What to do if Podocarpus loses its leaves

reason

Root rot

The Pearl River Delta region has high temperatures and heavy rains in summer, the air is humid, and the temperature of the potting soil is too high, which can easily lead to root rot of the plant, affect the transport of water and nutrients, and cause the leaves of the Podocarpus to wilt and fall off.

For outdoor-grown Podocarpus, when the rainy season comes, it must be moved to a sheltered place to avoid long-term rain. Long-term rain causes the roots of the plants to be soaked, without enough oxygen for respiration, and the roots are prone to rot.

Over-fertilization

Potted flowers do not like highly concentrated fertilizers or organic fertilizers that are not fully decomposed. Fertilizers that are too concentrated, too large in amount, or not fully decomposed can cause root burns and rot.

Too little light

Podocarpus is a shade-tolerant and moisture-tolerant plant, but long-term shade leads to weak photosynthesis of the plant, and the posture and leaf shape of the tree cannot be maintained in a good condition, and the leaves may even turn yellow and wilt, which is heartbreaking.

what to do

Waterlogging prevention

Podocarpus is shade- and humidity-tolerant, so you should water it regularly during the growing season, but it should not be waterlogged. In the Pearl River Delta region, attention should be paid to watering frequently on sunny days in summer. Generally, water should be poured once in the morning and evening, and the leaves should be sprayed with water frequently. Podocarpus is not tolerant to waterlogging, so care should be taken to prevent prolonged waterlogging.

Fertilization tips

Podocarpus likes fertilizer, so it should be applied frequently in small amounts. Nitrogen fertilizer should be the main fertilizer. You can add an appropriate amount of black alum (ferrous sulfate, about 5 grams per plant per year or spray the leaves with 0.2% diluted solution 2-3 times) and ferment it into alum fertilizer water. Fertilization can be done once every 1-2 months during the growing season, and can be combined with watering (the water-fertilizer ratio is 9:1). For potted plants, you can spray water-fertilizer containing 0.5%-1.0% compound fertilizer or thin cake liquid water-fertilizer each time.

Lighting Processing

Podocarpus is a neutral to shade-loving tree species that can accept strong light and can also grow in a shady environment. Although the temperature is high and the sunlight is strong in summer, there is no need to shade the Podocarpus trees in summer because they are able to maintain their tree posture and leaf shape under high temperature and strong light conditions.

The young seedlings are a different matter, it is better to block the scorching sun!