.
As it grows older, when Yucca's trunk becomes bare, it becomes like a tree - an indoor Palm. At the same time, its decorative effect is lost, and it becomes increasingly difficult to care for it. The question arises: how to return a flower to its usual acceptable size and former attractiveness? To do this, you can use our tips and one of the ways to propagate Yucca at home. In addition, in the article we will talk about common problems in growing Yucca, treating diseases and controlling pests.
If you cut off the top of Yucca with a bunch of leaves and part of the trunk (at least 10 cm), you will rejuvenate the old plant and get one or more new ones. This operation is best carried out in the spring, when Yucca begins to grow. You should first water the plant well. After a couple of days, the top can be cut off. Use a sharp, clean knife or pruning shears. If the remaining stem is too tall, you can cut off another part of it so that the old flower has a stem of the desired height. Let all the sections dry a little (about 20 minutes), and then treat them with crushed activated carbon or garden varnish.
Move the old pot with the stump to a slightly shaded place for a couple of months and do not water it - having lost its crown, Yucca will stop using water. Overwatering can lead to root rot or other diseases. When the side buds begin to wake up on the stem, when new rosettes of leaves begin to appear from them, then the flower should be brought into the light, watered and then cared for according to all the rules.
Reproduction by flower tip
We did not forget the cut off top of the flower. This is an excellent planting material for the rapid propagation of Yucca. To do this, cut off the lower leaves with a clean knife or scissors. Place the end of the cutting into a pot with damp coarse sand (perlite, vermiculite) and cover the entire structure with a bag to create a greenhouse effect.
You can also root Yucca in water. It will take about a month for rooting. All this time, the cutting should be in a warm place with diffused lighting. When the top has acquired its own roots, it should be transplanted into its own pot with suitable soil, where the young Yucca will continue to grow.
Reproduction by part of the trunk
From the trunk of an adult Yucca, after the top is cut off, another part is usually cut off for propagation if there are dormant buds on it. The sections are dried in air for about 20 minutes, then sprinkled with activated carbon or lubricated with garden varnish. Place this stem in a container with a lid, in wet sand, horizontally, and compact well. New rosettes of leaves will form from the awakening buds. How many buds wake up - so many new shoots you will get. All that remains is to carefully separate them, dry the sections and treat them with activated carbon, and then plant each shoot in a separate pot.
Reproduction by daughter lateral shoots (cuttings)
If you choose this method of propagation, then carefully separate the daughter side shoot from the adult plant. For rooting, it can be placed either in a jar of water, where you put an activated carbon tablet to prevent rot, or in a container with wet sand, after pre-treating the cuts with the same crushed carbon. When roots appear on the shoot, you can transplant it into a pot with prepared soil.
Propagation using seeds
This method of propagation at home is used very rarely. As a rule, it is not possible to collect your own seeds, since indoor Yucca blooms extremely rarely. But, if you got seeds somewhere, you can try - Yucca seeds usually germinate well. First prepare the planting container. It is good to use a container with a lid for this purpose. Fill it with a mixture of sand and turf soil in equal parts, moisten it. Spread the seeds on the surface, slightly deepening them into the substrate. Close the lid. Place the container in a bright and warm (25–30 degrees) place. Ventilate the container every day and, if necessary, moisten the substrate using a fine spray bottle with warm, settled or boiled water. Expect the first shoots in a month. Then start transplanting seedlings from separate pots.
Yucca diseases and their treatment
Indoor Yucca is quite hardy, rarely gets sick, and endures ailments with steadfastness. It’s just important not to miss the moment of defeat. The health of Yucca is usually judged by its leaves. Any change in their color or shape should alert you.
If the leaves are covered with large light brown spots, you may have been too carried away with watering and spraying the flower. Due to waterlogging of the substrate and air space, a fungus has settled on the Yucca leaves. All leaves affected by the fungus must be removed. Treat the plant with some fungicide against a fungal disease (Topaz, Maxim, Cabrio). Move the pot to a room with lower humidity. Stop spraying the flower and the air around it.
