How to Know Your Vegetable Garden Plants Need Feeding

Obviously, a growing plant needs to be fed to keep it growing. Otherwise the plant becomes undernourished and sick. And a sick or deficient plant is then more susceptible to pests and diseases.

But how do you know your plants are crying out to be fed?

Well, here’s a quick guide that will allow you to recognize which plants are undernourished and need feeding.

Nitrogen deficiency

This is characterised by your plants growing slowly and thin  stems and foliage that go from green to yellow.

Cucumbers show a stunted growth. The green of the plant turns yellow and left long enough the roots will eventually turn brown and die.

Radishes – starved of nitrogen your radishes will remain small.

Tomatoes these will grow slowly. The top leaves of the plant will become lighter and this will happen to the lower leaves as well. Small leaves will result and you can expect a significantly reduced crop.

How to rectify nitrogen deficiency

Apply organic farmyard manure or compost. You can also apply blood and bone meal and mix this in the soil surrounding your plants.

Read Also : All You Need to Know About Organic Fertilizer

Crop Rotation

 

Phosphorous Deficiency

Plants which are deficient in phosphorous are slow to mature and grow.

Celery has slender stalks.
The leaves on both Raddishes and tomatoes turn a reddish purple.

How to rectify phosphorous deficiency

Apply phosphate rock, slag or bone meal to your plants.

Potassium Deficiency

The signs of potassium deficiency include poor yield, slow growth, a weakly vigour and your plants get more disease.

Beet plants grow long thin tapered roots instead of bulkier roots.
Cabbages turn a bronze colour and brown spots appear on the leaves.
Carrots – the leaves curl
Cucumbers – the leaves turn a bronze colour.
Raddishes – the leaf edges curl and turn bronze.
Tomatoes – these become stunted and the leaves are crinkled.

How to rectify Potassium deficiency

Heavy mulching is good. Add potash rock directly to the soil.

Calcium deficiency

Plants with calcium deficiency develop thick woody stems

Peas – the green leaves turn to pale green and then white. The plants grow slowly and are smaller than normal.

Tomatoes – the upper leaves of the plant look yellow.

How to rectify calcium deficiency

Apply lime or beach sand to the plant.

Magnesium Deficiency

Plants low in magnesium are slow to mature. And the leaves lack green colour.

Cabbages – Mottled spots appear on the plant.
Carrots -  the leaves appear mottled and then turn brown.
Tomatoes – the leaves turn brown and then curl up.

How to rectify

Use an organic fertilizer rich in magnesium such as a dolomitic limestone.

Boron deficiency

The plants grow very slowly when deficient in boron.

Turnips develop brown heart disease.
Cauliflower stems become discoloured and water soaked.
Celery leaves turn a mottling colour.
Lettuce  – the leaves become malformed.
Tomatoes – the stem of the plant turns black.

Iron deficiency

Yellow leaves appear on the plant.

Copper deficiency

The plants grow slowly and then stop growing.

Zinc deficiency

The leaves become very long and narrow. They then become yellow and mottled.