Viewing post #2910541 by Londero

Stelios369 said: Hello,
I recently purchased this desert rose from a nursery. Since I brought it home I've been having issues with leaves turning yellow. The soil was already very moist so I didn't water it for the first week. I have it growing indoors under excellent LED grow lights. Humidity inside hovers between 50-60%. My hydrometer was still saying the soil was damp. The weather became beautiful so I put it outside for a few hours. When I brought it in the leaves looked even more yellow. I finally gave it some water with fertilizer. I hoped the fertilizer would help the yellow leaves. No improvement.
My main concern became root rot. My water meter was still reading the soil was wet a few days later. I don't know what to do now. My last idea is getting rid of this cheap plastic pot and using a terracotta pot instead. Plants rarely get root rot in clay pots. At least mine don't. Hopefully a sandy mix of soil will help as well.

Does anyone have any ideas? Is it too risky to switch the pot now? I did lift the plant out of the pot and put some fresh, dry soil underneath. Then I dropped it right back in. I'm hoping some of the moisture will get absorbed. The root ball stayed in one piece. Will the plant respond as if it was repotted? I was a little worried about that.










Here are a few pics. One thing I did notice was that at first, it was only the bottom leaf on each branch turning yellow. Now, it's the top leaves on the branch that are turning yellow. Is that a clue to anything? I also notice that the yellowing starts along the edges and makes its way inward. Not sure if that's normal.

Hello Stelios369! Yellowing leaves can be a sign of a few different issues, including overwatering, underwatering, or nutrient deficiencies.

It's good that you've been monitoring the soil moisture and adjusting your watering accordingly. If the soil is staying consistently damp, it's possible that you're overwatering the plant. Desert rose plants prefer well-draining soil, so switching to a terracotta pot with a sandy soil mix could help improve drainage and prevent root rot.

When transplanting your plant to a new pot, be sure to carefully remove it from the old pot and gently loosen any tangled roots. Then, plant it in the new pot with fresh soil, making sure not to bury the stem too deeply.

Adding fertilizer can also help with yellowing leaves, but it's important not to overdo it. Follow the instructions on the fertilizer packaging carefully, and make sure the plant is not already stressed from overwatering or other issues.

In terms of the yellow leaves, unfortunately, they may not recover even with improved care. However, as long as the plant is still producing new growth and not showing signs of further stress or disease, it should recover over time.

I hope this information is helpful, and good luck with your desert rose plant!