If the fungus has infected not only the leaves, but also the stem of the Yucca, most likely the plant cannot be saved. You will have to get rid of it so that the disease does not spread to other flowers in your collection.
If the tips of the leaves of a seemingly healthy Yucca dry, this is a signal that the plant does not have enough moisture when watering or there is dry air in the room. Adjust watering, if necessary, start spraying the room and flower.
If brown spots appear on the leaves, dry and brittle to the touch, this is a reason for more frequent watering in the hot season. It seems that you often forget about watering and dry out the substrate too much. The plant needs watering after the top layer of the substrate has dried 5–7 cm.
If the spots on Yucca leaves are light in color, then this is a signal of an excess of sunlight. You should move the pot to light partial shade or shield the flower from direct sun with blinds or a curtain.
If the Yucca leaves droop and begin to lose their elasticity, their ends begin to curl and wither, your beauty may be freezing. Move it to a warmer room, or find a place in the same room, but closer to the radiator or away from the window glass.
If the lower leaves of Yucca turn yellow and dry, and the upper leaves continue to grow actively, then you should not worry - this is a normal process. The life of Yucca leaves lasts two years, then they die. Damaged lower leaves should be carefully disposed of (not torn off, but cut off) to maintain the decorative appearance of the flower. Due to the falling of the lower leaves in its natural environment, the Yucca becomes exactly like the Palm tree.
But, if the plant begins to shed many lower leaves at once, pay attention to its care. Perhaps the flower is in a draft, or the room temperature is too low.
Pests
Conclusion
Diseases and pests appear on Yucca only when they stop caring for it. If you create a good microclimate in your home and provide Yucca with the necessary comfort, then you will protect her from all troubles and troubles. (You can find out how to do this correctly in the article:). And she, in turn, will effectively decorate the interior of the house and protect the owner from the evil eye and negative emotions.
Yucca(lat. Yucca) is a genus of tree-like evergreen plants from the Agave family (Agavaceae). Previously the genus was placed in the subfamily Dracaenoide? Liliaceae family. Yucca plants without a trunk and with a trunk. Leaves are xiphoid, broadly lanceolate, linear-lanceolate, linear, 25-100 cm long and 1-8 cm wide, often grooved plates widened towards the base, collected in a bunch at the top of the trunk and its branching, green, bluish, jagged or smooth at the edges, often in threads, often ending in a spike, hard or hard, erect or drooping.
The inflorescence is a panicle 1-2.5 m tall, branched, multi-flowered, erect or drooping. Yucca flowers are bell-shaped, white, pale yellow, up to 8 cm long.
Care and maintenance of Yucca
Temperature in summer 20 - 25
Temperature in winter 6 - 12
Lighting: Bright, sunny place. In summer, yucca prefers to be placed outdoors - on the balcony, in the garden, etc. In winter, you will have to move the yucca as close to the window as possible, since in winter these plants especially suffer from a lack of light - and the fan of leaves will not be lush and dense.
Watering: Abundant from spring to autumn, but no water should remain on the tray; watering is moderate in winter. If kept in cool conditions in winter, watering is rare, but does not allow the earthen clod to dry out. Yucca does not tolerate stagnation of water in the soil - this can lead to rotting of the roots and the formation of stem rot.
Reproduction: In spring, by rooting the top of the stem, as well as pieces of the trunk (at least 10 cm long). Reproduction by seeds and offspring is possible. When yucca is propagated by offspring, a daughter rosette is cut off from the main trunk with a sharp knife, and the cut area on the trunk is sprinkled with sulfur. The cut rosette is rooted in damp sand, and after rooting it is planted in a pot of soil, to which pieces of charcoal (for example, birch) are added. It is advisable to cut off daughter rosettes for propagation in spring or summer, since at other times of the year they do not take root or will take a very long time to take root, in addition, this can damage the mother plant.
