Lack of nutrition of garden plants. Signs of a lack of basic nutrients in plants. Signs of nutrient deficiencies in plants

Phosphorus starvation is expressed in the appearance of dark green and yellow-green spots on old leaves, thinning of shoots and an insufficient number of planted fruits. At the same time, the resistance of plants to diseases is sharply reduced. And so, phosphorus and its effect on plants ...

Important: Long-term phosphorus starvation is especially dangerous for young seedlings that have just been planted in a permanent place..

Old plants during a period of temporary phosphorus deficiency can replenish its reserves from their own reserves. The weak and young do not have such additional sources. The negative effects of phosphorus starvation are aggravated on acidic soils. Signs of phosphorus deficiency do not appear immediately, but, as a rule, only after 2-3 months: the color of the leaves begins to change to purple, the growth rate decreases, the laying of shoots decreases, the roots become dwarfed.

Note:Phosphorus is needed to get full-fledged seeds for propagating vegetables.This element has a beneficial effect on the branching of the roots in the soil, and also contributes to a better ripening of vegetables.

In fruit trees, under phosphorus starvation, the growth of plants in height and the development of roots are delayed. Shoots are short, thin, erect, growth ends early. At the ends of the shoots, the leaves are narrow, elongated. Flowers are rare. Older lower leaves are dull, bluish-green in color, sometimes with a bronze tint. The fruits fall off a lot. Small brown spots or a yellow-bronze rim appear on currant leaves. Bud opening is delayed in spring. Leaves are early.

Control measures : It is necessary to practice the application of trace elements, primarily magnesium, in accordance with the instructions supplied with the fertilizer package. It is recommended to bring to neutral (pH about 6). It is useful to introduce humus into the soil, eliminate calcium deficiency.

Phosphorus and lawn

Phosphorus fertilizers contribute to the earlier development of young plants, strengthen their root system, increase resistance to drought, and improve the density of the sod. As a phosphate fertilizer, superphosphate is most often used, which, in addition to phosphorus, contains trace elements such as iron, zinc, manganese, and molybdenum. Superphosphate differs from other phosphate fertilizers in that the phosphoric acid it contains is soluble in water. For top dressing, it is better to use superphosphate powder, rather than granular. It is applied in spring or autumn at the rate of 16 g/m 2 .

Phosphorus and roses

At roses when the plant is deficient in phosphorus, the stems are crooked and weak. The leaves are dark green, reddish-purple below, the same stripes may appear along the edges. They become smaller, become narrow, depart at an acute angle, fall off. Flowering is delayed, the root system develops poorly.

Control measures: To solve the problem, feed the plants with superphosphate (1 tablespoon - 10 liters of water).

The material was prepared by: horticultural specialist Buynovsky O.I.

No one doubts the fact that the soil on which our favorite plants grow needs to be cultivated, improved and fertilized. However, desire alone is not enough in this important matter, it is important to be able to notice and recognize signs in time that indicate which nutrients a tree, shrub) or garden plant lacks.

The lack of one or another element has its own characteristic symptoms and manifests itself in external signs. Often the type of soil itself initially suggests a certain deficiency, leading to a metabolic disorder in the plant, as a result of which leaves turn yellow and fall off, shoots die, etc. Sometimes novice gardeners and gardeners mistakenly take these symptoms as signs of various diseases, while in fact the plants should not be treated, but only fed with certain fertilizers.

On light sandy and sandy loamy soils, plants often suffer from a lack of potassium, magnesium, sulfur, iodine and bromine. On carbonate or excessively calcareous soils, there is a deficiency of manganese, boron and zinc. Peatlands limit the intake of copper, manganese, boron and potassium.

Interestingly, each nutrient has its own indicator plants that will tell you exactly what is lacking in the soil or what nutrient is present in excess. By the way, too many nutrients are also bad, because if the plants received certain mineral and organic matter in excess, they show signs of mineral poisoning.

❧ organic fertilizers have a beneficial effect on the composition of the soil, improve its water and air permeability, stabilize the structure. In the process of decomposition in the ground, organic fertilizers form a layer of humus, which increases soil fertility.

How to determine the lack of fertilizers in the soil

How is nitrogen deficiency manifested?

The lack of nitrogen is most clearly manifested on the older lower leaves of indicator plants: strawberries, potatoes, tomatoes, apple trees. In pome crops, the leaves become smaller and narrow, losing their rich green color. Orange and red dots appear on the pale green young leaves, they soon turn yellow and fall off.

Many plants are particularly sensitive to nitrogen deficiency in the spring. In particular, roses show slow growth of shoots, flowering weakens, the wood of the stems does not ripen well, and poor mustache formation is noted in strawberries. Trees with nitrogen starvation weakly branch, their shoots are shortened, winter hardiness decreases, the fruits become smaller and crumble.

Young apple leaves with a lack of nitrogen do not reach normal sizes, their petioles depart from the shoot at an acute angle, in addition, a small number of fruit buds are laid. Nitrogen deficiency in stone fruits is manifested in the form of reddening of the bark of branches.

Nitrogen starvation can be aggravated by an increase in soil acidity and turfing of its surface under fruit trees.

With an excess of nitrogen, the foliage acquires a dark green color, the plants begin to grow violently, but the stems become soft, and few flowers form. An excess of nitrogen fertilizers leads to the development of chlorosis between the veins and along the edges of the leaves, brown necrotic spots appear on them, the ends are twisted. In addition, affected crops are easily affected by fungal diseases.

