With the weather getting warmer and the sun out for longer each day, it is now more important to make sure indoor and outdoor plants are getting the correct amount of sunlight. Light exposure is a key component to plant health. While sunlight helps plants grow, too much sun can be harmful for flowers and plants. In particular, an over exposure to sunlight can cause leaf scorch. Learn more about leaf scorch here:
What is leaf scorch?
Leaf scorch, also called sun scorch, is when plants and flowers receive too much sunlight or exposure to dry, rough temperatures and/ or climates. In these situations, water evaporates more rapidly from plant leafs than usual, which causes the plant to become extremely dry. Leaf scorch can happen during any time of the year, but occurs most often in the summer time.
How is it possible to diagnose leaf scorch in plants?
If plants are displaying leafs that are yellowing or browning, that is a common sign of leaf scorch. If leaf scorch is severe, leafs can curl or even break and detach from the plant.
What are strategies to treat leaf scorch?
There are several ways to treat leaf scorch:
1) Preventative measures: Leaf scorch occurs when the plant the leafs are attached to is extremely dry. Make sure to water plants regularly during prolonged periods of warm and dry weather to take a preemptive strike against leaf scorch.
2) Soak plants: If leaf scorch occurs, it is important to hydrate the plant roots, so the water will eventually be absorbed by the plant leafs. An easy way to do this is to submerge the plant for a few seconds in a container of water and then to replant with fresh mulch or soil in a new pot. This will ensure the plant receives as much moisture as it needs.
3) Trim the damaged leafs: It can help plants affected by leaf scorch heal when the damaged leafs are trimmed. Start by trimming a few of the especially damaged leafs and wait a few days to see if the plant has healed before trimming more.
Many of these facts and strategies were found in the following articles:
"Scorch, Sunburn, and Heat Stress" posted on the Missouri Botanical Gardens website: http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/. Read the original article online.
"Leaf Scorch" posted on The Morton Arboretum website: http://www.mortonarb.org/. Read the original article online.
Grady's GreenLiving Tips was created in 2014 by Grady Management, Inc. Grady Management was founded in 1965 and continues to provide a full service residential, commercial, and consulting real estate firm in the greater Washington and Baltimore metropolitan area. Learn more from our website or Facebook page.
