Pocket Botanist
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Check these first
- Check the calendar to see if harvest time is near.
- Inspect the base of the stem for white fungal threads.
- Feel the soil to ensure it is not waterlogged.
Likely causes
Natural Maturation
Most likelyHow to tell: The lower leaves begin to yellow and dry out as the bulb reaches full size. This usually happens in late spring or early summer.
What to do: Reduce watering as the harvest date approaches. Stop watering entirely about 2 weeks before you plan to pull the bulbs.
White Rot
PossibleHow to tell: Leaves yellow and wilt while a white, fluffy fungal growth appears at the base of the stem. The roots will look decayed.
What to do: Remove and destroy the entire plant immediately. Do not compost it, as the fungus persists in the soil for years.
Find out what's wrong with your ail
The list above covers the usual causes. Pocket Botanist looks at a photo of your actual plant and tells you the likely cause, how serious it is, and what to try first. Identification and a health check are free.
Scan with your phone's camera to get the app
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When to worry
It is normal if the plant is near harvest, but worry if the yellowing happens early in the season or is accompanied by rot.
Stopping it coming back
Practice crop rotation by not planting garlic in the same spot for at least 3 to 5 years.
Ail: yellow leaves? Check yours with a photo
Every plant is a little different. Take a photo of your ail and Pocket Botanist tells you which cause is most likely, how serious it is, and what to try first. A few checks a day are free. Save the plant and you get care reminders timed for it.
Scan with your phone's camera to get the app
Or go to pocketbotanist.app/get on your phone
Get the app · Or check it from a photo now, free
Questions people ask
- Should I fertilize yellowing garlic?
- No, avoid adding nitrogen late in the season as it encourages leaf growth instead of bulb development.
- Is yellowing always a disease?
- Not at all. It is a natural part of the plant life cycle as it prepares to go dormant.
Guides to these causes
More problems with Ail
This article was generated with AI on from the plant’s care profile and is general information, not horticultural advice. Read about how we build these guides.