Nutrients

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Sixteen chemical elements are known to be important to a plant’s growth and survival. The sixteen chemical elements are divided into two main groups: non-mineral and mineral.

Potassium deficiency guide

Potassium deficiency guide

It is necessary for all activities having to do with water transport and the opening and closing of the stomata.

Potassium takes care of the strength and the quality of the plant and controls countless other processes such as the carbohydrate system. 

About potassium in short

What is it and what does it do?
Potassium takes care of the strength and the quality of the plant.
Controls countless other processes such as the carbohydrate system.
What can you see?
Dead edges on the leaves.
What can you do?
In case the EC in the substrate or potting mix is high, you can rinse it with clean water.
Add potassium yourself.

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Symptoms of a deficiency

Evaporation is reduced if there is a shortage of potassium. A consequence is that the temperature in the leaves will increase and the cells will burn. This occurs mostly on the edges of the leaves, where normally, evaporation is highest.

Development of a deficiency

  • Tips of the younger leaves show gray edges.
  • Leaves turn yellow from the edge in the direction of the veins and rusty colored dead spots appear in the leaves.
  • The tips of the leaves curl up radically and whole sections of the leaves begin to rot. The leaves keep on curling and ultimately fall off.
  • An extreme shortage produces meagre, unhealthy-looking plants with strongly reduced flowering.

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Reasons for a deficiency

  • Too little, or the wrong type of fertilizer.
  • Growing in potassium-fixed potting mixes.
  • An excess of sodium (kitchen salt) in the root environment, as sodium slows down potassium intake.

Solutions for a deficiency

  • In case the EC in the substrate or potting mix is high, you can rinse with water.
  • Add potassium yourself, either in inorganic form: Dissolve 5 – 10 grams of potassium nitrate in 2.5 gallons of water. In acidic potting mixes, you can add potassium bicarbonate or potassium hydroxide (5ml in 2.5 gallons of water).
  • Add potassium in organic form: Add a water solution of wood ash, chicken manure or slurry of manure (be careful not to burn the roots). Extracts of the grape family also contain a lot of potassium.

For your information

  • Potassium is absorbed quickly and easily by the plant. In a hydroponic system results get visible within several days. Potassium supplementation by leaf fertilization is not recommended.
  • Too much potassium will cause salt damage, calcium and magnesium deficiencies and acidification of the root environment!

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Manganese deficiency guide

Manganese deficiency guide

Manganese is an essential trace element for all plants. Manganese acts as an activator for different enzyme reactions in the plant, for example in water-splitting during photosynthesis, the synthesis of amino acids and proteins and the build up of plant cell membranes and chloroplasts.

Manganese is generally taken up via the roots. Once inside the plant it is difficult to transport but not as difficult as calcium or iron for example. Silicon and molybdenum improve the transport possibilities for manganese in the plant.

About manganese in short

What is it and what does it do?
The metal manganese is an essential trace nutrient and acts as an activator for different enzyme reactions in the plant.
What can you see?
Yellow stripes appear between the leaf’s side veins.
What can you do?
Using products that contain trace elements (Tracemix).

Manganese deficiency guide

Symptoms of a deficiency

A manganese deficiency causes different physiological changes in the plant due to a decrease in protein production. Among others, this causes less nitrate to be fixed in the plant, which can lead to dangerously high levels of nitrate. Additionally, a lot of chemical reactions in plant cells slow down which may result in a build up of organic acids.

Development of a deficiency

The progression in chronological order:

  • Yellow stripes appear between the leaf’s side veins on the larger leaves at the top of the plant.
  • The yellowing between the side veins spreads further over the leaf and small, yellow/brown necrotic spots can form.
  • The final result is a small plant (-10%) with minimum fruit/flower production.

Manganese deficiency guide

Reasons for a deficiency

In practice, the most common reason is that the pH in the substrate is too high. Like iron, manganese is easily dissolved at a low pH value in the substrate. If the pH is too low, a risk of excess manganese may occur. At high pH values manganese precipitates into manganese oxide (MnO2) which cannot be taken up by the plant which can cause deficiency.

