🍂🍂🍃Never cut off yellow leaves ?!?🍃🍃🍂🍂
Do you agree/disagree?

Question

I came across this article and as it says above, it suggests you never cut off yellow leaves (except the one reason…and it’s rare!)

I’d be interested to know what others think about this advice

https://www.lovethatleaf.co.nz/blogs/plant-care-guides/why-plants-leaves-turn-yellow

Also just adding brown leaves on variegated plants

https://www.lovethatleaf.co.nz/blogs/plant-care-guides/why-variegated-plant-leaves-turning-brown

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@Caoimhin85 · Answer

I’d have to both agree and disagree. The leaf may provide energy to the plant but if it’s yellowing due to disease it’s best to cut it off.

@UltraKoreanfir · Answer

@Seymour Great article!
I usually leave my yellowing leaves on for quite some time, until they are very ready to drop. Like as in just with a light finger touch. However I like to be the one to remove them instead of letting them drop off the plant naturally because of my pets, I don't want them getting the leaf. Even though most of my plants are PetSafe you just never know when one is going to make one of the doggies have an upset tummy or something worse. However, I have been known to cut them off a little early. This is a practice I will probably stop now.

@livslillies · Answer

i honestly tend to watch nature fully take its course, unless i’m trying to get a bloom in which i would direct the plant energy elsewhere :)

@Seedstarter · Answer

I usually let yellow leaves fall off or dry out naturally. As long as it is still attached to the plant, it will still use it for energy and then I can take the dried up or fallen portion and toss it into my compost bin. Also, I wouldn't say I like cutting my plants for minuscule reasons like this because it can spread and open them up to bacterial or fungal infection from the blade.

@NotableKonjac · Answer

I haven't read the article yet so idk what it says but someone said not to remove yellow leaves cuz the plant will just pick a new leaf to yellow... Idk if that's actually true. I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts on that!

@Stall54Jo · Answer

I tend to always remove yellowing leaves of 50% or more for energy conservation rather than let the plant use energy to try and fix its leaf. Yellow leaves can not recover. If there are more than 1 or 2 at the same time, I worry about disease and pest. I have had quite the run with fungus this year.

@Amateurbotany · Answer

@Seymour thank you for posting this! Great article!! Sheffield Made Plants makes a very similar point in a few of his videos on YouTube. Info like this honestly takes some of the “drama” out of plant care IMO!

@stephonicle · Answer

@Caoimhin85 @Seymour  the article actually states that the only time it's ok to cut off yellow leaves is when there's disease involved ☺️

@SuzAnthophile · Answer

I was removing yellow leaves mainly due to appearance. I will stop now and let them be. Always learning something on this app! Thanks for sharing Seymour.

@stephonicle · Answer

@Amateurbotany I love his videos! There's something about his voice and delivery that I find soothing lol. It's a good balance for my brain, which is usually on the verge of short circuiting from all the plant info I try to keep straight 😂

@SesameSeeds777 · Answer

I disagree with the article. I think you should cut off yellow leaves, it uses the plant's energy to keep alive and it could be using that energy for other, healthier leaves

@Azplantchic · Answer

It depends on the day & the situation. Most days I leave them but sometimes I get impatient and chop them😜 I try not to but sometimes the urge is too strong!

@PrimeCanadalily · Answer

Great article

@Herbologybadger · Answer

Very interesting. I know when my Florida ghost was in a bad state it was certainly feeding off its own leaves. I read so much trying to save it and until I figured out what I was doing wrong, I left it alone so that it could get what it was looking for from those leaves. By the time I corrected everything it had only one large leaf left. I have wondered if I did the right thing by leaving those leaves be. It was torture just watching it “die” slowly and feeling powerless to stop it. On the bright side, it’s on the road to recovery. It’s got 2 perfect leaves now and has its third on the way.

@teacher12 · Answer

Interesting article. It seems like the advice was proposing a lot of different options and possibilities. I tend to trim all dead off of my plants, but I like to gently pull the yellow leaf first to see if it’s ready to fall off or if it’s still needed. Had no idea why a plant would need a yellow leaf, but the article makes sense. I love variegated plants, so I learned something new about those as well. Thank you  for posting and to others for sharing additional resources!