When propagating yucca from seeds, it is important that they are fresh. The seeds are soaked for a day in warm water, then sown in a mixture of light leaf soil and peat. The bowl is covered with glass or a bag and ventilated several times a day. Usually the seeds germinate within a month.
Air humidity: Does not require spraying the leaves, but sometimes it is necessary to wash them so that the plant does not become dusty and does not lose its attractiveness. In summer, outdoor rainfall is sufficient. If in winter the yucca is kept in a room with central heating, then it is advisable to spray it at least once a day.
Transfer: The soil must be nutritious. For young plants - 2 parts turf soil, 2 parts leaf soil, 1 part humus and 2 parts sand. For adult and old plants - 3 parts turf soil, 2 parts leaf soil, 2 parts sand. Yucca is replanted every two years in the spring. Yucca is planted in a large pot or tub. Good drainage is a must. From April to August, fertilizing is carried out every two weeks, which significantly accelerates growth.
Top dressing: spring-summer - once every 2 weeks with mineral and organic fertilizers
winter-autumn - without feeding.
Pests and diseases: Yucca Pests
Only the most common pests are described here. False scale insects - settle on leaves on both sides and stems along the veins. A damaged plant slows down or stops growing, the leaves dry out, and the plant dies.
Control measures. Spraying with actellik (10 drops per about.5 liters of water) and wiping the leaves on both sides with a sponge soaked in the same solution.
Spider mite - settles on the underside of the leaf. Damaged yucca leaves are distinguished by a pale green leaf color with a yellowish tint. Solid whitish spots form on the surface of damaged leaves, and the leaves die. Dry indoor air promotes mite infestation.
Control measures. Spraying with derris or systemic insecticide (fitoverm, fufan, actellik). Increasing indoor air humidity. Yucca diseases
Only the most common Yucca diseases are described here.
Grayish-brown spots on leaves (leaf spot) are a fungal or bacterial disease caused by high humidity in the air and soil.
Control measures. Removing affected leaves. Spray with a systemic fungicide, reduce watering and stop spraying.
Stem rot is a disease caused by a fungus. In this case, part of the stem or crown of the plant becomes soft and rots. A fungus that infects a plant usually develops quickly and, as a rule, the entire plant dies. Waterlogged soil and unventilated rooms promote the development of fungus.
Control measures. In the initial stage of the disease, you can try to save the plant by removing all affected tissue. In case of serious damage, destroy the plant along with the soil and pot.
In summer you can take it out into open ground.
Avoid stagnant water.
Yellowing of leaves due to lack of light.
Sections of the elephant yucca trunk are supplied from Holland. Leafless cuttings with waxed cuts evaporate relatively little moisture, which allows them to be transported over long distances. Inspect the cutting in the store: it should be elastic, not shriveled or rotten, and its upper and lower ends should be indicated. After purchasing, bury the cutting with its lower end into the cutting substrate (peat and sand in equal proportions) or into clean sand. The temperature should not be lower than 20C, and the substrate should be moderately moistened (overmoistening is dangerous). Rooting yucca is a long process that takes 1-2 months.
If you get a poorly marked cutting (it’s not clear where it is up and where it is down), then lay it horizontally and bury it halfway into the substrate. Dormant buds will awaken on the trunk, which after rooting can be separated from the mother trunk.
Already rooted Yucca elephant plants are available for sale. As a rule, they have several side shoots closer to the top. To enhance the decorative effect, several pieces of trunk of different lengths are rooted in one pot, creating tiers of graceful foliage.
Caring for yucca is easy. It will not require frequent spraying, and the soil in the pot can be allowed to dry out a little. Turf, leaf soil and sand in equal proportions are quite suitable for yucca. The pot should have good drainage and enough space for roots to grow. Regular feeding is useful. The location is the brightest. In the summer it is useful to take the yucca out to the balcony or garden. Yucca ivory is a native of Guatemala. It does not tolerate unexpected temperature drops below 5°C.
