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 Common Fertilizer Problems and Solutions
Excerpt from Organic Gardener's Basics by George Van Patten
Burn. Fertilizer burn, injury of plant tissues, and even death, can occur if highly concentrated dry fertilizer is applied on plants or their roots. Follow application directions carefully. Be sure to water in the fertilizer well after application.
Chlorosis. When soil pH (potential hydrogen - a measure of soil acidity and alkalinity) is too high (too alkaline), nutrients including iron are transformed into insoluble mineral salts and thus are unavailable to plants. This lack of available iron causes chlorosis, a loss of the green pigment of foliage. Symptoms of chlorosis include slow growth and leaves that are yellow between the veins. The veins remain green. Applications of sulfur or cottonseed meal to the soil will lower the pH. Commercial fertilizers labeled for azaleas and rhododendrons will feed the plants as they lower soil pH.
Dry Soil. When soil is too dry, the ability of plants to take up nutrients is impaired since nutrients must be in solution to be usable. Add organic matter to the soil to increase its ability to hold moisture and nutrients. Do not fertilize when soil is extremely dry.
pH problems. Most plant nutrients are insoluble form and thus available to plants when the soil pH is between 6.0 and 7.5 (7.0 is neutral, below that is acid and above is alkaline). When soils are outside of this range, plants will dwindle and eventually die from lack of nutrients. When soil pH is below 6.0, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are less available to plants. Above 7.5, phosphorus, manganese, and iron are less available. Some plants require soils that are acid, others require alkaline. Fortunately, most garden plants are tolerant of a variety of soil types. You can either choose plants to fit the soil type or modify the soil, making it more basic by adding lime or more acidic by adding sulfur or cottonseed meal. It is more difficult to make soil more acidic, therefore, you would be wiser to choose plants that will thrive at a somewhat higher pH.
Wet Soil. If soil is too wet, there will not be enough air in the soil pores. Without air for their roots, plants can not metabolize nutrients, therefore fertilizers in such a soil are useless. Beware of over watering. Add organic matter to clay soils to improve their draining quality. Correct drainage problems or move the plants.
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