@WarrantedMelon · Answer

This was a long and very informative article. I learned a few things that I will most definitely put to use. I usually pop those yellowing leaves of the moment I see a change. I will be sure to hold off a bit now and let nature take it's course. I also have a dog and cat at home, but they tend to leave the bushy babes alone. I say unless the leave is infected, leaf😉 it alone and make sure your plant isn't suffering from any of the other listed issues first. Again, great article. Thanks @Seymour for sharing.

@AnthuriumQueen · Answer

I wait until the leaf has turned yellow in its entirety or wait until it falls off on its own as long as there are no signs of pests. The plant may take up its nutrients if it was healthy. Too many views to sum it up in one comment.

@SimpleSucc · Answer

This article has been so helpful. Thanks for sharing it! I'm sure this will save some plants!

@minklet · Answer

as long as there are no signs of disease/pests, i leave them until they fall off or shrivel up. they don’t expend energy once they yellow and the plant can actually reabsorb the nutrients in the leaf.

also, if there IS an issue, you have a better chance of figuring out what’s going on because you can see if more leaves yellow & how quickly. if you’re pulling those off, there’s no gauge to measure unless you’re keeping a notebook or something.

@CutePolypremum · Answer

@Seymour
Thanks Seymour for sharing this fantastic article. I am getting a lot out of it! I learned from a fellow Gregger that after one cuts a stem, to coat the node with cinnamon so it can heal. 
I have accidentally cut some leaves that shouldn't have been cut...

@CutePolypremum · Answer

@Seymour
   Oh my gosh! 😲 I just read the article again and learned something HUGE. 
I didn't even know about the individual plant's soil pH's needs and how necessary and important that knowledge is. Seymour, can you please recommend a good pH soil tester that I can buy online?
   You have helped me soooo much with learning how to take care of my little Oasis. I understand that you just want to share with us and don't particularly care about kudos but....👍🤗

@CutePolypremum · Answer

@Seymour
 It's Joanie again. I just briefly went over the send article...verigated plants...lots of scientific and specific information. I'll have to re-read both articles slowly and carefully, perhaps take notes. 👍🤠

@CutePolypremum · Answer

@Seymour
   Yikes...not sent but "second" article!

@Amateurbotany · Answer

@stephonicle I SO AGREE!!! He’s given me a new lease on my plants lives! I’m having more fun and less anxiety😂

@Velvetplants · Answer

I dunno yall, a lot of times plants have old leaves that they need to get rid of or aren’t in need of for many reasons; (for example, when a leafs nutrients are done n the leaf is cooked n ready to go) hence why the yellowing and destruction of such leaf, and it takes plants energy to kill off a leaf, a good amount of it, and when you cut off the leaf your savin’ that energy that the plant would’ve originally used. Which also is a lil confusing to me cuz the article preaches on how the plant is taking energy and nutrients from the plant, but 1 if the leaf was working like a regular leaf and delivering glucose and sugars, it woulda already been givin nutrients! But this article is specifying that this leaf is somehow giving “more” and unspecified nutrients to the plant, which keep in mind the process of removing the leaf still takes plenty of energy. I dunno bout yall but I’m keeping my scissors handy. Also, thank you so much for the person who posted this, when I recently joined the app I was looking for real passionate plant people who actually talked and debated on topics like these, and this is exactly what I was looking for so thank youuu @Seymour

@SvelteKingfern · Answer

If a plant doesn't shed a leaf naturally, there's a reason for it. I.e. to give a shade, like on a photo.
I don't cut off leaves, unless  it's to prevent spreading a disease on other leaves.

Great topic.

@SteffyHazPlants · Answer

@Stall54Jo same for me and haven't had any issues yet doing it 😊🤞

@SteffyHazPlants · Answer

@SuperblyLilac have to admit it's also an esthetics thing for me. Plus I've never had one come back from yellow so there's that.

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