How is phosphorus deficiency manifested?

The lack of phosphorus is most pronounced on the older lower leaves of indicator plants: peaches, apple trees, strawberries, black currants and tomatoes.

The leaves of the affected crops are dull, dark green in color, with a red, purple or bronze sheen. Along their edges, as well as near the petioles and veins, red and purple-brown stripes and spots may appear.

Stems, petioles and leaf veins also acquire a purple color.

The leaves become smaller, become narrow, move away from the shoots at an acute angle, dry up and fall off, while the drying leaves darken, sometimes even turn black. Flowering and fruit ripening is delayed. Plants lose their decorative effect.

The growth of shoots slows down, they bend and weaken, often the apical bud dies off. The root system develops poorly, root growth is also delayed. In general, winter hardiness decreases in plants.

Symptoms of phosphorus starvation of plants are most often observed on acidic light soils with a low content of organic matter. Moreover, adult fruit trees do not show signs of phosphorus deficiency for several years, giving away the stocks of this element accumulated in the old parts of the tree to young branches and shoots.

An excess of phosphorus leads to soil salinization and manganese deficiency. In addition, the plant loses the ability to absorb iron and copper, as a result of which their metabolism is disturbed. As a result, the leaves become smaller, grow dull, curl up and become covered with growths, and the stems harden.

How is potassium deficiency manifested?

A sign of potassium deficiency is more pronounced in the middle of the growing season on the lower leaves of indicator plants: apple trees, pears, peaches, plums, strawberries, raspberries, currants, tomatoes and beets.

Potassium deficiency symptoms first appear as blanching of the leaves, which become a dull, bluish-green color. Uneven growth of leaf blades is observed, they wrinkle, curliness is sometimes noted, their edges go down.

The leaves turn yellow starting at the top, but the veins remain green for a while. Gradually, they turn completely yellow and acquire a reddish-purple color, for example, blackcurrant leaves with a lack of potassium become purple with a marginal burn, and then simply dry out.

The culture becomes stunted with short internodes, the shoots grow thin and weak. With a slight lack of potassium, an excessive amount of small fruit buds is sometimes laid on the trees. During the flowering period, such a plant will be completely strewn with flowers, but very small fruits will develop from them. In addition, perennials and fruit trees lose their winter hardiness due to the deficiency of this element.

Young rose leaves also acquire a reddish tint, their edges turn brown, and the flowers become small. This problem is often noted in roses growing on sandy and peaty soils, where they lack potassium. First, the lower leaves die off, then the process passes to the young leaves, which turn black. If no further measures are taken to save the plant, then the stems die off.

Signs of potassium starvation can be most pronounced on soils with a high level of acidity, as well as in those areas where excessive doses of calcium and magnesium have been added to the soil.

Excess potassium causes a delay in the development of crops. The leaves of a plant overfed with potassium become light green in color, spots appear on them, growth slows down, and then they wither and fall off.

How is calcium deficiency manifested?

Calcium is necessary for plants for the normal development of the aerial parts and root growth; in nature, it is found in the form of limestone, chalk and other compounds. The sign of calcium deficiency is most clearly manifested on the lower leaves, as well as at the beginning of the growing season on young tissues of the tops of the shoots of indicator plants: cherry plums, cherries, hazels, cherries, plums, apple trees, strawberries, gooseberries, currants, cucumbers and cabbage.

Calcium deficiency is expressed in a change in the color of young leaves, which turn white and twist up, and sometimes take on a ragged appearance. At the same time, the stems and leaves themselves are weakened, growth points, peduncles and shoot tips may die off, leaves and ovaries fall off. The shoots thicken, but the growth of the plant and the formation of new buds in general slows down. The root system also develops poorly, as root growth is delayed. Stone fruits do not form pits, while nuts do not form shells.

Calcium deficiency symptoms can appear in soils with excess potassium.

With an excess of calcium, the shells of nuts and the seeds of cherries and plums thicken, the leaves may turn yellow, as the plant ceases to absorb iron. These signs also sometimes appear on potassium-poor soils.

How iron deficiency manifests itself

Symptoms of iron deficiency are most pronounced on young leaves and tops of shoots of indicator plants: cherries, pears, plums, apple trees. The deficiency of this element is indicated by yellowing and partial or complete discoloration of the leaves (chlorosis). However, sometimes pale leaves indicate an excess of calcium in the soil.

Yellowing of leaves on fruit trees and berry bushes begins at the edges, while young leaves suffer more than others. At the same time, a narrow green strip still remains around the veins, but as chlorosis progresses, small veins also become discolored. Then the leaf becomes almost white or acquires a white-cream color. Then its edges die off, and gradually all the tissues, and as a result, the leaf falls off prematurely.

In plants weakened by chlorosis, growth slows down, the tops of trees can dry out, fruits become smaller, and the yield is sharply reduced.

Very often, plants experience a lack of iron in neutral, alkaline and calcium-rich soils. This phenomenon is also observed with excessive liming of the soil, when the iron contained in it is bound, which can cause chlorosis.

How magnesium deficiency manifests itself

The trait is most pronounced on older lower leaves in the middle of the growing season (especially during drought) of indicator plants: apple trees, potatoes and tomatoes. It is expressed in the development of interveinal chlorosis of leaves, the color of which resembles a "herringbone".

