Plant Photoshoot Gone Wrong? What Nutrients are Your Plants Deficient In

Nutrient deficiencies are thankfully very photogenic - the visual signs and symptoms of nutrient deficiencies are easy to for you and your child to spot if you know what you're looking for!

Get ready for some science!

First, check out this video: it’s a quick overview of different nutrient deficiency symptoms in plants.

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Now, take a look at some plants!

See these cucumber leaves? Hopefully yours don't look like these, but let's dive into how to diagnose this plant.

So, you have a plant that has yellowing on its new leaves, and overall just isn't growing too hot right now….hmmmm…. Let's figure out what to start with.

Mobile vs. Immobile Nutrients

Nutrients absorbed within your plants like to move and go throughout the plant to be used - however, depending on the nutrient, they will either keep moving around after reaching its destination if needed (mobile) or stay put permanently (immobile).

Therefore, if you are seeing symptoms in your new growth, that means that your nutrient deficiency is from an immobile nutrient. There's not enough of that nutrient to be pulled into new growth.

If you are seeing symptoms in your old growth, that means that the deficiency is from a mobile nutrient. All of that nutrient is being pulled into the new growth, causing a deficiency in the old growth.

Old Growth Symptoms = Mobile Nutrient Deficiency

New Growth Symptoms = Immobile Nutrient Deficiency

Mobile Nutrients

Take a look at this diagram from Montana State University. Pretty easy to follow

Take a look at the diagram above. All of the mobile nutrients are Phosphorus, Nitrogen, Potassium, Magnesium, Molybdenum and Chloride. While every plant will show symptoms differently based on the plant structure, the diagram above is a good way of going through the symptoms.

Immobile Nutrients

Also from Montana State University, they made another diagram for immobile nutrient

Take a look at the diagram above. All of the immobile nutrients are Iron, Sulfur, Boron, Calcium, Copper, Nickel, Manganese, and Zinc. While every plant will show symptoms differently based on the plant structure, you can be certain that you'll see these symptoms in new leaves.

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If you want to learn more about nutrient defiencies, take a look at these articles!

• Nutrient Deficiency & Toxicity

• Plant Nutrient Deficiency Database

• Identifying Nutrient Deficiencies in Ornamental Plants (Shober and Denny, UF)

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Thank you for reading!

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