How to Identify Nutrient Deficiency in Plants

Your azalea bush is showing signs of yellowing leaves and you're wondering if some nutrient deficiency is the root cause. The signs of nutrient deficiency in plants are sometimes hard to determine unless you know what to look for and where you'll fist see the signs of deficiency. Here's how to identify nutrient deficiency in plants by the signs and symptoms they show.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Know that all types of plants can be victim of nutrient deficiency. Keeping an eye on your garden during growing season for any unusual growth patterns, yellowing and falling leaves and dead leaf tips helps you catch the problem early and treat it.

2. Recognize the signs of phosphorous and nitrogen deficiency. Old growth will show signs of the deficiency first and they will yellow and fall off prematurely with a phosphorous or nitrogen deficiency. This is also a similar pattern for magnesium and potassium deficiency as well.

3. Learn the symptoms of calcium and boron deficiency which generally affects the new growth first. The plants will exhibit die-off of new shoots and yellowing of new leaves.

4. Look for signs of iron deficiency green nerves encircling yellow leaf tissue. It generally affects fast growing plants and new growth.

5. Notice any plant weakness and leaves becoming yellow, red or purple. These can all be signs of nitrogen deficiency.

Tips & Warnings

• Treat any nutrient deficiency rapidly to have the most effective outcome. The sooner the plants are treated, the better the plants will fare.