Solanum melongena Yellow Leaves - Causes & Fixes

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Nitrogen Deficiency

Nitrogen is a mobile nutrient; when lacking, the plant moves nitrogen from older leaves to newer growth, causing older bottom leaves to turn uniformly pale yellow.

Very Common

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How to confirm: Check if the yellowing started on the oldest, lowest leaves while new growth remains green.

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shopping_cart Recommended Products

1 Apply a nitrogen-rich liquid fertilizer to provide immediate nutrient uptake for the developing foliage.

FoxFarm Grow Big Liquid Plant Food 1 Quart

0.9 L • 1 pcs

$30

In Stock

2 Supplement the soil with an organic nitrogen source like blood meal to ensure a sustained release of nutrients.

Back to the Roots Blood Meal & Gypsum (4 Pack)

Organic Fertilizer

$40

Out of Stock

3 Monitor soil moisture levels with a meter to ensure the roots are hydrated enough to absorb the newly applied nitrogen.

GROWIT Soil Moisture Meter - Blue

Water Meters

$12

In Stock

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Overwatering and Poor Drainage

Excessive soil moisture deprives eggplant roots of oxygen, leading to root hypoxia and a breakdown in chlorophyll production.

Very Common

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How to confirm: Stick your finger two inches into the soil to see if it feels saturated or muddy.

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shopping_cart Recommended Products

1 Immediately reduce watering frequency and allow the top inch of soil to dry out completely before watering again.

GROWIT Soil Moisture Meter SMM-V3

Water Meters

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2 Repot the eggplant into a container with superior drainage and a well-aerated medium, such as a mix containing perlite to prevent future waterlogging.

3 Ensure the plant is in a pot with adequate drainage holes and use a saucer to catch excess water, but do not let the pot sit in standing water.

Bleuhome 10" Plant Saucer 6-Pack Black

Pot Saucers

$20

In Stock

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Bacterial Wilt (Ralstonia solanacearum)

This pathogen clogs the xylem vessels, preventing water transport and causing rapid yellowing followed by sudden wilting of the eggplant stem.

Common

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How to confirm: Cut a wilted stem and place it in clear water to see if milky white bacterial ooze emerges.

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shopping_cart Recommended Products

1 Immediately remove and destroy the infected plant and all surrounding debris to prevent the bacteria from spreading to healthy eggplants via soil or water.

2 Sterilize all gardening tools, such as pruning shears, with alcohol or a bleach solution after use to avoid cross-contamination.

Fiskars 5/8" Bypass Pruning Shears

Cutting Tools

$13

In Stock

3 Improve soil drainage and aeration by incorporating perlite or coarse sand into the planting area to reduce the moist, stagnant conditions bacteria thrive in.