First, discolored spots appear on old, and then on young leaves in mid-summer. The leaf blades themselves turn yellow, red, or purple as dead dark red areas appear between the veins and reddish-yellow dying zones. At the same time, the edges of the leaves and veins remain green for some time. Leaf fall begins ahead of schedule, from the bottom of the plant.

Sometimes, due to a lack of magnesium, a pattern appears on the leaves that is similar to the symptoms of mosaic disease. Often the deficiency of this element leads to a decrease in winter hardiness and freezing of plants.

Most clearly, the symptoms of magnesium deficiency are detected on light acidic soils. Often this problem is exacerbated by the constant application of potash fertilizers. If, on the contrary, there are too many magnesium compounds in the soil, then the roots of plants do not absorb potassium well.

How is boron deficiency manifested?

Boron speeds up the germination of pollen, affects the development of ovaries, seeds and fruits. Its sufficient content in plant nutrition contributes to the influx of sugars to growth points, flowers, roots and ovaries.

Signs of boron deficiency most often appear on younger parts of indicator plants: apple trees, raspberries, tomatoes, and beets. These symptoms are especially pronounced during a drought.

Lack of boron affects the growth point of young shoots - with prolonged boron starvation, it simply dies off. Often there is a slowdown in the development of apical buds with increased growth of the lateral ones.

Chlorosis of young leaves develops: light green ones become smaller, their edges are bent upwards, gradually the plates are twisted. In young leaves, the veins turn yellow, later marginal and apical necrosis appears on them.

With a lack of boron, the growth of the entire plant is inhibited. On the shoots, small areas of the bark die off, dry tops are observed (the tops of the shoots die off), weak flowering and fruit set, while the latter acquire an ugly shape.

The tissue of pome fruits in its structure begins to resemble a cork, the pulp of apples hardens, vitreous heads are revealed in cauliflower, and the core rots in beets. Most often, boron starvation of plants can be observed on calcareous soils. Excessive application of boron-containing fertilizers accelerates the ripening of fruits, but at the same time their keeping quality suffers.

How does manganese deficiency manifest itself?

Signs of a lack of manganese in the soil are primarily manifested at the base of the upper leaves of indicator plants: potatoes, cabbage and beets.

As with magnesium starvation, white, light green and red spots appear, but not on the lower, but on the upper young leaves.

In affected plants, interveinal chlorosis develops - the leaves turn yellow between the veins from the edge to the center, forming patches in the form of a tongue. At the same time, the leaf veins can remain green for a long time, a green rim forms around them. Sometimes a lack of manganese causes brown leaf spot.

❧ The application of organic fertilizers increases the content of nutrients in the soil, contributes to the regulation of biological processes and activates the activity of soil microorganisms.

How copper deficiency manifests itself

Signs of copper deficiency are most pronounced on the young parts of indicator plants: plums, apple trees, lettuce and spinach. These signs are especially pronounced during drought.

In the affected plants, growth retardation is observed, the apical bud dies off, at the same time the lateral buds awaken, as a result of which rosettes of small leaves appear on the tops of the shoots.

The tips of the leaves turn white, and their plates become variegated. Sluggish and inconspicuous, they become pale green with brown spots, but without yellowing, and the leaf veins stand out sharply against this background. Young leaves lose turgor (internal pressure of the membranes of living cells) and wither. If there is an excess of copper in the soil, then the plants begin to suffer from iron deficiency.

How does a lack of molybdenum manifest itself?

More often than others, cauliflower, which is grown on acidic sandy (less often clayey) soils, experiences a lack of molybdenum. This symptom is more pronounced when physiologically acidic fertilizers are used. Therefore, it is better to refuse to grow seedlings on excessively acidic peat.

Symptoms of starvation are manifested in the death of the growing point, the fall of buds and flowers. The leaf blades cannot develop to the end, the cauliflower head does not tie, old leaves take on a color, as in chlorosis. In the later stages of development, a lack of molybdenum in cauliflower causes deformation of young leaves. The resistance of early varieties to this problem is much weaker compared to late varieties.

Most often, the lack of molybdenum manifests itself on waterlogged soils, in a cold or dry period and with an excess of nitrogen.

How is sulfur deficiency manifested?

Sulfur affects the redox processes in plant tissues and promotes the dissolution of mineral compounds from the soil.

With a lack of sulfur, the leaves become light green in color, and the veins on the leaves become even lighter. Then red spots of dying tissues appear on them.

How zinc deficiency manifests itself

Signs of zinc deficiency usually appear on old leaves (especially in spring) of indicator plants: cherries, peaches, sweet cherries, pears, plums, apple trees, tomatoes, pumpkins and beans.

Zinc deficiency usually occurs in nitrogen-rich soils. Symptoms first appear on the leaves, which become small, wrinkled, narrow and mottled due to interveinal chlorosis. The green color remains only along the veins. Often, dead areas appear on the leaf along the edges and between the veins.

Branches with short internodes, shoots thin, short and brittle, prone to the formation of rosettes at their tops. Small and ugly fruits are covered with a thick skin. Brown spots appear in the pulp of stone fruits.

Indicator plants growing in the garden help the gardener to determine the content of certain nutrients in the soil. You just need to carefully look at those crops that grow in a garden or vegetable garden: by their appearance they will tell you exactly what needs to be done to cultivate the soil.

