Nothing is more depressing than watching coffee plant leaves get dry and brown.
Environmental factors such as fluctuations in light, temperature, and humidity lead coffee plant leaves to turn brown. The condition of the leaves of the coffee plant can also be impacted by the soil’s quality, including its drainage capabilities and pH levels. By addressing these anomalies, browning of the leaves can be delayed.
In this post, we’ll discuss the causes of browning in coffee plant leaves as well as how to spot and treat related issues.
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How to Identify Leaf Problems on Coffee Plants?
Without adequate care, the coffee plant is susceptible to a variety of issues just like any other plant. Listed below are a few warning signs that your coffee plant may be in trouble:
Coffee Leaves with Brown Edges and Ends
The edges and sides of the leaves that are brown are early indicators that something is wrong with your coffee plant. The main causes of browning at the ends of leaves are insufficient irrigation or poor drainage.
Therefore, it is imperative to pay attention to the problem and try to resolve it as soon as possible if you see that part of the leaves’ ends or margins are becoming brown. By doing this, you can prevent future harm to your coffee plant.
Coffee Leaves Turning Brown and Crispy
Occasionally, the discoloration affects the entire leaf, and the leaves may become crispy. Excessive sun exposure may be the cause of brittle and browning leaves.
The coffee leaves can burn and become discolored when exposed to too much sunshine.
Brown and crispy leaves can also be caused by other factors like damaged roots, too much water, too little or too much fertilizer, wind, and other environmental factors.
The brown leaves are usually too late to be saved at this time. The only remaining alternative might be to cut them off.
Coffee Leaves Turning Light brown and Transparent
Some coffee leaves have clear spots of light discolouration. The lack of chlorophyll, a pigment that gives leaves their green hue, causes these tiny patches to appear.
The absence of chlorophyll in a leaf can be brought on by a variety of factors, including nutritional insufficiency, poor drainage, a high pH of the soil, or harmed roots. This results in regions of clear light brown leaves.
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What Causes Coffee Plants to Have Brown Leaves?
Having learned how to see a problem in leaves, you must now comprehend the root of the issue. Environmental factors, such as excess or insufficient wetness, low humidity, additional sunlight, etc., might contribute to these issues.
Low Humidity
The growth of coffee plants requires a high amount of humidity. Your coffee plants may experience stress if the air does not contain enough moisture or if the humidity is insufficient.
Your plants may dry out and scorch as a result of a lack of moisture.
Your coffee leaves may discolor depending on the severity of the damage. Due to the tense condition, these brown coffee leaves may finally fall out.
I advise sometimes heating your coffee plant to stop this from happening. Any issues brought on by a lack of humidity can be managed with a light misting.
If you reside in a dry environment, consider purchasing a humidifier to guarantee that your coffee plants have a high moisture level.
Brown Eyespot Disease
The fading of leaves can be caused by a variety of elements. One of these is a fungus-based illness known as brown eyespot sickness (also known as Cercospora).
Brown eye spot illness recognizable as brown spots on the coffee leaves encircled by a light yellow halo. As implied by the name “brown eyespot illness,” this has an eyelike look.
Remove any weed or debris from around the coffee plant to avoid this since it promotes the growth of fungus. If the coffee plant has already been infected with Cercospora, remove the diseased leaves to stop it from spreading.
Low Temperature
The coffee plant is a heat-loving plant that thrives in subtropical and tropical climates. As a result, I suggest keeping the temperature between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit if you intend to grow coffee plants.
The coffee plant may survive a brief period of cold, but prolonged exposure to temperatures below 54 degrees Fahrenheit can be fatal.
Browning of the coffee plant’s leaves can be brought on by low temperatures. Therefore, I advise preserving a temperature that is ideal for the active growth of coffee plants.
Excessive Sunlight
The most frequent cause of leaf browning is sunburn. Indirect light is preferable to direct sunlight for coffee plants.
Long-term exposure of your coffee plant to direct sunlight might harm the leaf tissues. The injury may cause the leaves to turn discolored.