All these species differ from elephant yucca in their growth form: instead of a single-trunked tree, you will see a bush branched at the base or even an underground rhizome. The leaves do not fall from the stem, and after flowering the shoot dies, developing lateral buds closer to the base.
Cuttings with an apical rosette of leaves are suitable as planting material. They need to be dried so that the cut surface becomes scarred, some of the leaves must be removed to reduce evaporation, and the cuttings must be treated in the same way as described above. If you get a piece of rhizome with ready-made roots, dust the cuts with crushed coal and plant them in a moderately moist substrate. Remember: it is better to dry the yucca than to over-moisten it.
Care is similar to caring for elephant yucca, with the only difference being that in the fall you can bring tubs of yucca indoors after the first frost, closer to November. Cold-resistant yuccas have very hard, spiny leaves. Therefore, plants are placed in the interior so that they do not interfere with the movement of people and there is less risk of injury from the plant. Be careful when cutting yucca and when transplanting.
Yuccas rarely bloom in rooms. This requires good lighting and fertilizing, and cold-resistant species need to be provided with cool winter dormancy (6-8°C).
Possible difficulties of Yucca
Pests- mealybug, aphid; root rot due to waterlogging.
Brown tips or edges of leaves- dry air. Most Yucca plants require high humidity. Other causes could be cold drafts or insufficient watering.
Soft curled leaves and brown edges- temperature is too low. Delicate species exhibit similar signs if left near a window on a cold night.
Yellowing lower leaves- if the leaves turn yellow slowly, this is natural and inevitable for old plants. Yuccas tend to have green leaves only at the top of the bare stem. This appearance is explained by the fact that their leaves do not live long; after two years they turn yellow and die.
Brown spots on leaves- insufficient watering. The earthen ball should be wet all the time.
Plant death- one of two things: either too much watering in winter, or too low a temperature.
Light dry spots on leaves- too much sun.
Let indoor plants always delight you with their beauty!
Yucca is a heat-loving plant that naturally grows during severe droughts and can transform into a giant tree. Growing this plant at home is not difficult, but ayucca has diseases that can affect it, and it is important for every gardener to know how to deal with them.
Yucca diseases: prevention and treatment
The yucca plant is not at all demanding in terms of soil nutrition and regularity of watering, since it is an excess of moisture that often leads to the appearance of diseases in the plant. Let's take a look at the measures to combat the most common of them.
Yucca doesn't bloom
In nature, the tree-like plant yucca blooms every summer with panicles of inflorescences of different colors. However, not all professional flower growers succeed in achieving yucca flowering., and even in greenhouses they rarely bloom, since for this plant it is important to create conditions as close to natural as possible. But since we cannot provide long daylight hours and optimal temperature in the apartment, we only have to admire the luxurious crowns of this plant. 
Did you know? Very often, for flowers to appear, you have to care for yucca for 4-5 years. Experienced gardeners advise not to remove wilted lower leaves from the plant, since such excessive care, uncharacteristic of natural conditions, does not allow it to feel comfortable and flourish.
Bacterial burn of yucca leaves is rare, but it can affect the entire plant. With this disease, small spots appear on the yucca, which are initially yellowish in color, but become black over time.
The spread of the causative agent of this disease occurs at humidity above 70% and temperature above 18°C. However, yucca's resistance to fire blight is maintained when clean, treated soil and pots are used for planting it, and contact with other plants is minimized. It is worth understanding that the source of the burn can be insects, and yucca can become infected through damaged leaves and roots.
It is almost impossible to cope with a bacterial burn, so if yellow-brown spots spread strongly to the leaves of the yucca, it should be thrown away. If spots appear on several leaves, they are removed, and the entire plant is sprayed with Bordeaux mixture or antibiotics for prevention, among which you can choose streptomycin.