If nettles and stinging nettles, raspberries, black elderberries or black currants grow abundantly on the site, then the soil is rich in nitrogen. Whereas the presence in the garden of dark-colored clover, gorse or round-leaved sundew indicates a lack of this element.

An excess of calcium in the soil is indicated by the active growth of plants such as the lady's slipper, sunflower or steppe aster. If its deficiency is observed, then white-bearded protruding, heathers, two-leaved mink, bracken and dog violet grow well on it.

According to the set of plants on the site, it is possible to determine the general condition of the soil in terms of the presence of nutrients in it. So, if the soil contains nutrients in large quantities, then black henbane, narrow-leaved fireweed, reviving moonwort, obscure lungwort and bittersweet nightshade grow abundantly on it.

Those places where the warty euonymus, buttercup anemone, marsh marigold, European bathing suit, medium clover, strawberries, white cinquefoil, fern and drooping tarry grow, are distinguished by an average nutrient content.

On poor soils, plants such as lingonberries, heather, plowed clover, cranberries, lichens, blueberries, small sorrel and hairy hawk grow.

To determine by the appearance of plants about the imbalance of nutrients used to be something mystical for me. True, I knew about the nutrients themselves, such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, at the level of the school curriculum.

To be honest, I really wanted to be such a “magician” to walk around the garden, look at the twigs, leaves, flowers and say what this plum or apple tree lacks, so that there are harvests every year, and everything in the garden smells like paradise corner.

But I'm not a magician, I'm just learning. Indeed, in practice, it is sometimes very difficult to determine which element a plant lacks, but this must be strived for, because if a plant receives a balanced diet, then diseases do not take it, and pests, if they attack, harm a healthy plant. applied less than weakened.

Nitrogen

Nitrogen is one of the main elements of plant nutrition. With a lack of nitrogen, plants stop growing.. With an excess of nitrogen in the soil, plants, on the contrary, begin rapid growth, and all parts of the plant grow. The leaves become dark green, too large and bumpy. The tops are starting to curl. Such plants do not bloom for a long time and do not bear fruit.

In fruit crops, the resulting fruits do not ripen for a long time, have a pale color, crumble too early, the fruits remaining on the branches cannot be stored. An excess of nitrogen also provokes the development of gray rot in garden strawberries and tulips. In general, try not to fertilize tulips with purely nitrogen fertilizers: only complex or phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. From nitrogen fertilizers in tulips, first the buds rot, then the aerial part of the plant, until the bulbs are damaged.

Fertilizing with nitrogen fertilizers, at least organic, at least mineral, should be done only in spring and early summer, when all plants are in the phase of rapid growth.

Fertilizing with nitrogen is very effective after short-term spring frosts or temperature drops. Such top dressing helps plants, especially early flowering plants such as weigela, cope with stress faster, recover and start growing.

Top dressing with nitrogen in the middle and at the end of summer significantly reduces the winter hardiness of perennial plants, and also contributes to the accumulation of nitrates in vegetables. Late nitrogen fertilizing is especially harmful to a young garden.

For example, in apple trees with an excess of nitrogen, young shoots grow at the end of summer, which, when night temperatures decrease, are affected by powdery mildew; such apple trees may not survive the winter.

Nitrogen fertilizers: urea, ammonium nitrate, sodium nitrate, potassium nitrate, ammonium sulfate. Also in trade is a wide selection of complex mineral fertilizers, which, together with nitrogen, contain phosphorus and potassium. The packaging always indicates the percentage of a particular substance.

Phosphorus

Phosphorus, like nitrogen and potassium, is an essential plant nutrient. The lack of phosphorus affects, first of all, on reproductive processes: flowering and fruiting.

In the spring, with a lack of phosphorus, buds do not bloom for a long time, roots and new young shoots do not grow. Plants do not bloom for a long time, buds and flowers fall off, flowering is very poor, fruits also fall off quickly; berries, vegetables, fruits have a sour taste.

In apple and pear trees with a lack of phosphorus, the young growth on the branches is very weak: young branches are thin, short, stop growing very quickly, the leaves at the end of these shoots are elongated, they are much narrower than healthy leaves. The angle of departure of the leaves on young shoots becomes smaller (they seem to be pressed against the branch), the lower old leaves become dull, bluish-green, sometimes they have a bronze tint. Gradually, the leaves become spotty: dark green and light green, rather yellowish areas appear throughout the leaf plate. The formed ovary almost completely falls off. Rare fruits left on the branches also fall off early.

In stone fruit crops, such as plum, cherry, peach, apricot, the lack of phosphorus is more noticeable. In early summer, young leaves are dark green in color. Gradually, their veins begin to turn red: first from below, then from above. Red coloration covers the edges of the leaves and petioles. The edges of the leaves are bent down. Apricot and peach have red dots on the leaves. Due to the lack of phosphorus, young plantings of peaches and apricots may die in the first year. In adult stone fruit crops, the fruits remain greenish and crumble. The pulp of even ripe fruits remains sour.

In berry crops, such as currants, gooseberries, raspberries, honeysuckle, blueberries, and other shrub or herbaceous perennial crops that give us tasty berries, with a lack of phosphorus, bud break is delayed in spring, very little growth is formed on the branches, and even that quickly stops growing. , the leaves gradually become reddish or red-violet. Dried leaves turn black. The set fruits quickly crumble, early leaf fall is possible in autumn.

