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| growth becoming yellow. In addition, afflicted plants usually have a stunted, spindly look and drop their older leaves. Phosphorus Symptoms include stunted growth and late fruit set. Another characteristic is the development of small dark reddish or purple spots on the underside of older leaves that eventually spread. Potassium The lower leaves turn a gray-greenish tint, and this discoloration usually works its way up the plant. The off-green is usually replaced by a dirty yellow coloring followed by leaf death. Also the plant stems become slim and hard, and fruit ripens unevenly. This problem is normally most prevalent late in the growing season when plants use much of their available supply of potassium to develop fruit. Magnesium Mature leaves turn yellow between the veins, but the veins stay green. Eventually, the leaves turn upward and become brittle. This problem is another one that is most common late in the growing season on plants with developing fruit. Calcium Young leaves turn dark green and may even begin to curl. This green is usually replaced by yellow that spreads. While these leaves dry up and fall, the lower leaves of the plant remain relatively normal. Eventually the whole plant becomes weak and wilts. Manganese Plants become stunted, and leaf tissue will turn off-white or yellowish and die, leaving dead spots on the foliage. Zinc Plants have smaller than normal terminal leaves, and other leaves are pocked with yellow areas that may also include dead tissue spots. Iron Young leaves begin to turn yellow between the veins. While the yellowing will spread, the veins, margins and tips will remain green. Boron The new growth dies, and buds turn light green and will not form flowers. Also existing leaves are small and misshapen, and plant stems are usually short. This problem usually occurs in high alkaline soils. Reprinted with permission of the author. BACK TO HOME PAGE |
| Having trouble diagnosing the ills of some of your trees? Here's an article that may be helpful - from the April newsletter of the Iowa Bonsai Association. NUTRITION By Ron Martin Your bonsai can suffer from nutrient deficiencies, which is bad, but the good part is that they can tell you what the problem is - you just have to know what to look for. Bad light and poor soil can also cause some of the following, so consider these also. Nitrogen Slow growth is the main characteristic, but other tell-tale signs are leaves that turn light green with the tips of new |
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