If the leaves on the plant begin not only to turn yellow and fall off, but yellowness appears on them in the form of spots and rapidly conquers more and more new areas - most likely this is brown spotting on the yucca. If you do not resort to treatment in time, the leaves will begin to turn black and crumble. The reason for the development of such a disease on the yucca plant is an insufficient amount of watering. The plant does not like waterlogging, but if the earthen ball in the pot is too dry, the yucca will begin to dry out.
To prevent brown spots on yucca leaves, it is important to regularly ventilate the room in which the plant is located and avoid increasing humidity; however, watering should be very abundant, although not frequent. Make sure that the room temperature does not change. If the spots have already appeared, then in addition to changing the growing conditions, the yucca will require special treatment with fungicides, including You can use the following drugs:
- Oksikhom (10 liters of water will require 20 g);
- Alirin-B (2 tablets of the drug per 1 liter of water);
- Vitaros (2 ml of substance is used per 1 liter of water).
Brown edges and tips of leaves
A similar symptom often develops in cases where the air in the premises becomes too dry due to the operation of heating devices. Some types of yucca are able to tolerate this phenomenon quite steadfastly, but most of them begin to dry out. To avoid yellowing of yucca leaves along the edges and tips, try to increase air humidity by regularly spraying the plant. In this case, it is not worth watering more often, since waterlogging can cause rotting of the roots.
Important! Another reason for the drying of the edges and tips of yucca leaves can be improper maintenance, in which the plant is exposed to frequent drafts, and insufficient moisture. In this case, try rearranging the yucca pot and changing the frequency of watering.
Gray leaf spot
The symptoms of this disease are very noticeable, although they develop gradually: either pinpoint necrosis appears on the leaves, or light spots appear on the edges of the yucca leaves. Moreover, all gray spots have characteristic brown edges. Most often, old leaves that are located in the lower part of the plant are affected by gray spotting.
Since the causative agent of gray spot is a fungus, it is almost impossible to cope with it in case of severe damage. Leaves covered with spots are simply removed, and the entire plant is treated with Fundazol. To avoid this, treatment with this fungicide can be carried out regularly, but it is important to avoid spraying the yucca with plain water.
Stem and root rot
Treatment of yucca diseases such as stem and root rot is not possible, since when they occur, the plant is overly affected and will no longer be able to recover. Characteristic signs of stem rot are a significant softening of the woody stem, as well as the appearance of bright red ulcers on it.
With root rot, watery spots appear on the root system of the plant, as a result of which the internal tissues of the roots begin to gradually disintegrate. This disease also appears on the upper part of the plant, on the leaves of which spots covered with dark spores form. Fortunately, this does not happen often, and the plant becomes infected during transportation.
To prevent stem and root rot, it is recommended:
- when planting and replanting yucca, sterilize the soil mixture and pots;
- do not allow the soil to become waterlogged;
- Ensure good drainage at the bottom of the yucca pots.
How to deal with yucca pests?
Yucca fungus and bacterial diseases are not the worst things you can encounter when growing this plant. Often it is also affected by various pests, which can not only spoil the decorative appearance of the yucca, but also lead to its death.
Did you know? Yucca is a plant that loves warmth, so even in winter it needs to provide a good temperature in the room, but at the same time reduce the amount of watering so as not to cause rotting.
We are talking about an insect that feeds on succulent yucca leaves, or rather, only on their juice, which leads to the appearance of dead areas on the plant. If you look closely at such a plant, you can see very small white flies; these are whiteflies.
There are many methods to combat this insect:
- Hang yellow Velcro strips designed to catch common flies in close proximity to the plant.
- Use an insecticide to spray the plant, for which Aktara is ideal. To obtain a solution, dilute 4 g of the substance in 5 liters of water.
- Treat the affected plant with Akarin, Iskra-Bio, Inta-Vir, Fitoverm. To completely eliminate the pest, a minimum of 4 treatments will be required, the interval between which should not exceed 10 days.