Phosphorus is introduced into the soil in spring or autumn when digging the soil; in summer, foliar top dressing (by leaves) can be carried out with liquid fertilizers or aqueous solutions of mineral fertilizers from June to August. Flowers with such top dressing bloom for a long time.

Fertilizers containing phosphorus: superphosphate, double superphosphate, bone meal, phosphate rock. Complex mineral fertilizers containing phosphorus: ammophos, diamophos (nitrogen + phosphorus); ammophoska, diammofoska (nitrogen + phosphorus + potassium) and many others.

Potassium

Potassium is the third main plant nutrient. With its deficiency, the winter hardiness of plants is sharply reduced.

Potassium-deficient plants experience water imbalance, which, in its turn, leads to dry tops.

With a lack of potassium, the edges of the leaves of plants begin to bend upwards, a yellow rim appears along the edges of the leaf plate, which gradually dries up. The color of the leaves from the edges begins to change from bluish-green to yellow, gradually the leaves, for example, in an apple tree become gray, brown or brown, and in a pear the leaves gradually turn black.

Thus, if potassium supplements are not applied in time, necrosis from the edge of the leaves spreads further to the leaf plate, and the leaves dry out.

Often trees grow normally in the spring, and signs of potassium starvation begin to appear in the summer. The fruits ripen extremely unevenly, the color of the fruits is pale and "dull". The leaves stay on the branches for a long time, do not fall off, despite the autumn frosts.

In stone fruit crops, with a lack of potassium, the leaves are initially dark green, then begin to turn yellow at the edges, and when they die completely, they become brown or dark brown. In apricots and doggies, you may notice wrinkling or curling of the leaves. Yellow dots of dead tissue appear on them, surrounded by a red or brown border. After a while, the leaves become perforated.

In raspberries with a lack of potassium, the leaves become wrinkled and slightly twisted inward; the color of the raspberry leaves appears gray due to the light shade of the underside of the raspberry leaves. The appearance of leaves with torn edges is observed. A red border appears on the leaves of strawberries along the edges, which then turns brown.

If there is enough potassium, the crop ripens amicably, the fruits are very tasty and ruddy, the leaves fall on time in the fall, the plants are fully prepared for winter and winter very well.

At the first sign of a lack of potassium, watering or spraying over the leaves with an aqueous solution of potassium fertilizers can be carried out.

Potash fertilizers: potassium chloride, potassium sulphate (potassium sulfate), as well as complex fertilizers that contain potassium, for example: ammofoska, diammofoska.

In practice, most often there is a lack of not one particular battery, but several at once.

With a simultaneous lack of phosphorus and potassium, you can’t immediately tell by plants that they are experiencing starvation, but at the same time they grow very poorly.

With a lack of nitrogen and phosphorus, the leaves become light green, become rigid, the angle between the leaf and the shoot becomes sharp.

With a lack of all three basic nutrients - nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium - plants not only grow poorly, but also bear fruit poorly. In fruit crops, shoots freeze slightly in winter. Therefore, it is very important to apply complex fertilizers in order to make up for the lack of a particular nutrient in time.

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Just like people and animals, plants need nutrients that they get from soil, water and air. The composition of the soil directly affects the health of the plant, because it is in the soil that the main trace elements are found: iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, manganese and many others. If some element is missing, the plant is sick and may even die. However, an excess of minerals is no less dangerous.

How to find out which element in the soil is not enough or, conversely, too much? Soil analysis is carried out by special research laboratories, and all large crop farms use their services. But what can simple gardeners and lovers of home flowers do, how can they self-diagnose a lack of nutrients? It's simple: if the soil lacks iron, phosphorus, magnesium and any other substance, the plant itself will tell you about it, because the health and appearance of a green pet depends, among other things, on the amount of mineral elements in the soil. In the table below you can see a summary of the symptoms and causes of the disease.

Let us consider in more detail the symptoms of deficiency and excess of individual substances.

Micronutrient deficiency

Most often, the plant is deficient in certain trace elements in the case when the composition of the soil is not balanced. Too high or, conversely, low acidity, excessive content of sand, peat, lime, black soil - all this leads to a lack of any mineral component. The content of trace elements is also influenced by weather conditions, especially too low temperatures.

Usually, the symptoms characteristic of micronutrient deficiencies are pronounced and do not overlap with each other, so identifying a lack of nutrients is quite simple, especially for an experienced gardener.

[!] Do not confuse the external manifestations characteristic of a lack of minerals with the manifestations that occur when plants are damaged by viral or fungal diseases, as well as various types of insect pests.

Iron- an element vital for the plant, participating in the process of photosynthesis and accumulated mainly in the leaves.

Lack of iron in the soil, and hence in plant nutrition, is one of the most common diseases, called chlorosis. And, although chlorosis is a symptom that is also characteristic of a deficiency of magnesium, nitrogen and many other elements, iron deficiency is the first and main cause of chlorosis. Signs of iron chlorosis are yellowing or whitening of the interveinal space of the leaf plate, while the color of the veins themselves does not change. First of all, the upper (young) leaves suffer. The growth and development of the plant does not stop, but the newly emerging shoots have an unhealthy chlorotic color. Iron deficiency most often occurs in soils with high acidity.

