Gardening and Horticulture - Yellow Plants-my soil the problem???
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Criss
06-14-01, 09:49 PM
Help! I purchased $200 worth of flower bed soil and everything I have planted is turning bright yellow and dying. I have planted in old soil next to new soil and same type of plants are fine. What could be wrong with this soil mix??? I have tried watering more and watering less no effect. Vincas turn yellow, Mexican heather turns yellow, petunias(sp?) turn brown and die.
[Edited by Criss on 06-15-01 at 09:05]
[Edited by Criss on 06-15-01 at 09:05]
r_abela
06-15-01, 05:51 AM
It might be that the flower bed soil does not have enough iron substance which then causes leaves to become yellowish.
ROBERT
ROBERT
fewalt
06-15-01, 09:39 PM
Criss,
I also bought quite a few bags of commercial top soil last year and noticed a similar problem. It has a good amount of humus, but I believe the problem is a lack of nitrogen.
I have bought much more of the bagged soil this year and as I dump it where needed I mix in 10-10-10 fertilizer. This fall it will also require sweetening with a lime application.
fred
I also bought quite a few bags of commercial top soil last year and noticed a similar problem. It has a good amount of humus, but I believe the problem is a lack of nitrogen.
I have bought much more of the bagged soil this year and as I dump it where needed I mix in 10-10-10 fertilizer. This fall it will also require sweetening with a lime application.
fred
06-16-01, 06:37 PM
Top soil by itself has no nutritive value. It needs to be ammended with organic matter or fertilizer. Compost is better than humus, which is the end product of compost after microbes have digested it.
Yellowing is a sympton of at least 4 diff conditions:
1. Inadequte water.
2. Insuffcient iron, used in the synthesis of chlorophyll.
3. Low nutrition level - not enough N, P, K, Ca, ....
4. Insufficient light.
Apply a gen'l purp 10-10-10 fertilizer or 2" compost or other organic matter to the surface.
Only apply lime if you need to adjust the pH of the soil, which means you have to measure it first.
Yellowing is a sympton of at least 4 diff conditions:
1. Inadequte water.
2. Insuffcient iron, used in the synthesis of chlorophyll.
3. Low nutrition level - not enough N, P, K, Ca, ....
4. Insufficient light.
Apply a gen'l purp 10-10-10 fertilizer or 2" compost or other organic matter to the surface.
Only apply lime if you need to adjust the pH of the soil, which means you have to measure it first.
fewalt
06-16-01, 08:55 PM
Sled,
I agree with your four possibilities, and I think the culprit is still #3, lack of food.
Additionaly, whether your pH has been checked or not, adding a minimal application of lime every fall is a benefit. Everyone adds the humus, compost, manure, straw, pine needles, and tills in the weeds. Some till in the entire crop residue. Thus, even without a pH verification, most garden soils need sweetened. And, if you live east of the Mississippi, adding agricultural lime will at least neutralize the acid rain which exists. The lime is not cumulative, it will leach down through the top soil.
fred
I agree with your four possibilities, and I think the culprit is still #3, lack of food.
Additionaly, whether your pH has been checked or not, adding a minimal application of lime every fall is a benefit. Everyone adds the humus, compost, manure, straw, pine needles, and tills in the weeds. Some till in the entire crop residue. Thus, even without a pH verification, most garden soils need sweetened. And, if you live east of the Mississippi, adding agricultural lime will at least neutralize the acid rain which exists. The lime is not cumulative, it will leach down through the top soil.
fred