Chlorosis?

[Paul]

So my Voodoo Magic hasn't been feeling well this week and several of the leaves have been turning yellow. I have closely inspected every inch of the plant, and I see absolutely zero signs of spider mites. This plant is on a table with other CV's who also have no signs of mites, and none of their leaves are yellowing. So I am suspecting chlorosis. I have read through the info on chlorosis, and since it seems to be affecting the older/lower leaves I am guessing it could be magnesium deficiency? I mixed up and sprayed a solution of epsom salts, and also added some to the soil as directed. I also sprayed it with Super Nova.

Does anyone agree with this diagnosis? Anything else I can do?

[davidwood]

You may very well be correct Paul, buy be aware, you only need them to get a little to dry and within a day or two you will soon have yellow leaves, and don't think that if the one next to it is ok that the particular one that has the problem cant be cos of water, they all have different needs so any rise in the temperature you need to keep a good eye on them.

Having read your post the other day on the good things you are feeding and doing with your Hibs I doubt its chlorosis.

[roadrunner]

I think David is probably correct.  I usually see a few yellow leaves anytime I allow any of my plants to get too dry.  If the yellowing appeared suddenly I'd suspect plants getting too dry or some other type of stress.  I think chlorosis tends to show up gradually.  It could also be normal older leaf yellowing and dropping if it's only a few of them. 

[Paul]

Thanks guys! I have noticed it happen over the course of a few days. Looking at it right now, and I'm counting 7 leaves now that are yellow or yellowing. And they all seem to be close to each other on the middle of the plant. The leaves at the bottom are still dark green and the leaves at the top seem to be a lighter green and possibly yellowing. The temps have been in the 70s and 80s this week with lows in the 60s. And the pot has never dried out too much. I would hate to watch this one go, but I dont know what else to do. Do you think repotting would help? Or would that be too much extra stress on the plant?

[farmer d]

Hi Paul,

I hate to confuse things here but one of the more challenging things about hibiscus is that they get yellow leaves when they have too much water and not enough.  Your temperatures you mentioned don't seem too warm so I would lean towards them being overwatered especially when viewing your pics.  

What type of soil are you using?  If the soil doesn't have enough perlite or something else to let the soil get ample air when saturated that can produce yellow leafs quickly.  Also are your pots in direct sun during any hot parts of the day and are they dark colored?  This can get things tricky if they are as the top and sides of your soil will dry out but you would be surprised at how wet it can stay around the rootball again depending on what type of soil you are using.  Charlie recently recommended getting a high end water meter to accurately determine what is really going on deep inside your soil.  Might be a good idea to eliminate a large part of the guessing game.

If you decide to water some more thinking it is under watered and more yellow leaves appear then I would go the other way and let it dry out a lot.  Potted plants amplify reactions with their micro-environments and the worst thing would be to over water and get root rot (fungus) which is the #1 way these plants die.  Once you get root rot it is a tough one to overcome...

Finally it might be a good idea to ask other Voodoo Magic owners here what their experience is with that CV.  I don't have that one so I can't help there but maybe if anyone reading this thread that has it wants to chime in that would be great!

I hope this helps!

Farmer D

[Paul]

Thanks Farmer D! It has been raining quite a bit in our area lately, so maybe it could be over-watering. I just didn't think that at first because none of my other plants are showing the sme symptoms. The soil I am using is a mix of Miracle Grow potting soil and perlite (about a 3:1 mix). I think I might try repotting it and mix in some cactus potting soil, since it helps improve excess water drainage.

Thanks again for taking the time to help!

[DavidU]

I just received Saffron on Friday and this morning I came in to work where I have it and noticed some very strange leaves (picture below). Does anyone know if this appears to be Chlorosis?  I may have jumped the gun too soon and repotted this CV too fast, but I did the same with 3 other plants and they are doing fine. Fortunately, I just purchased some chelated iron, so I've added this along with the usual houseplant formula in my watering today.  I'm hoping this reverses whatever is going on here.  Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated.