Iron deficiency is treated with special preparations containing iron chelate: Ferrovit, Micom-Reacom Iron Chelate, Micro-Fe. You can also make your own iron chelate by mixing 4 gr. iron sulphate with 1 liter. water and adding to the solution 2.5 gr. citric acid. One of the most effective folk ways to eliminate the lack of iron is to stick a few old rusty nails into the soil.

[!] How do you know that the iron content in the soil has returned to normal? Young growing leaves have a normal green color.

Magnesium. About 20% of this substance is found in plant chlorophyll. This means that magnesium is essential for proper photosynthesis. In addition, the mineral is involved in redox processes.

When there is not enough magnesium in the soil, chlorosis also occurs on the leaves of the plant. But, unlike the signs of iron chlorosis, the lower, older leaves are primarily affected. The color of the leaf plate between the veins changes to reddish, yellowish. Spots appear throughout the leaf, indicating tissue death. The veins themselves do not change their color, and the overall color of the leaves resembles a herringbone pattern. Often, with a lack of magnesium, you can see the deformation of the sheet: wrapping and wrinkling of the edges.

To eliminate the lack of magnesium, special fertilizers are used that contain a large amount of the necessary substance - dolomite flour, potassium magnesia, magnesium sulfate. Wood ash and ashes make up for magnesium deficiency well.

Copper important for the correct protein and carbohydrate processes in the plant cell and, accordingly, the development of the plant.

Excessive content of peat (humus) and sand in the soil mixture often leads to copper deficiency. In the people, this disease is called the white plague or squirrel. Citrus houseplants, tomatoes, cereals react especially sharply to a lack of copper. The following signs will help to identify a lack of copper in the soil: general lethargy of leaves and stems, especially the upper ones, delay and stunting of the growth of new shoots, death of the apical bud, white spots on the tip of the leaf or throughout the entire leaf plate. In cereals, leaf twisting into a spiral is sometimes observed.

For the treatment of copper deficiency, copper-containing fertilizers are used: superphosphate with copper, copper sulfate, pyrite cinders.

Zinc It has a great influence on the rate of redox processes, as well as on the synthesis of nitrogen, carbohydrates and starches.

Zinc deficiency usually manifests itself in acid marshy or sandy soils. Zinc deficiency symptoms are usually localized on the leaves of the plant. This is a general yellowing of the leaf or the appearance of individual spots, often the spots become more saturated, bronze in color. Subsequently, the tissue in such areas dies off. First of all, the symptoms appear on the old (lower) leaves of the plant, gradually rising higher and higher. In some cases, spots may also appear on the stems. Newly appearing leaves are abnormally small and covered with yellow speckles. Sometimes you can observe the twisting of the sheet up.

In case of zinc deficiency, zinc-containing complex fertilizers or zinc sulfate are used.

Bor. With the help of this element, the plant fights against viral and bacterial diseases. In addition, boron is actively involved in the process of growth and development of new shoots, buds, and fruits.

Waterlogged, calcareous and acidic soils very often lead to boron starvation of the plant. Especially from the deficiency of boron, various types of beets and cabbage suffer. Signs of a lack of boron appear, first of all, on young shoots and upper leaves of the plant. The color of the leaves changes to light green, the leaf plate is twisted into a horizontal tube. The leaf veins become dark, even black, and break when bent. The upper shoots suffer especially strongly, up to death, the growth point is affected, as a result of which the plant develops with the help of lateral processes. The formation of flowers and ovaries slows down or completely stops, the flowers and fruits that have already appeared are showered.

Boric acid will help to fill the lack of boron.

[!] It is necessary to use boric acid with the utmost care: even a small overdose will lead to the death of the plant.

Molybdenum. Molybdenum is necessary for photosynthesis, the synthesis of vitamins, nitrogen and phosphorus metabolism, in addition, the mineral is a component of many plant enzymes.

If a large number of brown or brown specks appear on the old (lower) leaves of the plant, while the veins remain normal green, the plant may not have enough molybdenum. In this case, the surface of the leaf is deformed, swelling, and the edges of the leaves are twisted. New young leaves do not change color at first, but over time, mottling appears on them. The manifestation of molybdenum deficiency is called "Wiptail's disease"

Molybdenum deficiency can be replenished with fertilizers such as ammonium molybdate and ammonium molybdate.

Manganese necessary for the synthesis of ascorbic acid and sugars. In addition, the element increases the chlorophyll content in the leaves, increases the plant's resistance to adverse factors, and improves fruiting.

Manganese deficiency is determined by the pronounced chlorosis color of the leaves: the central and lateral veins remain saturated green, and the interveinal tissue becomes lighter (becomes light green or yellowish). Unlike iron chlorosis, the pattern is not so pronounced, and the yellowness is not so bright. Initially, symptoms can be seen at the base of the upper leaves. Over time, as the leaves age, the chlorotic pattern blurs, and stripes appear on the leaf plate along the central vein.

Manganese sulfate or complex fertilizers containing manganese are used to treat manganese deficiency. From folk remedies, you can use a weak solution of potassium permanganate or diluted manure.

Nitrogen- one of the most important elements for the plant. There are two forms of nitrogen, one of which is necessary for oxidative processes in the plant, and the other for reduction. Nitrogen helps to maintain the necessary water balance, and also stimulates the growth and development of the plant.

