Nutrient Deficiencies

Nutrient deficiencies can be prevented by maintaining a good fertilizing schedule. Here are the signs of specific nutrient deficiencies.

Boron Deficiency: A disorder characterized by brittle, pale new leaves. Raised areas on the undersides of veins and along the petioles turn black and ooze a gummy substance.  Plant usually exhibits stunted vertical growth and increased width as its terminal buds die.

Calcium Deficiency: A deficiency disease which affects the growing tips, crinkles the leaf margins and stunts the roots.  Leaves may turn brown and fall off.

Copper deficiency: A deficiency disorder affecting new growth.  New leaves become chlorotic with brownish margins and wilt.

Iron Deficiency: A deficiency of iron causes interveinal chlorosis, primarily in the newer growth.  In advanced stages, the leaves may turn completely yellow or white.  This sometimes happens when iron is present, but the media is too alkaline, which makes the iron unavailable to the roots.

Magnesium Deficiency:  A deficiency is characterized by chlorosis, necrosis, stunted growth, and in some plants, a puckering and whitening of the leaves.  The older leaves are affected first and turn yellow at the margins.

Manganese Deficiency:  A deficiency is characterized by dwarfism, mottling, and interveinal chlorosis of newer leaves, usually in a checked or striped pattern.

Nitrogen Deficiency :  Excessive nitrogen produces soft tissues with high water content that are prone to cold damage and induces potassium deficiency.  Deficiency symptoms include stunted growth, and chlorosis or yellowing, later browning of the older leaves.

Phosphorus Deficiency: A deficiency is characterized by poor root growth, and a brownish-purple coloring of the older leaves.

Potassium Deficiency:  A deficiency is characterized by poor root growth and red or purple coloring of the foliage.

Zinc: A deficiency is a rare foliage disease characterized by mottling of the leaves, dwarfed and chlorotic new growth.