Solutions to resolve a deficiency

  • Check the medium’s pH when the first symptoms are noticed. High pH values mean that there is less manganese available for the plant. By lowering the pH of the nutrition (pH minus (down)) the medium’s pH can be lowered to 5.0 – 5.5.
  • Low substrate temperature can be the cause of reduced manganese absorption. If a deficiency is noticed, check that the substrate temperature is sufficiently high (68 – 77 oC) during the day.
  • Using products that contain trace elements may also help. A manganese deficiency is usually not a problem on its own. To facilitate manganese transportation in the plant, molybdenum is needed. Thus, the problem may well be a molybdenum deficiency. High levels of phosphorus may also result in a reduced availability of trace elements like zinc, copper and (of course) manganese. CANNA advises to use a mix of all needed trace elements. Trace elements can be given to the plant both in the feeding and by spraying the leaves. Spray the plant at the end of the day and spray daily with water after spraying to prevent burning.

Excess Manganese!

When there are high concentrations, manganese precipitates into manganese oxide (MnO2 or black manganese) which causes yellow-brown spots on the leaves. Initially, small spots will appear along the main and side veins of the leaf, following this, the spots will spread out from the veins. Excess manganese can be a result of a low pH in the substrate.

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The Role of Potassium (K)

Potassium is a chemical element with symbol K (derived from Neo-Latin, kalium) and atomic number 19. It was first isolated from potash, the ashes of plants, from which its name derives.

Phosphorus (P) Fallacies

A brief review of the macronutrients included in complete fertilizers: nitrogen (N) is involved in photosynthesis as part of the chlorophyll molecule and promotes vegetative growth; phosphorus (P) supports the transfer of energy throughout the plant for root development and flowering; and potassium (K) is an important part of plant metabolism, strengthening its overall health.

The History and Science of Epsom Salts

This natural mineral, discovered in the well water of Epsom, England, has been used for hundreds of years, not only to fertilize plants but to treat a range of human and animal ailments. Who hasn’t soaked sore feet in it at least once?

Chemically, Epsom salts is hydrated magnesium sulfate (about 10 percent magnesium and 13 percent sulfur).

Magnesium is critical for seed germination and the production of chlorophyll, fruit, and nuts. Magnesium helps strengthen cell walls and improves plants’ uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur.

Sulfur, a key element in plant growth, is critical to production of vitamins, amino acids (therefore protein), and enzymes. It’s also the compound that gives vegetables such as broccoli and onions their flavors. Sulfur is seldom deficient in garden soils in North America because acid rain and commonly used animal manures contain sulfur, as do chemical fertilizers such as ammonium sulfate.

The causes and effects of magnesium deficiencies vary. Vegetables such as beans, peas, lettuce, and spinach can grow and produce good yields in soils with low magnesium levels, but plants such as tomatoes, peppers, and roses need high levels of magnesium for optimal growth. However, plants may not show the effects of magnesium deficiency until it’s severe. Some common deficiency symptoms are yellowing of the leaves between the veins, leaf curling, stunted growth, and lack of sweetness in the fruit.

Magnesium tends to be lacking in old, weathered soils with low pH, notably in the Southeast and Pacific Northwest. Soils with a pH above 7 and soils high in calcium and potassium also generally have low magnesium levels. Calcium and potassium compete with magnesium for uptake by plant roots, and magnesium often loses. Sometimes, a soil test will show adequate magnesium levels in soil, but a plant grown in that soil may still be deficient because of that competition.

Gardeners add magnesium when they apply dolomitic lime to raise the soil’s pH. However, this product (46 percent calcium carbonate, 38 percent magnesium carbonate) breaks down slowly, and the calcium can interfere with magnesium uptake. For soils with a pH above 7, many gardeners use Sul-Po-Mag (22 percent sulfur, 22 percent potassium, 11 percent magnesium) to increase magnesium. Although dolomitic lime and Sul-Po-Mag are inexpensive ways to add magnesium, Epsom salts’ advantage over them is its high solubility.

When diluted with water, and especially when applied as a foliar spray, Epsom salts can be taken up quickly by plants. Epsom salts’ magnesium content, high solubility, and ease of application as a foliar spray are the main reasons for the positive results many gardeners see in their plants.

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Too Much Nitrogen in Plumeria

Nitrogen is a key player in producing chlorophyll; this pigment absorbs sunlight for basic photosynthesis needs. Gardeners must make sure that nitrogen, one of the three macronutrients in soil, is available for root uptake by choosing the right fertilizer. Saturating a garden with high nitrogen levels, however, does not improve plant growth. In fact, it can actually harm a garden more than leaving it to its natural elemental state. Too much nitrogen in plants is apparent both above and below the topsoil.