Author: Aqua Gardening

Identify And Treat Leaf Deficiencies

Video Transcript:

Hi I’m Chris from Aqua Gardening.

In this Frequently Asked Questions Video for Thriving Aquaponic & Hydroponics Gardens – we are going to look at some of the challenges around Leaf Deficiencies where your plants do not look healthy or have spots, discoloration or shrivelled leaves. The good news is that there is not a soilless gardening problem we have not come across before, and we know how to get your automatic garden system thriving again in no time at all.

Sometimes, even using an automatic growing system, plants don’t grow perfectly - they often need some TLC as the environments they are grown in can vary so greatly. Inevitably, at some stage you will notice your leaves are not as green as they should be, or your plants are not growing as quickly as they once did. Imperfections will show up in your plants, which can be hard to notice for untrained eyes. The good news is Aqua Gardening has got your back, and you can learn from our experience through reading our articles or our online video tutorials. The majority of leaf problems are caused by mineral deficiencies – which can also be rectified incredibly fast. You can see an entire plant change colour, and spurt in growth, in 24 to 48 hours after the addition of some boosters! You just need to know how.

So what can go wrong? We all know plants need a spectrum of minerals to help them grow, and if one is in abundance, or a mineral is not present, the leaves are going to show signs discolouration or weird spots. There are a variety of reasons why this occurs, but the answer is usually that one of the key growing measures is out of balance.

The important areas to keep in mind are:

  • The pH level being too high or too low

  • Using too much or too little nutrient

  • Using the correct nutrient for the stage of growth or type of plant

  • The moisture level in the growing media

  • The level of salt build up in the growing media

All of these measures can be corrected with the right tools or methods, and with experience you will know the early signs of a problem beginning, and more often get it right the first time anyway.

The most important things are to stick to the feeding and watering guide, and to take action quickly if you notice a leaf looking a little weird. This will mean a check of the water tank, a quick pH and EC test, and a double check you are at the right feeding stage if you are using a growing guide. Using quality growing media and nutrients will go a long way to preventing a deficiency happening in the first place.

In our members only area we offer Expert Tips troubleshooting videos on a variety of topics, including diagnosing plant issues from the colours and the appearance on the leaves.

To find out more click on the link below to see how you can get access to our world class expertise.

Expert Tips troubleshooting videos