Most often, a lack of nitrogen in the soil occurs in early spring, due to low soil temperatures that prevent the formation of minerals. Nitrogen deficiency is most clearly manifested at the stage of early plant development: thin and sluggish shoots, small leaves and inflorescences, low branching. In general, the plant develops poorly. In addition, a change in the color of the leaf, in particular the color of the veins, both central and lateral, can indicate a lack of nitrogen. With nitrogen starvation, the veins first turn yellow, and subsequently the periveinal tissues of the leaf turn yellow. Also, the color of the veins and leaves can become reddish, brown or light green. First of all, symptoms appear on older leaves, eventually capturing the entire plant.

The lack of nitrogen can be filled with fertilizers containing nitrate nitrogen (potassium, ammonium, sodium and other nitrates) or ammonium nitrogen (ammophos, ammonium sulfate, urea). A high nitrogen content is present in natural organic fertilizers.

[!] In the second half of the year, nitrogen fertilizers should be excluded, as they can prevent the transition of the plant from a dormant state and preparation for wintering.

Phosphorus. This trace element is especially important during the period of flowering and fruit formation, as it stimulates the development of the plant, including fruiting. Phosphorus is also necessary for proper wintering, so the best time to apply fluorine-containing fertilizers is the second half of summer.

Signs of phosphorus deficiency are difficult to confuse with any other symptoms: leaves and shoots turn bluish, the gloss of the leaf surface is lost. In especially advanced cases, the color can even be purple, purple or bronze. Areas of dead tissue appear on the lower leaves, then the leaf dries completely and falls off. Fallen leaves are dark, almost black. At the same time, young shoots continue to develop, but look weakened and oppressed. In general, the lack of phosphorus affects the overall development of the plant - the formation of inflorescences and fruits slows down, and the yield decreases.

Treatment of phosphorus deficiency is carried out with the help of phosphate fertilizers: phosphate flour, potassium phosphate, superphosphate. A large amount of phosphorus is found in bird droppings. Ready-made phosphate fertilizers dissolve in water for a long time, so they must be applied in advance.

Potassium- one of the main elements of the mineral nutrition of the plant. Its role is huge: maintaining water balance, increasing plant immunity, increasing resistance to stress, and much more.

An insufficient amount of potassium leads to the occurrence of leaf burn (deformation of the leaf edge, accompanied by drying). Brown spots appear on the leaf plate, the veins look as if pressed into the leaf. Symptoms first appear on older leaves. Often, a lack of potassium leads to active leaf fall during the flowering period. The stems and shoots wilt, the development of the plant slows down: the appearance of new buds and sprouts, fruit set stops. Even if new shoots grow, their form is underdeveloped and ugly.

Top dressings such as potassium chloride, potassium magnesia, potassium sulfate, wood ash help to fill the lack of potassium.

Calcium important for the proper functioning of plant cells, protein and carbohydrate metabolism. The root system suffers from a lack of calcium in the first place.

Signs of calcium deficiency appear primarily on young leaves and shoots: brown spotting, curvature, twisting. In the future, both already formed and newly emerging shoots die off. Lack of calcium leads to a violation of the absorption of other minerals, so the plant may show signs of potassium, nitrogen or magnesium starvation.

[!] It should be noted that home plants rarely suffer from calcium deficiency, since tap water contains quite a lot of salts of this substance.

Lime fertilizers help to increase the amount of calcium in the soil: chalk, dolomite limestone, dolomite flour, slaked lime and many others.

An overabundance of trace elements

Too much minerals in the soil is just as harmful to the plant as their deficiency. Usually this situation develops in case of overfeeding with fertilizers and oversaturation of the soil. Non-compliance with the dosage of fertilizers, violation of the timing and frequency of top dressing - all this leads to an excessive content of minerals.

Iron. Excess iron is very rare and usually causes difficulty in the absorption of phosphorus and manganese. Therefore, the symptoms of an excess of iron are similar to the symptoms of a deficiency of phosphorus and manganese: a dark, bluish tint of the leaves, cessation of growth and development of the plant, and the death of young shoots.

Magnesium. If there is too much magnesium in the composition of the soil, calcium ceases to be absorbed, respectively, the symptoms of an excess of magnesium are generally similar to the symptoms of calcium deficiency. This is the twisting and death of the leaves, the twisted and torn shape of the leaf plate, the delay in the development of the plant.

Copper. With an excess of copper, brownish spots appear on the lower, older leaves, subsequently these parts of the leaf, and then the entire leaf, die off. Plant growth slows down significantly.

Zinc. When there is too much zinc in the soil, the leaf of the plant becomes covered with whitish watery spots on the underside. The surface of the leaf becomes bumpy, subsequently the affected leaves fall off.

Bor. Excessive boron content appears, first of all, on the lower, older leaves in the form of small brownish spots. Over time, the spots increase in size. The affected areas, and then the entire leaf, die off.

Molybdenum. In the case of an excess of molybdenum in the soil, the plant does not absorb copper well, so the symptoms are similar to those of copper deficiency: general lethargy of the plant, slow development of the growth point, light spots on the leaves.

Manganese. An excess of manganese in its characteristics resembles a magnesium starvation of a plant: chlorosis on older leaves, spots of various colors on a leaf plate.

Nitrogen. Too much nitrogen leads to a rapid growth of green mass to the detriment of flowering and fruiting. In addition, an overdose of nitrogen, combined with excessive watering, significantly acidifies the soil, which in turn provokes the formation of root rot.

