So there is some contreversy on picking off dead leaves if they are still full of water. What does the plant do with the leaf when it is getting the nitrogen and the pigments out of the leaves?
The leaf is useful to the plant until it is all yellow. The plant doesn't think: "This leaf is crappy let's make it fall out" no, it thinks... "the root cells lined up with this leaf are pissed off, not enough water / nutrients / air, or the leaf is too shaded." and it takes everything it wants out of the leaf and puts it elsewhere, except if it goes dry in hot weather, the leaf goes green and dry.
So... in a garden center where you are selling pretty flowers, yeah pick off the leaves. In hydroponics, probably the plant doesnt need a yellow zombi leaf on it. or will it? perhaps that the plant eats back cellulose and stuff at the border of the leaf where it goes dry and puts in into new leaf. definately when the leaf has still got abit of light green in it, that's active plant that is still making sugar and can send energy to the top of the plant.
If you are outdoors and they need watering often, leave all the leaves on the plant unless they have gone crispy.
Can a dead leaf be a bother to the plant? not really, unless it pumps in crappy used water into the leaf, the only reason to take off leaves that are going dormant is to make the plant prettier.
The leaf is useful to the plant until it is all yellow. The plant doesn't think: "This leaf is crappy let's make it fall out" no, it thinks... "the root cells lined up with this leaf are pissed off, not enough water / nutrients / air, or the leaf is too shaded." and it takes everything it wants out of the leaf and puts it elsewhere, except if it goes dry in hot weather, the leaf goes green and dry.
So... in a garden center where you are selling pretty flowers, yeah pick off the leaves. In hydroponics, probably the plant doesnt need a yellow zombi leaf on it. or will it? perhaps that the plant eats back cellulose and stuff at the border of the leaf where it goes dry and puts in into new leaf. definately when the leaf has still got abit of light green in it, that's active plant that is still making sugar and can send energy to the top of the plant.
If you are outdoors and they need watering often, leave all the leaves on the plant unless they have gone crispy.
Can a dead leaf be a bother to the plant? not really, unless it pumps in crappy used water into the leaf, the only reason to take off leaves that are going dormant is to make the plant prettier.
