Why do honeysuckle leaves turn yellow in June and how to fix it

Beautiful and unpretentious shrubs of honeysuckle sometimes begin to turn yellow and shed their leaves. There are many factors that trigger summer leaf fall. It is important to correctly determine why the honeysuckle turns yellow and withers, since not only the appearance of the plant, but also the safety of the crop depends on further actions.

Why do honeysuckle leaves turn yellow in summer

Along with other horticultural crops such as gooseberries, currants and raspberries, gardeners grow honeysuckle... The plant is undemanding to care for, it bears fruit well, gives tasty and healthy berries. Honeysuckle also acts as an ornamental plant, decorating the site with amazing greenery.

An alarming sign for any gardener if the leaves of honeysuckle turn yellow out of time. What to do to save the plant and harvest? First of all, it is important to determine why the leaves are drying.

Main reasons:

• violation of the rules of agricultural technology or planting;
• deficiency of nutrients in the soil;
• waterlogged root system or insufficient watering;
• the appearance of pests or the occurrence of diseases.

For planting a plant suitable moisture-absorbing sandy loam and loamy soils. It is recommended to avoid places that are too dry or waterlogged. It is important to pay attention to the acidity of the soil: at high rates, honeysuckle does not grow well, therefore lime is added before planting.

For reference.The permissible distance between plants when planting is at least 1 m, otherwise the bushes will oppress each other.

The shadow is the enemy of culture. In summer cottages, it is better to plant plants in an open place, but under the protection of trees or larger shrubs that give little shading.

What to do if honeysuckle leaves turn yellow and dry

First of all, it is important to determine the causes of deformation of the sheet plates, and only after that - to take measures to eliminate them.

How to water

Honeysuckle loves moderate watering. Irrigation rules differ depending on the period - dry or rainy. In case of systematic rainy weather, 3-4 waterings are enough during the growing season. 1 bucket of water is poured under each plant. During drought and in late spring - early summer, honeysuckle is moistened more abundantly. If the plant does not have enough moisture, this will affect the quality of the crop: the berries will become bitter.

It is better to moisten the soil in the evening, thereby preventing moisture evaporation. After watering or rain, the ground near the plant is loosened 7-8 cm in depth, removing all weeds. If the soil is mulched, loosening is done less often and through mulch.

How to feed

Why do honeysuckle leaves turn yellow in June? One of the reasons is the lack of fertilizers. The better the care, the better the plant's appearance and yield will be. Young bushes (up to 2 years old) do not need feeding. Old plants are fertilized once every 2 years. Organic formulations are recommended.

Top dressing is carried out in 3 stages:

1. In late autumn. For each 1 m² of the plot, add 100 g of wood ash, 40 g of double superphosphate and 5 kg of compost.
2. In the spring, before the kidneys open. Each 1 m² is fertilized with 15 g of ammonium nitrate or the plant is fed with a urea solution (1 tablespoon of the product per 10 liters of water).
3. After harvest.Use a solution of nitrophoska or nitroammophoska (25–30 g per 10 l of water), slurry (1: 4), dissolved in 1 bucket of water.

Complex preparations, in which the microelements are in a chelated form, are also suitable: Florist, Uniflor Micro, Kemira.

Disease treatment

If you followed all the rules of agricultural technology, but noticed yellow spots on the leaves of the honeysuckle, this is the first sign of the appearance of pests or diseases. Although honeysuckle has a strong immunity, it is susceptible to fungal diseases (powdery mildew, tuberculariosis, reddish-olive spot, etc.).

All diseases have one common feature - premature yellowing and drying of leaves, but each has a distinctive symptomatology.

Powdery mildew

Characteristic features are powdery white bloom on small areas of leaves. With the course of the disease, the affected foliage turns yellow and dries out, new shoots are deformed. Mandatory treatment with fungicides.

Tuberculariosis

The shoots of the bush are affected, reddish tubercles appear on them. Neighboring branches are gradually infected. Already in June, the leaves dry out, and in August the phase of the spread of spores is repeated on the affected stems.

The damaged parts of the shrub are removed and burned. Places of cuts are treated with Bordeaux mixture or copper oxychloride.

Reddish olive blotch

Recognize the disease by the reddish-olive spots on both sides of the leaf plate. They gradually darken, acquiring a brownish tint.

In severe cases, it is better to use fungicides. For preventive purposes, carry out regular pruning honeysuckle and collect the fallen leaves.

Cercosporosis

Rounded dots with reddish-brown edging appear on the foliage. In order to prevent the spread of the fungus to healthy areas, the affected shoots are removed and treated with chemicals.

Mottling

Refers to viral diseases. It manifests itself in the form of points of varying intensity or arcuate spots. Pests - nematodes provoke the development of the disease.

For reference. A viral infection causes serious harm to the plant: it dries up, sheds leaves, and reduces the volume of fruiting. Therefore, it is important to prevent the appearance of provoking insects.

With mottling, phytosanitary cleaning is mandatory - removal and burning of affected areas and culling of diseased bushes. This is the only measure, since viral diseases are incurable. Honeysuckle is very rare with them.

Mosaic Virus

It is spread by nematodes. Infection of the plant is possible through low-quality planting material. The vital activity of the virus manifests itself in the form of shortening of internodes, awakening of axillary buds and regrowth of many lateral shoots.

