Yellow Leaves
Leaves turning yellow — the most common houseplant complaint.
Symptoms
- ✓Older, lower leaves turn yellow first
- ✓Yellowing spreads across the whole leaf, not in patches
- ✓Leaves feel soft or mushy at the base
- ✓Soil is consistently damp between waterings
Causes
- Overwatering (by far the most common)
- Poor drainage leading to soggy roots
- Nutrient deficiency in old soil
- Sudden change in light or temperature
Treatment
- 01Stop watering and let the top 3–5 cm of soil dry out completely.
- 02Remove yellow leaves — they will not turn green again.
- 03Slide the plant out of its pot and inspect the roots. Trim any that are brown or mushy.
- 04Repot in fresh, well-draining soil if the roots were sitting wet.
- 05Resume watering only when the top of the soil feels dry, and empty the saucer after each watering.
Prevention
- Water on need, not on schedule — always check the soil first.
- Ensure every pot has drainage holes.
- Refresh the top few centimetres of soil once a year.
- Avoid moving plants between wildly different environments.
Questions, answered
Should I cut off yellow leaves?+
Yes — once a leaf yellows fully it will not recover. Removing it lets the plant redirect energy to healthy growth.
Can underwatering cause yellow leaves?+
Occasionally, but underwatered leaves usually go crispy and dry first. Soft, mushy yellow leaves almost always mean too much water.