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Are your Click & Grow plant leaves changing colour? This could be why.
You’ve planted your pods a while back and now your plants are flourishing... but suddenly you notice that some leaves have changed colour. Why is this? Here are some possible causes.
Plant is naturally getting old
Plants produce natural debris and will lose some of their older leaves over time. If you notice any withered leaves on your plants, you can gently pinch them off and this will not harm your plants. Be sure that you’ve also trimmed them (where appropriate) and consumed your plants in good time.
Every plant pod has been given a “lasts up to” date, visible on the app, package and on the plant’s product page. On average, edible greens are intended to be consumed approximately 30 to 50 days after planting. Herbs should be consumed constantly, starting from 30 days after planting (depending on their growth habit and speed) or when fully harvested approximately 70 days after planting. Take advantage of the Click & Grow mobile app for useful tips and guidelines on when to trim and consume your plants. Following the “lasts up to” date and harvest instructions are important in order to harvest the yield when it’s at its best and full of nutrients.
In the case of decorative plants, it’s normal that flowers wither in time. The best option is to deadhead them and remove some of the aging leaves at the same time. Deadheading means removing flowers from plants when they are fading or dead. This promotes the formation of new flower buds, especially for petunia and pansies.
Leaves are growing too close to the lamp
If your plant touches the smart garden’s LED lamp, its leaves will get burned. If you are growing in a Smart Garden 3, you can raise the lamp if absolutely necessary. A better option is to trim your plants (depending on the type of plant). Most Click & Grow herbs are suitable for pruning - here’s our video guide on how to do this. To be sure whether your plant can be pruned, check the ‘plant care’ tab on the plant’s product page. Basil, for example, likes to be pruned and will grow back even bushier.
Room temperature is too extreme
Every plant pod has a preferred temperature range in which it grows best. The recommended average room temperature for all plant pods is 22°C (72°F ). For a more specific temperature range, be sure to check the plant care tips for your specific plants. Plants use nutrients to make chlorophyll and they don’t want to lose these nutrients when the temperature drops too low or rises too high. So, plants break down the chlorophyll to extract nutrients and then store them in their roots (which are shielded from the cold.) As the plants break down chlorophyll, their leaves lose their green colour. If your room temperature is too warm (over 22°C / 75°F) then plants will age and degrade faster. Herbs that love warmth (such as basils) are sensitive to cold breezes and may turn black if exposed to cold air even for a few minutes.
Some plants (especially basil (all varieties), peppermint, lemon balm and garden sage) also bruise easily, if touched intensively to free their pleasant aroma.
Plants haven’t been thinned
If a plant is ‘rootbound’ it means that its roots have completely filled the space within its potted container. Rootbound can happen prematurely if there are more than two plants growing in a pod. Overcrowded plant pods can lead to nutrient deficiencies as there is heavy competition for plant food. For this reason, it’s important to ‘thin’ fruiting plants such as tomatoes, strawberries and chilies (all varieties) when their first true leaves appear. Check the plant care tips for your specific plants and our thinning guide here if thinning is recommended.
Bugs or plant disease (rare)
It is extremely rare to have Click & Grow plants attacked by bugs or disease as our products are ecologically clean and designed for indoor use. Nevertheless, If you suspect your plants may have been attacked by bugs or a disease, be sure to contact our expert gardeners using our forum. Include photos of your plants with your question as this will help our gardeners determine what the problem may be and reassure you as to what to do next. For tips on bug prevention and recognising fungal disease, check out our dedicated support article here.
Got a question you’d like to ask our gardening team? Get in touch using our gardening forum! Receive advice from our expert horticulturists and take your gardening skills to the next level.
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