Luscious growth and luscious greenery: that’s how you want your garden. But sometimes, a plant will weaken. Not only does location influence how flowers, shrubs and trees thrive, but plant nutrition also plays a fundamental role. A lack of nutrients shows up in the exterior appearance, through leaf discoloration or poor growth. If the right food is missing, plants may survive for a while, but they won’t thrive.

How to identify a nutrient deficiency?

Often, undernourishment is noted on the leaves. Chlorosis is known as the spreading yellowing in the middle of the green. Leaves can become only partially, but also completely yellow. If the tissue eventually turns brown, it slowly dies. These changes are called necrosis.  Even the fruits can show signs: for example, if radishes are in lack of nutrients they burst.

How does a nutrient deficiency develop?

The most obvious cause: lack of fertilisation. Those who do not feed their plants at all run the risk of needing important nutrients. One-sided fertilization can also lead to deficiency symptoms. But if you think too much with supply, you may also be wrong, because some nutrients influence each other. Too much potassium, for example, can slow the uptake of magnesium. If plants get a lot of nitrogen, they also need a lot of potassium.

How can nutrient deficiencies be prevented?

First, it is important that the base is correct: if the sandy soil is very permeable, it cannot hold good tissue for long. Heavily loamy soils, on the other hand, release valuable minerals and trace elements only very hesitantly. In both cases, it helps to improve the soil. In addition, a soil test can provide information about the pH value and show how many nutrients the soil contains.

The key to healthy plants, is a balanced supply tailored to the plant. Each plant has its own requirements. If the plants grow in pots and tubs, individual wishes can be easily met. In lush perennial beds, dotted with grasses and shrubs, the different supply is a little more difficult. Here, a universal fertiliser is the solution.