I suggest placing your coffee plant close to a window so it can get indirect sunlight to avoid scorching the foliage. Additionally, try not to expose it to the sun for too long, especially in the summer.
Too Little Sunlight
Although each plant has different needs for sunlight, all plants require sufficient sunlight to grow healthily.
The plant won’t work correctly if there isn’t enough sunshine. Additionally, the plant won’t create enough food and energy.
Some leaves will stop receiving food and fuel from the plant in order to conserve energy, and these leaves will begin to brown. Additionally, they will fall off to reduce unnecessary energy consumption.
Poor Drainage
The coffee plant enjoys moist soil and needs a lot of water. It dislikes excessive soil moisture though.
The roots of the coffee plant may suffer if the soil around it is very wet. The degradation of the roots could cause the leaves to turn brown. The plant may eventually die as the problem becomes worse.
It is essential to irrigate just after the soil has dried up for the proper soil moisture.
Inadequate Watering
The coffee plant requires a lot of water and does best in humid environments. It is unable to withstand dry circumstances.
Lack of watering may result in reduced growth of the coffee plant. Its leaves could become brown and drop off. The coffee plant will perish if the water crisis persists.
Can brown leaves on a coffee plant be fixed?
The majority of gardeners freak out when they see brown leaves and worry if they can ever become green again. It depends, really.
You must first assess the degree of the damage. Determine whether the majority of the leaf is brown or just the ends and margins.
You don’t have to remove the entire leaf if all that is discolored is the tip of the coffee leaf. The afflicted edges of the coffee leaf only need to be trimmed. Don’t forget to cut sparingly and with caution.
The spread of the browned leaves can be stopped by trimming the damaged sections. Additionally, doing so will improve the health and appearance of your coffee plant.
However, it is preferable to remove the leaf if more than 50% of it is brown. Your coffee plant will appear greener if you remove the brown and decaying leaves.
Although a brown or dying leaf obtains nutrients, the plant is not benefited.
By removing these leaves, nutrients are made available for healthy leaves to use as they continue to grow. Snipping the browning leaves will prevent the illness or insect from spreading to the healthy leaves.
Recommended Growing Conditions for Coffee Plants
Tropical and subtropical regions are ideal for the growth of the coffee plant. Therefore, it is ideal to replicate the coffee plant’s natural environment when growing it. The recommended growing circumstances for coffee plants are as follows:
Soil
Use nutrient-rich soil that is abundantly enhanced. The soil must be moist and well-drained for the coffee plant. The ground’s pH should be between 5 and 6. However, 6.5 is the preferred pH for coffee plants.
Temperature and Humidity
Coffee plants like a temperature range of 15 to 24 degrees Celsius ( 59-75 degrees Fahrenheit). The growth of the coffee plant is not suited to temperatures lower than this.
Coffee plants do well in humid environments. 50% or more humidity is optimal for coffee plants.
Fertilizer
For the coffee plant to grow, fertilizer is necessary. Every two weeks, start by applying a light fertilizer. After that, gradually increase fertilizer application to once per month.
Water
Coffee plants need a lot of water to flourish because they are water-loving plants. They might decay, though, if you water them too much. The coffee plant must therefore be thoroughly watered, but only for a short time.
Sunlight
Plants that thrive in shade, like coffee plants, favor indirect sunlight over direct sunlight. For it to grow strong leaves, it need two hours of indirect sunshine each day.
Its leaves will suffer damage and possibly turn brown if they are left in the sun after midday. It might even wilt.
The Takeaway
The coffee plant, a member of the Rubiaceae family, has special conditions for growth, including enough sunlight, high humidity, moist soil, etc.
As a result of carelessness, its leaves burn and become crispy. Environmental factors, excessive or insufficient sunlight, inadequate watering, poor drainage, fungus, low temperatures, or low humidity can all contribute to the browning of leaves.
In most circumstances, plant scorching cannot be undone. Cutting off the damaged areas and paying attention to the good portions of the coffee plant can make it appear greener, healthier, and more attractive even though the brown coffee leaves might not turn green again.