Seeing yellow leaves on roses on your roses isn’t necessarily a death sentence for your plants, but the sooner you determine what is going wrong, the quicker you can fix it. This article by hobby gardener and rose enthusiast Danielle Sherwood explains the most common reasons rose leaves turn yellow and offers simple solutions that will help your plant return to its green, healthy self.

Insufficient Sunlight

Roses need plenty of bright, direct sunlight to photosynthesize properly and create that familiar green color. If your roses aren’t getting enough light, it may be because nearby buildings, bushes or trees are blocking the sunlight from reaching the lower foliage. If that’s the case, prune away anything blocking the sun and move your plant to a sunnier location if possible.

Solving the Mystery of Yellow Leaves on Roses: Causes and Cures

A lack of nitrogen will also cause the leaves on your roses to turn yellow. This is because the lack of nitrogen impacts the chloroplasts of the plant, which in turn affects photosynthesis and ultimately the health and appearance of the leaves. Signs of a nitrogen deficiency include yellow, shriveled leaves that are weak and spindly. Regularly fertilizing your roses will resolve this issue.

Iron Deficiency

Another reason your roses might be turning yellow is because they’re low in iron. Signs of an iron deficiency are similar to those of a nitrogen deficiency and can be corrected by adding an organic liquid iron to the soil or using a foliar spray. SaferGro Biomin Iron is a good option as it can be added to the soil or used as a foliar spray and repeated applications will address the deficiency over time.