peperomia turning yellow

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crockny Kerhonkson, NY(Zone 5a) Dec 17, 2008

I inherited a peperomia and I have it in my office -- no windows but pretty bright indoor lighting ... the lower leaves are turning yellow one by one ... I thought it was a low light plant but do you think it needs more light? Or less water? Or some fertilizer? I've never had one before ...

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tapla Bay City, MI(Zone 6a) Dec 17, 2008

It needs more light. How much water and fertilizer if needs depends on the growth rate. High levels of fertilizer and dissolved solids from tap water make it difficult for the plant to absorb either water or the nutrients dissolved in water, so the odds are that you'll need little in the way of fertilizer until/unless you can increase light levels. Water only when the soil feels dry at the drain hole and then water thoroughly so at least 10-15% of the total volume of water applied exits the drain. This helps flush unwanted salts from the soil.

The yellow leaves are a drought response due to over-watering or a by-product of rapidly reduced photosynthesis. When photosynthesis slows, so does the production of a growth hormone called auxin. A steady flow of auxin through the abscission zone at the base of leaf petioles (stems) is required to prevent an abscission layer from forming and leaves from shedding.

Al

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crockny Kerhonkson, NY(Zone 5a) Dec 19, 2008

Wow -- thanks for your fantastic response! I think I need to repot it and put it closer to a flourescent light ... it does totally dry out and then the soil gets hard ... maybe needs a different soil. Also it's in a gift basket and doesn't have drain holes so that could be one of the problems. Thanks again.

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ecrane3 Dublin, CA(Zone 9a) Dec 19, 2008

I would definitely put it in something with drain holes--it makes it way too easy to overwater if there's no drainage.

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