Use this chart to help you determine the possible causes for whatever strange problem you seem to be having.
Don't forget that your problem may not necessarily be a lack of any particular nutrient, the issue is often availability.
High pH can prevent plants from absorbing vital nutrients.

Extreme humidity may cause leaves to remain tissue paper thin.
Take small steps in your attempts to balance your nutrient solution.
It is better to under-feed your plants than to overdose them.
Try adding about half of a recommended concentration as you experiment.
You can always add more later.

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Symptoms	Suspected Element
Yellowing of:	N	P	K	Mg	Fe	Cu	Zn	B	Mb	Mn	Over Fertilization
Young leaves	No	No	No	No		No	No	No	No		No
Middle leaves	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No		No	No
Older leaves		No			No	No	No	No		No	No
Between veins	No	No	No		No	No	No	No	No		No
Old leaves drop		No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Leaves curl over	No	No	No		No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Leaves curl under	No	No		No	No		No	No	No	No
Tips Burn:	N	P	K	Mg	Fe	Cu	Zn	B	Mb	Mn	Over Fertilization
Young leaves	No	No	No	No	No	No	No		No	No	No
Older leaves		No	No	No	No	No		No	No	No	No
Young leaves wrinkle/curl	No	No		No	No	No				No	No
Necrosis	No	No				No		No	No		No
Growth Stunted			No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Dark/purple color	No		No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Pale color		No	No	No	No	No	No	No		No	No
Mottling	No	No	No	No	No	No		No	No	No	No
Spindly		No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Soft stems		No		No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Hard/brittle stems	No			No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Tips die	No	No		No	No	No	No	No		No	No
Bad roots	No		No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Wilting	No	No	No	No	No		No	No	No	No	No
Symptoms	N	P	K	Mg	Fe	Cu	Zn	B	Mb	Mn	Over Fertilization

N - NITROGEN (N)

Pale plants, red stems, smaller growth. Rapid yellowing of lower leaves progressing up the plant.
Add any chemical fertilizer containing N. Treated plants recover in about a week.

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P - PHOSPHORUS (P)

Slow or stunted growth, red stems. Smaller leaves that are dark green.
Lower leaves yellow and die. Add chemical fertilizer containing P.
Affected leaves will not show recovery but new growth will apear normal.

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K - POTASSIUM (K)

Affected plants are usually tallest and appear to be most vigorous.
Necrotic spots form on lower leaves. Red stems. Leaves appear pale or yellow.
Add chemical fertilizer containing K.

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Ca - CALCIUM (Ca)

Lack of calcium in the soil results in the soil becoming too acid.
This leads to Mg or Fe deficiency or very slow stunted growth. Treat by foliar feeding with one teaspoon of dolomatic
lime per quart of water until condition improves.

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S - SULFER (S )

Plants suffering from S definciencies exhibit yellowing of new growth.
Mix one tablespoon of Epsom salts per gallon of water until condition improves.

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Mg - MAGNESIUM (Mg)

Lower leaves yellow and may even turn white while veins remain dark green. Blades die and curl upward.

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Fe - IRON (Fe)

Leaves on growing shoots turn pale and veins remain dark green.
pH imbalances make iron insoluble. Foliar feed with chemical fertilizer containing Fe or rusty water.

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Mn - MANGANESE (Mn)

Necrotic and yellow spots form on top leaves. Mn deficiency occurs when large amounts of Mg are present in the soil.
Foliar feed with any chemical fertilizer containing Mn.

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B - BORON (B)

Growing shoots turn grey or die. Growing shoots appear burnt. Treat with one teaspoon of Boric acid (sold as eyewash)
per gallon of water.

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Mb - MOLYBDENUM (Mb)

Yellowing of middle leaves. Foliar feed with chemical fertilizer containing Mb.

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Zn - ZINC (Zn)

White areas form at leaf tips and between veins. Occurs in alkaline soils.
Zn deficiency can be treated by burying galvanized nails in the soil. Chemical fertilizer containing Zn can also be used.

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Cu - COPPER (Cu) Fungicide, sulfate [Cocus] Apply foliar.

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OVER FERTILIZATION

Causes leaf tips to appear yellow or burnt. To correct soil should be flushed with three gallons of
water per one gallon of soil.

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