[Kathleen]

David, early in the summer I had several plants that looked just like the one you pictured.  After all else failed, I ordered Iron from HVH.  After adding it to the soil as directed, all the plants look better.

Kathleen

[DavidU]

Thanks, Kathleen it's good to know this worked.  About how long would you say until you saw improvement?

[Kyle]

David,
Chlorosis which simply means lack of sufficient  chlorophyll in a leaf can be a result of many different things. Alkaline soil or soil that has a high ph can contribute  to chlorosis.    If the soil is not slightly acidic, the hibiscus can't absorb enough nutrients.   You can give a hibiscus all the fertilizer, iron, magnesium, in the world but if the ph to high, the plant is not going to absorb enough nutrients.    
In your case, a hibiscus that has been grown in the hvh greenhouse, with their fertilizer is likely not lacking iron or any other micro nutrients.    Soil ph is more of a long term thing so I don't think the soil ph is the cause of this chlorosis since it was raised in Charlies soil.  
If I was to guess given your the situation, and since it was a healthy plant coming out of the hvh greenhouse, it could be from transplanting and watering afterwards.
The leaves could be turning yellow because it was transplanted and packed down to tight or watered immediately after transplanting.
Some other factors that can contribute to chlorosis are damaged roots, root rot, and to much water.   Pest feeding could result in chlorotic leaves.  
Yes lack of Iron or magnesium can lead to chlorosis but I don't think so given this situation.    
The good news is the new leaves coming in look green which is a good sign.   Like you said, you may have transplanted it a little soon since it can be shaking off  some shipping shock.   You may need to poke some holes in the soil to give it some air or wait as a long as it takes for the soil to dry up some so air can get back to the roots.    If you are using the houseplant formula notice how high the % is for the iron and micro nutrients  compared to the Special Blend.  The Houseplant  Formula is loaded with micro nutrients especially iron that will result in very green lushy new growth which is why I don't need to add any additional iron, mag, or micro nutrients with Charlie's fertilizers.  
I'm not sure what type of soil your using but when I transplant I do not water the plant when finished transplanting.
I use the Hvh potting media, and like it says in the directions moisten soil before transplanting.    I moisten the soil enough before I transplant and wait until the next day or 2 to water. 
Kyle

[DavidU]

Thanks, Kyle. I will take your advice about giving the plant some time to dry out so air gets back into the roots. I did moisten the potting media before transplanting, but also fed/watered after as well as you correctly guessed. I was thinking I should get more nutrients back into the roots after shipping. I hope I didn't damage the roots too much by overwatering this young plant.

Ugh - always learning. I'll do my best to get it back to good health.

[Kathleen]

Kyle makes a good point.  I use the Special Blend Fertilizer , not the Houseplant formula.  Could be that is why I had success with it.  It didn't take more that a few days to see results on the leaves that weren't too far gone.  The leaves that were already a bright yellow were beyond being saved.  The good news is, the new growth doesn't have this problem any longer.

Kathleen

[Ellen]

My 2.5 yr old Dutch Windmill has been doing fabulously.  Many spectacular blooms.  It is on the covered porch on the south side of the house (all 45 hibiscus here seem very happy).  Temperatures have been brutal so everything gets a thoro soaking dailey, with a touch up sometimes in the evenings.  None of the plants are in saucers, so any extra water runs off. About 10 days ago, the Dutch Windmill's leaves started to turn yellow and drop, buds dropped, green leaves dropped.  Looked like the pictures in these posts. No sign of insects (spider mites) but sprayed with 3 in 1 anyway.  Slight improvement for a couple of days, then back to the death spiral.  Sprayed with Gibberellins.  Slight improvement then back to death spiral.  Every thing gets fertilized weekly with Special Blend and Super Nova.  I wonder if I should have repotted this a couple months ago (using Charley's potting blend)?  Any last ideas other than a dignified funeral?