15 Plant Nutrient Deficiencies & How to Treat Naturally (with Pictures)

When a plant lacks a sufficient amount of an essential nutrient required for growth, you may see signs of nutrient deficiency.

Plants need various nutrients to grow and remain healthy [1]. You especially need to monitor high-yield crops closely to ensure they get what they need to thrive.

This list will help you identify symptoms of plant nutrient deficiencies and how to treat the issues naturally.

1. Phosphorus

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Your plant will show signs of stunting, and a dark green color will appear in both leaves and stems. Symptoms will appear first on older leaves, which may acquire a purplish hue.

This can result from conditions that are too cold for the plant to take up phosphorus or from poor soil health.

There are a few home remedies for phosphorus deficiency in plants. Firstly, do not overwater the plants. Adding manure to the soil may also help.

You can also introduce clay particles into the soil and add compost. Bone meal is a great product for naturally increasing soil phosphorus levels.

2. Potassium

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Older leaves will be yellow between the veins and have brown curled-up edges. You may also notice symptoms of purple or bronze spots on the underside of the leaves.

Poor flowering and fruiting may also occur. Additionally, root, seed, and growth development will decline. To treat potassium deficiency in plants, choose a high-potassium fertilizer, such as molasses.

Another way to help fix the problem is to bury banana peels an inch below the soil. However, this method may take longer to work.

3. Calcium

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When plants have a calcium deficiency, young leaves are the first to be affected. They show signs of distortion (cupped or curled).

Additionally, the leaves will be small and have yellowish or brown spots. Terminal buds and root tips will also die. Moreover, insufficient calcium in tomato tissue causes blossom-end rot.

To help fix this issue, add crushed eggshells to your compost to naturally add more calcium. Alternatively, make a homemade calcium spray for plants by adding 20 eggshells to a pot containing one gallon of water.

Next, bring to a boil, and then remove from the heat. Let it sit for 24 hours. Finally, strain and pour the solution onto the soil.

Neptune’s Organic Crab Shell Fertilizer is also a good source of calcium for plants. Furthermore, adding lime to the soil is another way to raise calcium levels.

4. Nitrogen

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Among the plant mineral deficiencies gardeners encounter, nitrogen is not uncommon.

Your plant will likely be shorter than average and produce small flowers and fruits. Its leaves will also be yellow or pale green, and the lower leaves will be affected first.

You can correct it by adding used coffee grounds to the soil. An organic fertilizer, such as earthworm castings or bat guano, can also help to treat it.

Nitrogen-fixing plants, such as nearby peas and beans, can also help correct the problem.

5. Magnesium

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Magnesium deficiency is commonly seen in tomato plants, apples, grapes, roses, and rhododendrons.

You will see yellowing in the area between the veins on older leaves, while the veins remain green.

An excess of potassium can cause this issue. However, Epsom salt solutions can help fix magnesium deficiencies in plants.

6. Sulfur

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The entire plant will show chlorosis, with leaves turning yellow or pale green. High rainfall and weathered soil can both cause it.

However, you can treat sulfur deficiency in plants by applying aged or composted manure or gypsum.

7. Boron

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The plant is usually smaller, has brittle foliage, and the growing tips may wither. The tips of the lower leaves may also show yellowing.

Too much calcium, high humidity, and dry or waterlogged soil are common causes.

Enough moisture can help prevent boron deficiency. Additionally, Biomin Boron is an excellent organic fertilizer for increasing soil boron levels.

8. Copper

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Copper is one of the most uncommon nutrient deficiencies in crops. Mature leaves will turn light green, and the tips may become twisted or misshapen.

It tends to occur mainly in plants in soil with high pH levels, but excess potassium and phosphorus may also cause it.

Have your soil tested, and ensure the pH is between 4.5 and 7.5. Also, Biomin Copper fertilizer works well on copper-deficient plants.

9. Iron

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Iron deficiency is first seen in young leaves and new growth.

Leaf veins will stay green, while the area in between will turn yellow. If severe, the entire leaf may also turn white or yellow.

This condition is more common in soils with excess molybdenum, nitrogen, manganese, and zinc. However, it can also be caused by overly wet or compacted soil.

Biomin Iron will give your plants the iron they need. Adding chicken manure and compost, along with organic garden and kitchen scraps, can help fix the problem naturally.

10. Manganese

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Initial symptoms show interveinal chlorosis in younger leaves. This makes them yellow with pale green veins. Plants may also be shorter and have fewer leaves.

Manganese deficiency, like iron deficiency, occurs in poorly drained soils and in soils with too much agricultural lime.

You can buy treatments to naturally increase manganese in the soil.

11. Molybdenum

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Leaves will have interveinal yellowing or pale green coloring. Leaf edges may also appear scorched.

It commonly appears on cauliflower or similar brassicas grown in soil that is insufficiently alkaline. Making the soil more alkaline will help in the long term.

12. Zinc

Symptoms vary, depending on the plant. However, the stems will be short, and the upper leaves will show brown spots.

Stunting may also occur, and yellow patches will be present between the veins. It is most common in citrus trees.

Use Biomin Zinc to add zinc to your soil. Be careful with fertilizers high in phosphorus, as they decrease the amount of zinc available to your plants.

13. Oxygen

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Oxygen deficiency can be seen in the roots, which turn brown and mushy instead of white and firm. Wilting or drooping will also appear at the top of the plants.

It usually occurs in hydroponically grown crops. This happens when the nutrient solutions lack enough oxygen.

This is seen in field-grown crops that are overwatered, sit in stagnant water, or grow in poorly drained clay soil.

Never water more than the plants and soil can absorb in a few hours. Root rot is difficult to fix once it sets in, so prevention is the best solution.

14. Carbon Dioxide

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This deficiency is most commonly seen in indoor plants, which are stunted and take up less water. You may also notice algae infestations.

Being around your plants can help since you breathe out carbon dioxide. A fan connected to an outside source or a carbon dioxide generator can also help if you grow many plants indoors.

15. Nickel

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Low nickel levels in leaves may cause whole-leaf chlorosis or necrotic tips. This condition can also be caused by high levels of magnesium and copper in the soil, as well as excess zinc and iron.

Barley, legumes, wheat, and citrus are generally affected. Check with your local gardening center. A foliar spray containing Ni can help.

Takeaway

The above are examples of plant nutrient deficiencies and how to fix them at home. Have your soil tested and monitor pH and water levels appropriately.

Also, remember to follow the directions for organic fertilizers. This way, you’ll apply the right amounts.

Additionally, if you’re unsure about your crops’ problems, you can ask your local gardening center for help.