False shield
It is quite difficult to combat false scale insects, since waxy scutes are present on the surface of the pest’s body, due to which they are resistant to treatment with insecticides. Therefore, in the fight against this yucca pest, it is recommended to use:
- regular alcohol;
- water-oil emulsions;
- replacing the top layer of soil in a yucca pot.
Spider mites also feed on the sap of indoor plants, and in this aspect, yucca is especially attractive to it. When this parasite appears, light grains and then cobwebs will appear on the lower part of the leaves of the plant. Over time, leaves affected by spider mites lose their color and gradually begin to become covered with yellow spots.
Every 2 years In summer no higher than 25, in winter no lower than 10-12 In summer - 2-3 times a week, in winter - once every 10 days Regularly, but not much Western and eastern window sills
Lighting
Yucca requires good lighting. The plant should be placed as close to the windows of the apartment as possible. But it is better to protect the plant from the influence of direct rays, especially on southern windows.
Windows facing west or east are optimal for yucca. If the lighting is insufficient, the leaves become depleted and thin shoots stretch towards the sun.
In summer, yucca can be placed on a terrace or balcony, shading the plant from hot sun rays.
If there is not enough natural light, the yucca will be comfortable even with.
To do this, fluorescent lamps are installed at a distance of approximately 60 cm above the yucca for about 16 hours a day.
– is expressed in the appearance of brown spots on the leaves, which gradually increase in size. The reason is high humidity, frequent spraying, excessive watering. Control measures include avoiding waterlogging of both soil and air, and removing diseased leaves.
Brown spot– small discolored spots appear on older leaves, which turn yellow over time and then turn brown.
If you do not respond in a timely manner, after 4 months fungal bodies form, which are visible upon visual inspection. The reason is excessive spraying. Control measures are to prevent moisture from getting on the leaves; at the slightest sign of disease, damaged leaves should be removed.
Leaf marginal necrosis– gray-brown spots on the edges of leaves. The reason is excess moisture getting on the leaves. Control measures are to prevent moisture from entering and remove diseased leaves immediately.
Fusarium rot– appears at the base of the leaves. The reason is excessive fertilizing, too wet substrate, high air humidity. Control measures: proper care, remove damaged leaves immediately.
White rot– damages the lower leaves, which become discolored, take on a watery appearance, become covered with a white coating, and large black formations appear on the stem.
Control measures - the correct care system. At the initial stages, remove damaged areas, treat the plant - remove the plant along with the pot and soil, treat the area with an antiseptic solution.
Reproduction
The most effective propagation method is cuttings from the top, which is cut with a sharp knife, dried for several hours and placed either in a jar of water or in a pot of wet sand. After the roots appear, the cuttings are transplanted into the earthen mixture.
When propagating yucca with a trunk, a positive result can be expected just as quickly. In the warm season, the trunk is cut into several parts (transversely), each of which should not be less than 20 cm.
The sawn parts of the yucca are placed in a moistened mixture of sand and peat, and left in the shade in the fresh air. After 2 months, roots will appear and the development of the young shoot will begin. You can plant yucca in a permanent pot.
The seed method of propagating yucca is the most labor-intensive and time-consuming. After sowing, the container requires careful care in compliance with temperature and humidity conditions. Shoots appear only after a month, but only after a year can the strengthened seedlings be considered a young plant.
You can read more about these and other methods of propagating yucca.
Transfer
Timely transplantation of yucca contributes to its good development; the procedure is carried out every two years. The plant safely tolerates transplantation at any time of the year, but it is recommended to do this in the spring.
The yucca root system is fragile and vulnerable, therefore the main difficulty when replanting is not to damage the roots. And the main goal is to increase the volume of the pot by filling it with new soil with nutritional properties.
It is important to choose the right pot for yucca, which should be several centimeters larger than the diameter of the plant’s root system. The bottom is covered with a layer of drainage, which can be expanded clay, pebbles or gravel. Then a layer of earth is poured, and an earthen ball with roots is installed in the center. After this, with delicate movements, the voids are filled with new soil and slightly compacted. Good watering completes the transplanting procedure.