Phosphorus. An excess amount of phosphorus prevents the absorption of nitrogen, iron and zinc, as a result of which symptoms characteristic of a deficiency of these elements develop.

Potassium. If there is too much potassium in the soil, the plant stops absorbing magnesium. There is a slowdown in the development of the plant, the leaves become pale green, a burn occurs along the contour of the leaf.

Calcium. An excess of calcium manifests itself in the form of interveinal chlorosis. This is because too much calcium leads to difficulty absorbing iron and manganese.

General information

External signs of a lack of individual nutrients in plants are different. Therefore, by external signs, one can judge the lack of one or another nutrient element and the need of plants for fertilizers. However, growth retardation and changes in the appearance of plants are not always due to a lack of nutrients. Similar changes are sometimes caused by unfavorable growth conditions (insufficient lighting, low temperature, etc.). It is important to be able to distinguish these changes in plant appearance from those caused by nutrient deficiencies.

The appearance of the plant is also influenced by the excessive amount of certain elements that the plant does not need or needs in a small amount. With their excessive intake into plants, growth slows down, tissues die off, various external changes are observed, and sometimes the death of plants.

Symptoms of a lack of different nutrients in the same plant usually do not appear simultaneously, which greatly simplifies the problem of diagnosis and subsequent improvement of plant nutrition. With a lack of several elements, the symptoms of a deficiency of the element whose action is dominant are the first to appear and disappear as a result of the introduction of appropriate fertilizers; then symptoms of deficiency of another element appear, and so on.

Symptom Comparison

A common symptom of deficiency in any one of the nutrients is stunting of the plant, although this symptom may be more pronounced in one case than in another. The following is a comparison of other (other than growth retardation) symptoms of mineral deficiencies.

Symptoms of insufficiency of mineral nutrition of plants can be divided into two large groups:

I. The first group consists mainly of symptoms that appear on the old leaves of the plant. These include symptoms of a lack of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium. Obviously, when these elements are deficient, they move in the plant from older parts to young growing parts, on which signs of starvation do not develop.

II. The second group consists of symptoms that appear on growth points and young leaves. Symptoms of this group are characteristic of a lack of calcium, boron, sulfur, iron, copper and manganese. These elements do not seem to be able to move from one part of the plant to another. Consequently, if there is not enough of these elements in the water and soil, then the young growing parts do not receive the necessary nutrition, as a result of which they get sick and die.

When starting to determine the cause of malnutrition of plants, one should first of all pay attention to which part of the plant the anomalies appear, thus determining the group of symptoms. The symptoms of the first group, which are found mainly on old leaves, can be divided into two subgroups:

1) more or less common, affecting the entire leaf (lack of nitrogen and phosphorus);

2) or be only local in nature (lack of magnesium and potassium).

The second group of symptoms, which appear on young leaves or growing points of a plant, can be divided into three subgroups, which are characterized by:

1) the appearance of chlorosis, or the loss of green color by young leaves without the subsequent death of the apical bud, which indicates a lack of iron, sulfur or manganese;

2) the death of the apical bud, accompanied by the loss of its green color by the leaves, which indicates a lack of calcium or boron;

3) constant wilting of the upper leaves, which indicates a lack of copper.

The symptoms that appear due to a lack of minerals are described below, for each element separately.

Nitrogen (N)

Old leaves become brown-yellow and slowly die off, "dissolving" in water. With a lack of nitrogen, lightening and yellowing of the color begins with the veins and the part of the leaf blade adjacent to them; parts of the leaf removed from the veins may still retain a light green color. On a leaf yellowed from a lack of nitrogen, as a rule, there are no green veins.

Phosphorus (P)

The color of old leaves becomes dark green. With a strong lack of phosphorus, brown or reddish-brown spots appear on the leaves, gradually turning into holes. Some plants shed their leaves.

Potassium (K)

Yellowing is observed, and later browning and death of the tips and edges of the leaves. Brown spotting develops especially closer to the edges. The edges of the leaves are twisted, wrinkling is observed. The veins appear to be embedded in the leaf tissue. Deficiency symptoms in most plants first appear on older lower leaves.

Signs of potassium deficiency

Calcium (Ca)

Deficiency symptoms appear primarily on young leaves. The leaves are chlorotic, curved, their edges twist upward. The edges of the leaves are irregular in shape, brown scorch may be found on them. There is damage and death of the apical buds.

Magnesium (Mg)

Spots of white or pale yellow appear between the veins. At the same time, large veins and adjacent areas of the leaf remain green. The tips of the leaves and edges are bent, as a result of which the leaves arch in a domed shape, the edges of the leaves wrinkle and gradually die off. Deficiency symptoms appear and spread from the lower leaves to the upper ones.

Bor (V)

The sensitivity of plants to a lack of boron is very different. With a lack of boron in plants, the growth points turn black and die off. Young leaves are small, pale, strongly deformed.

Boron deficiency symptoms

Copper (Cu)

Pale coloration and stunting of young leaves. Long-stemmed plants are bushy (give side shoots).

Iron (Fe)

With a lack of iron, uniform chlorosis is observed between the veins of the leaf. The color of the upper leaves becomes pale green or yellow, white areas appear between the veins, and the entire leaf may subsequently turn white. Signs of iron deficiency appear primarily on young leaves.