As a result, the plant is depleted, shrinks, the leaves are deformed and dry out. Diseased bushes are dug up and burned. The only way to resist the virus is to follow the rules of agricultural technology.

There are a sufficient number of insect control products on the market - biologics and chemicals. Each of them has its own processing time.

How to process

To prevent the appearance of diseases and pests, plants are treated before leafing out and at least 20 days before active flowering. This will get rid of the problem and not harm the insects pollinating the bushes.

Re-processing is carried out after harvesting.

Bordeaux mixture

Consists of copper sulfate and calcium hydroxide. Powders are diluted in separate containers for ¼ part of water, then added with water to the required volume. Constantly stirring, lime milk concentrate is introduced into the solution of copper sulfate. The product is used immediately after preparation and is not stored. Processing is carried out in 3 stages with a frequency of 25 days.

"Nitrofen"

Broad spectrum insectofungicide. It is rational to use it for autumn processing, as it remains in the soil throughout the winter.To prepare a working solution, dilute 150 g of the product in 10 liters of water. Use the composition immediately, do not store. Irrigation is carried out in dry, calm weather, in the early morning or late evening.

"Topaz"

Highly effective fungicide based on penconazole. It is not phytotoxic, it remains in the soil for a long time. The active ingredients are quickly absorbed by plant tissues, which does not tie the use of the drug to weather conditions. One ampoule of the concentrate is diluted in 10 liters of water. During the season, 3-4 irrigations are enough with a frequency of 21 days.

"HOM"

Copper oxychloride is recognized by gardeners as an excellent substitute for Bordeaux mixture. It is used in calm weather, in the period with the least probability of rain.

Important! Chemicals require safety precautions. For safety reasons, use only certified means, work in overalls, cover your nose and mouth with a gauze bandage.

On average, 40 g of the drug is designed for 10 liters of water. The powder is dissolved in a small amount of liquid, then water is added to the required volume with constant stirring.

"Fitosporin-M"

Biological preparation of systemic action based on spore culture. It is used at any stage of plant development. The product is absolutely safe for the harvest, even per day processing... Sold in the form of powder, paste and aqueous suspension. The plant is treated with "Fitosporin" exclusively in cloudy weather or after sunset, as the product does not tolerate bright sunlight.

The powder is diluted 2 hours before processing, strictly according to the instructions. When using a paste, a concentrated solution is prepared, which is diluted before processing. For this, only boiled, melted or rain water is suitable. Chlorinated from the tap is detrimental to the bacteria contained in the preparation.

For better adhesion of the product, liquid soap is added to the solution. Proportions: 1 ml per 10 liters.

"Trichodermin"

A harmless and safe preparation does not affect the taste of the crop. The fruits are allowed to be consumed on the same day, after treatment with the product. For the preparation of the medicine, the proportions are followed: 10 g of the substance per 1 liter of warm water. The powder is introduced gradually, stirring continuously. Allow to settle for 1-2 hours at a temperature not lower than + 15 ° C. Use the ready-made solution in the first 6 hours after preparation.

Pest control

The most common insect pests can also disrupt the life of the plant.

Aphid

It is a small green insect. The peak of pest activity occurs in the spring. The first signs of aphid invasion are deformation and twisting of the leaf plates. If you carefully examine the underside of the leaf, you can see small insects. As colonies grow, the rest of the plant is also affected.

For reference.Aphids not only damage shrubs, but also release a sticky substance, which interferes with the gas exchange of the plant and provokes the development of fungal diseases.

Mechanical destruction of insects is permissible at the initial stage of infection (soap solution can be used). The affected areas are cut off. At the same time, it is important to exterminate aphid ants.

Nematode

This small worm of transparent or white color, like other pests, prefers to feed on plant sap, but settles in the roots, which makes it difficult to identify it in time.

Shield

One of the most common pests is honeysuckle. An adult is recognized by a hard shell-shield. Pests settle on the lower part of the foliage and in the places where the cuttings are attached to the branches. The insect prefers juice from the shoots, which leads to wilting of the plant and a rapid loss of green mass.

How to process

Insecticides are used to kill harmful insects. The most popular ones are presented below.

"Aktara"

A broad-spectrum preparation - suitable for both irrigation and soil application. The substance is diluted exclusively in the fresh air, using personal protective equipment.Fruit shrubs are treated with a solution at the rate of 1 ampoule per 6 liters of water.

"Inta-Vir"

The product protects against 52 species of insect pests, but it is important to understand that the effectiveness of any drugs is influenced by the age of the pests (young insects are more susceptible to poison) and weather conditions (dry, calm weather is required for processing).

"Actellik"

Refers to non-systemic insectoacaricides. It is a drug with a high speed of action and a long period of activity. The solution is prepared strictly according to the instructions, processing is carried out by spraying. The concentration of the working solution for berry bushes is 1.5–2 ml per 1 liter of water. Plants are processed in 2 stages with a frequency of 5-7 days.

Conclusion

Despite its high resistance to various diseases and pests, honeysuckle requires attention from the gardener. Compliance with the rules of agricultural technology and planting, correct watering and fertilizing with minerals, timely response to signs of damage are the main principles that allow you to enjoy a rich harvest and flowering of a plant.